We have work to do. We have so much work to do. People are out there dying, and it's not because of spontaneous diseases or accidents, it's because of systematic racism. It's inexcusable and something needs to be done. This cannot just be something done by the black community, or any people of color for that matter. White skin is power, and we need to be better allies, friends, and human beings. We need to be better people. This blog is a call to action to all the white people in my life and beyond that. TAKE ACTION.
I first want to acknowledge we all might have identities that face oppression. Let's acknowledge that and move past it. Whether you are male or female, straight or gay, able or not, none of these identities compare to the racial oppression that occurs. So I see you and I acknowledge you as individuals and diverse people. Intersectionality matters, but right now it is about fighting and supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
I also want to open up and say that I do not know everything. I know that I will never be able to fully put myself in the shoes of those fighting for their lives, I know I will never be black, but I also know I cannot remain silent and I know I must fight for the Black Lives Matter Movement. I know that I must put effort into deconstructing the oppressive systems both in my mind and everyday life. To the white people, white-born, biracial-white, white passing, however you might be, you are white, so you have power and privilege. Here are some ideas of how to use it:
REFLECT AND EDUCATE
Spend time reflecting on what this means. I admit that when the concept of privilege was first introduced to me, I initially didn't take it so intensely. I was naive and let the idea brush over me. It was just a word, just something I had. I knew it meant something, but I hadn't yet recognized the complete weight of the word. Why you may ask? It was because I didn't dive into what privilege meant. Since then I've pursued a diversity certificate, I took diversity based classes, and I even attended an inclusive diversity core. I EDUCATED MYSELF and I went out of my way to challenge my thinking. I truly think this is the first step needed to being a ally, you can read about all the lost lives and watch the news of whats going on, but if you can't reflect with how your privilege is impacting the world around you, you won't be able to see how your actions might be a part of the problem and how you can grow and improve as an individual.
Here's some suggestions on how to go about this. If you can, take a class based on another culture or one that has an emphasis on race in particular. My Gender, Race and Class class educated me the most on how race is intertwined into everything and how privilege is as well. One day my professor said to another white girl in class "Are you a white supremacist?" I had never heard that before. I got low in my seat grateful I hadn't been asked that. The girl got breathy and went straight to denial, then she started to open up on how it might be possible. I didn't blame her, it came as a shock, and obviously she had never been asked that. I don't think I would have been able to answer it with more grace. Then another white girl in the class added on with such honesty and opened up how some things in her life could be white supremacy. I think we all jump to the thought of nazis or the KKK when thinking of the phrase "white supremacist," but with reflection you might start to see actions or unconscious bias within you and what you might need to change.
I recommend the workbook "Me and My White Supremacy," it is a long workbook that has different chapters on different topics to read. Then you answer questions about how your actions might relate to the various themes of the chapters. I recently went through the whole workbook in my class and it took A LOT OF REFLECTING. It forced me to unpack my previous understanding of these issues, and also allowed me to see how I have grown over the years. I actually hope to go over these questions annually to further see how I have developed as an ally and an individual. It will also allow me to see what to keep working on, the education never stops! Our professor gave us a pdf to a free version, and I'd be happy to pass along it to anyone who is willing to put in the work to combat their white supremacy.
This is just one example of how to reflect. There are so many books out there to read ("White Fragility," "So you want to talk about race," "Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race" and others) there are different options to watch ("When They See Us," "The Hate You Give," and SO MANY OTHERS) and easily so many videos and TedTalks to explore these concepts in depth. I recommend checking out social experiments that allow you to understand this issues from a different perspective. Jane Elliot, in particular, conducts many of these and in this video in particular, she divides people by the color of their eyes. In this simulation, they oppress the blue eyed people. It forces white individuals to endure what black people (and in some ways also other people of color) have to endure each and everyday. Check it out here, but there are others to explore as well.
This education never stops so keep looking into ways to better expose yourself AND after reading/watching/etc. REFLECT. Write about how it made you feel, how you are contributing to the cause in a positive or negative way, what you can do to be better. Talk to a friend, but don't talk to your POC friends to prove yourself, or to force them to go through the emotional baggage. Stuff we say can hurt them, they shouldn't have to be a part of your learning process or forced to tell their stories to help you understand. We have the internet, use it and find education without have to exploit the stories of POC who might not want to share.
TAKE ACTION
Right now, more than ever it is important to take action. Being an ally isn't just the words you retweet or the pictures you share on instagram. It is about taking tangible actions to contribute to the greater cause. DONATE. DONATE. DONATE. If you have the financial means of course, but there are so many people who need help with bail, different organizations need financial support.
