“2020 Vision.
You wanted it right?
That’s what all the hashtags said at the New Year.
2020 VISION.
To see clearly.
To see clearly how far apart we can be when we are together and how together we can be when we are forced to be apart.
To see clearly the injustices that have been in front of our eyes forever but never in focus. To see that we are all in this together, all connected. That your actions affect me and mine affect you and we all affect each other.
As hard as it feels some days, I see clearly that there is SO much more LOVE in this world than hate.
I also see clearly that complacency is complicity and can be worse than hate.”
I wrote the above in an Instagram post a few days ago. The last several weeks have been… eye opening, to say the least. The horrific and unnecessary murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd {and the many others killed in the past several weeks like Rayshard Brooks, Malcolm Harsh, Oluwatoyin Salau, Robert Fuller and more} broke hearts and opened eyes all over the world, including mine.
It is embarrassing that it took a global pandemic, with the world literally pausing around us to fully begin to acknowledge the issues of police brutality, systemic racism and the multitude of other areas of injustice the Black community face daily.
I can only speak for myself but I am learning and unlearning so much these past few weeks and feel immensely shameful that it took me so long to see and take action on these issues. I’ve also learned that feelings of shame are common and should only be shared with white people, as Black people don’t need our shame, they need our actions. Actions to dismantle the prejudiced and oppressive systems we, as white people, have formed and benefitted from for centuries.
In honor of Juneteenth today, I want to share some thoughts and actions steps.
Isn’t racism a thing of the past?
To be honest with you, I thought racism was mostly a thing of the past. That was what we learned in school. Slavery happened and that was very bad, but Lincoln fixed it! Then, segregation was bad, but we had Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement and we fixed it!
I learned that America was founded on freedom, and equality, and, you know, justice for all. I knew someeeee people were still racist, but surely no one I knew. Who is still racist in 2020? Only people in the middle of nowhere in the South, probably. I had no idea the level of my ignorance.
These past few weeks have finally made me aware of the facts that Black people have been begging us to listen to and acknowledge forever – that police brutality is not a case of “a few bad apples,” but a serious systemic issue that needs addressing NOW. That as education and healthcare and mental health funds are cut police budgets are growing exponentially. That racism isn’t just racial slurs or mistreatment, it is institutionalized in our country, our laws and our justice systems.
To my Black friends and followers, I am deeply sorry that it took me this long.
How can racism be a thing of the past when these items are so recent? I had no idea that:
+ Interracial Marriage was not legal in the US until 1967 (Only 53 years ago!)
And, get this, Alabama did not overturn their ban on interracial marriage until 20 years ago! The year 2000! In our lifetime! I’m sick just typing this. Source.
+ The first Black child to attend an all-white elementary school in the US South was in 1960 (Only 60 years ago)
That’s right, the first Black child to attend an all-white school in the South was Ruby Bridges and she is only 65 years old today. Federal marshals with guns had to take her through a crowd of “adults” spitting on her, threatening her life, calling her racial slurs and waving confederate flags. A mere 60 years ago. Source.
+ Black people struggled to exercise their right to vote in the US until 1965 (Only 55 years ago!
Okay so the 15th amendment in 1870 technically guaranteed Black men the right to vote (not women) but many State and local laws (like poll taxes and literacy tests) prevented them from exercising that right. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 aimed to overcome these legal barriers by prohibiting State and local governments from imposing voting laws that result in discrimination against racial or language minorities. However, this is just “legally.” Black people continued to be harassed, attacked and intimidated to dissuade them from exercising their rights long after the Voting Rights Act. Oh, and voter suppression is still going on TODAY in other ways. For instance, in the Georgia primaries that took place this month- Atlanta, home to the largest Black communities in the state, closed 80 polling places since March. That means 16,000 active registered voters from 5 precincts had to vote at ONE polling place – and the voting machines were down. {modified from former US Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich. More info here.}
I could go on and on as there is SO much more to get into on redlining, the criminal justice system, our for-profit prison system, the 13th amendment, the racial wealth gap, food deserts etc. Each of these issues needs to be understood and remedied and we all have the duty to educate ourselves.
But I’m not racist?
Our society is racist. White people, whether we are “racist” or not, benefit from living in a racialized society. We have the privilege of generational wealth, opportunity and so much more in a society that has been systemically designed to suppress Black people. The unjust systems were put into place by White people, and it is our responsibility to understand and dismantle those systems. “In a racist society it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist” – Angela Davis. Work to put more of your energy into being anti-racist than in trying to convince people you are not racist. {adapted from Marie Beecham}
What can I do to be Anti-Racist?
I am not on expert on this or any of these subjects, and I am learning alongside you. I’ve linked many informative resources on my Instagram in the BLM highlight and THIS is a great list with options on actions you can take, but here are some overall actions and things I am incorporating into my life.
+ Educate Yourself. Learn and Unlearn.
Read, watch and listen to things about the history of the oppression of Black people in our country and across the globe. This enables us to understand what’s wrong and fight for change. This must become a regular part of our lives. THIS LIST is an incredible place to start for education. THIS POST has over 100 resources of books to read, movies and TV to watch more to educate yourself.
+ Use your voice. Discuss and Defend.
White people have been silent long enough, {I’m obviously including myself here.} Now is not the time to be silent. Start discussion among your friends and family about what’s happening and what needs to happen. Make it incredibly uncomfortable and impossible for anyone to say anythin racist in your presence, challenge friends, family anyone you hear saying anythin racist. Do not be afraid to stand up for what is right, have the uncomfortable conversations. Also, unfortunately, as we know in our country today, white bodies are safer than Black bodies, if you see someone harassing a black person or see/hear a microaggression taking place, stand with that Black person and stand up to support them.
+ Diversify your world.
I absolutely do not mean this in a tokenism sense. I mean examine every aspect of your world and see if the diversity of our country is reflected in the types of content you’re taking in on social media, the authors of the books you are reading, the personal development leaders you follow, your job, your friend group. If it’s not, change it.
+ Support Black businesses and Creators
Seek out Black businesses to buy from and Black Creators to buy art from, become a patron of, take yoga or mediation classes from.
+ Donate
Donate to organizations to work to remedy the racial injustices that plague the Black community like the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Equal Justice Initiative, National Bail Out, SPLC {adapted from Marie Beecham} Set up recurring donations so this becomes an ongoing part of your life.
+ VOTE
Educate yourself so you’re able to Vote to the benefit of the dismantling of our societal oppression. This goes far beyond the Presidential level all the way down to Mayors, District Attorneys, City Council Members etc.
What if I do it wrong?
You will. I will. I have! I have posted things on stories and deleted them when I learned they weren’t put in the best way or were missing the point. Remember, learn and unlearn. As Maya Angelou famously said “When we know better, we do better.” Be open to learning, being corrected, changing your beliefs. Akilah Hughes tweeted “If you want to play piano, but you’re bad at playing piano, you practice and you get better. Don’t be the kind of white person who doesn’t post out of fear of fucking up. If you want to support Black people, but you’re bad at supporting Black people, practice and get better.”
We have a lot of work to do but I truly feel like this is a moment in history and the story is shifting. I saw a quote that said “If you ever wondered what you would’ve done during the Holocaust or the Civil Rights Movement, you’re doing it now.” So if you thought you would’ve spoken up and denounced Hitler, and protested alongside Dr. King, now’s your chance to prove it. Learn, share, grow, take action, protest if you’re able (I attended one the other week and it was incredibly powerful.) We are all in this for the long-haul. We’ve seen clearly now, don’t lose focus.
Xx,
