ROMEL MURPHY FINDS PURPOSE IN GIVING BACK

Romel Murphy began Equality Should Be Normal in June because he wanted to make a difference in the community. Months later, he opened the Barbara Murphy Community Resource Center. Photo courtesy of Romel Murph
Romel Murphy began Equality Should Be Normal in June because he wanted to make a difference in the community. Months later, he opened the Barbara Murphy Community Resource Center. Photo courtesy of Romel Murph

 Romel Murphy finds purpose in giving back

BY TIA CAROL JONES
     Romel Murphy was in the music industry for more than 20 years. During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest brought on by the death of George Floyd, he wanted to make a difference and give back to the community.
    When no one was receptive to his reaching out to help, he created Equality Should Be Normal. In June, Murphy reached out to organizers because he wanted to do a Juneteenth event. It was during that Juneteenth March, Murphy said his purpose found him. He said in five months, God has been amazing.
     Murphy created a community resource center called the Barbara Murphy Community Resource Center, which opened its doors in late November. It is named for Murphy’s mother, Barbara Murphy, who died of colon cancer. At the center, meals, clothing and toiletries are giving away daily. On Wednesdays, the center has partnered with Mariano’s to give away groceries. Also on Wednesdays, Wellness Wednesdays
takes place in conjunction with Minds Empowered, a counseling service owned by Black women. Therapy is provided free of charge through the center.
     Murphy added the idea for the community resource center came about because he wanted to provide a safe space for young people. He found that space on 51st and Prairie.
     “It was nothing planned, wasn’t thought of, it was just out of a need and I wanted my youth to have somewhere safe to come to,” he said.
     Murphy said the work he does is important because young people need to know people are listening to them and that they care. “It’s important because you don’t know everybody’s
story. So, I treat everybody as equal because you don’t know everybody’s story, you don’t know why they’re there,” he said.
     Murphy, who was homeless by choice said, after his mother died, he separated himself from his family because he didn’t want to feel the pain of losing a loved one. “That’s why I do what I do, because I know people have different reason[s] for their story,” he said. “You don’t know what a person has been through and you might be the person who can pull them out of that.”
    Murphy said his compassion from others comes from his mother. He said his mother was a giver. Murphy said COVID-19 changed the way he did outreach because it made him actually do it - hands on and in the trenches. He said he would donate money and now, outreach is real and personal.
    Murphy said what this time has taught him is that there are white allies who really want to see change and they want to learn.
     “The allies that I would consider an ally, they’re willing to listen and learn. I don’t consider everybody that donates to me an ally, I consider you have a good heart,” he said.
     He called money “a temporary fix,” and said the people who “address systemic racism,” are the people he calls “allies.”
     For more information about Equality Should Be Normal, visit equalityshouldbenormal. com.

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

STARR Community Services International, Inc.