What is the role of someone now who is very privileged but also not of utmost whitecismale privilege?
I've spent a lifetime coming to terms with the nuances of my identity and belonging; embracing "who I am" to myself and to the world (thus I will never change my last name, but that's a story for another day). And somewhere around thirty, a sweet, knowing acceptance seeped in. Hallelujah! And yet the work very much continues. Because I was born into and raised by an unjust and unequal world, with racist systems and dark histories and normalized oppression.
We all were.
I cannot speak to what it is to be white because I am not white... though I have regularly been mistaken for being so, and have most definitely benefitted from those assumptions (see: white privilege). Either way, those of us who are not-Black need to accept and take on uncomfortable tasks in this moment of deep pain, and trauma, and loss (compounded by centuries of more of the same).
We must use our collective power to transform this broken world of ours. Tu lucha es mi lucha. Below, a few actionable ideas. Yours are welcome, too.- Protest this weekend! If you're able-bodied, and are able to safely assemble where you are, please get out there, know your rights, and march/rally/kneel/lie down/cheer in solidarity. Search a local blog or news site to find a protest near you.
- Acknowledge your racist biases, and then, unlearn them. It's on you to do so.
- A fellow accomplice (met on the yoga retreat pictured above) invited me to join a book group and we're starting with How to Be an Anti-Racist. Want more? These are some more recommendations by author and scholar of our first read, Ibram X. Kendi.
- Watch (or re-watch) Ava Duvernay's 13th and other films that tell untold stories and provide a broader context to the rage we should all feel.
- Listen to Black voices generously ushering us forward. Some of my favorites of late: Scene on Radio's Seeing White, NPR's Code Switch, WNYC's Come Through with Rebecca Carroll, and The Ringer's Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay
- Have tough conversations. A resource for speaking with elders. A resource for speaking with kids; and another, for good measure, because children are literally our future. A resource for speaking with colleagues. A resource for "casual" racism. And a starting point resource for all the least willing to engage.
- Donate effectively. These are some places doing good work from a New York perspective, or, with a Bay Area-focus. Proper mental healthcare is beyond essential. Supporting the Southern Poverty Law Center is always a good idea.
- Also, pay special attention to support Black artists and creatives and farmers and restaurants and makers. As you're aware, before this most recent assortment of murders, communities of color have been disproportionally impacted by this global pandemic.
- Vote. Vote. Vote in and for local officials that promote racial justice.
- Rest and restore. Culturally, we're in the eye of the tornado. Our lives have slowed down to the point that society's most horrific ills can no longer be ignored by those of us not directly experiencing the brunt of them. Gratefully, this has meant that more people than ever are activated to bring transformational change to life. Take care of yourself, still. He couldn't breathe; you can. Partake in a movement or meditative practice so that you can continue to"keep your foot on the gas." (For me, that’s been yoga, most often with the instructor from aforementioned retreat). We're in this for the long haul. Sending love.