Maybe you cannot directly donate yourself, but pass along the message, maybe reach out to your friends you know who can donate. Plus if you cannot donate, sign petitions, all of them. For each individual, and read their individual stories while you're at it. I've already signed most and will finish today and use a different browser to sign again, I mean that's okay right? Find a way to make sure these organizations or groups are being supported. Here is a list that I discovered of petitions to sign, places to donate, and even more ways to educate. Find it here! And these resources too! I hope these can be useful tools and you can start to mobilize and mobilize the people around you. Also take some time to check in on your friends who are facing oppression. Don't use them as a learning lesson, but make sure they're doing okay., See if there's anything you can do to support them. This is a huge part of being a real ally, proving that you're here as their friend in the difficult times too.
EXPAND THE MESSAGE
This is an extension of taking action, but one of the most important factor! WE NEED TO EXPAND THE MESSAGE. This means starting with your self and your circle, put people in check. I had a partner who used to throw around the n-word like it didn't matter. I showed him TedTalks, and sent him educational materials to him when I'd see them. I made it known it was absolutely not okay for him to use that language. You need to confront the people in your life who are impacting a community negatively. I know it's hard with loved ones, it's REALLY hard, but absolutely necessary. If you're going to educate yourself you might as well spread education to your loved ones. By nature, I've never been too comfortable with confrontation, but I need to take a stand, and I have been educating people around me all week, and I won't stop. The more people who are educated, the better the movement can be, more action can be taken, and more systematic changes can be made. Don't ever let the message stop with you.
Some people will be hesitant to receive the message, some of you might be one of those people reading this. Some might have never given thought to this being a problem. If you have the patience and time, educate them. In fact, I offer my support. If you personally are still struggling with white guilt, are failing at acknowledging your privilege, let me help you. I have all the time in the world and I am willing to engage in dialogues with you so you can understand the importance of this movement, ONLY if you're willing to put in the work. I will absolutely refuse to have my opinion changed, you can not convince me that this movement does not matter and that the system does not hurt Black individuals or even people of color, I will bring out facts and prove you wrong. If you're ready to improve, let me know. I want to take action in this movement and I believe helping more white people realize their privilege will help the Black Lives Matter movement in the long run.
Thank you for reading if you got this far, I appreciate it. I want you to know I am not done with my education and I have more work to do. I am not perfect or a model white person, so please if there is more I should know or something that I said that might be incorrect. Let me know and help me grow. I wrote this in an effort to compile my thoughts and to reach out to the white community to take action. Lastly, just a reminder that this movement is not about us. If you for one moment are feeling attacked, know that you are focused on the wrong thing. There are people dying, you feeling guilty or being called out for being white just isn't a big deal. Work to get over that because you won't be able to help if you can accept that fact.
Finally, I'd like to share a poem I wrote in my "Women of Color" class last semester. Even reading back makes me realize that I have grown so much in the last 8 months. I WILL continue to grow, but if you're interested here you go!
“I Should Be Saying Me”
We can walk over
Or let me pick you up in my car
Wanna eat at The Cheesecake Factory,
Two hours is too far
I don’t want to work this year
It’s okay my parents can pay
Just let me see your room
Some might not seem to understand
It might not even make sense at first look
We all hold unique and powerful privileges
But we’re just getting started: this is only the hook
The ability to walk Or even the distance you are from your home
The money you have
It’s all a factor in this privilege dome
A dome that keeps the people they want
And leaves the rest out to rot
It’s never the police’s fault
That black men “happen” to get shot
While there’s tons and tons of privileges
Yet no one seems to share
They wouldn’t consider giving away their power
No, they wouldn’t even dare
Yet one privilege is most powerful
Arguably more significant than the rest
It’s the concept of race
And in our world white people are seen as the "best"
They don’t have to think about the police
As they drive down their regular path
They might even be suspicious
But they’ll never endure the police’s wrath
They won’t get stopped at airports
And they always see themselves on the screen
In movies and in television
Their people are always seen
It’s a white persons world
But with skin that's fair, and eyes so green
Comfortable income and privilege
The fact is when I say they I should be saying me
I benefit from privilege
Like any white person should know
In fact anyone sees it
It’s obvious anywhere I go
It’s a privilege I never saw as a child
Heck hardly even in my teens
I don’t think I understood
They don’t tell you in high school what privilege means
And that’s part of the reason so many people walk around
Unaware of the power they hold
Not thinking and realizing
Our power is why people end up on the streets in the cold
This is a message for the white people
One we all probably need to hear
This world isn’t about us
It’s time for us to open up our ears
Our privilege hurts those on the bottom
And although we can’t change the color of our skin
We can help change the narrative
And we can help others win
Years of systematic racism is not an easy fix
But it all starts with taking a look at you
Assess your resources and educate yourself
And figure out what you personally can do
It takes considering our power
And noticing it the next time we go out
It’s understanding we’re different
And that we all have to take a different route
It’s not saying “I don’t see color”
Because the fact of the matter we all can
It’s not being a witness
It’s when something goes wrong we take a stand
We need to not be silent
We have to strive to learn the things we don’t know
Listening is powerful
And sometimes the best way to help us grow
Support others messages and movements
Take action and talk
It’s not just about performative actions
We need to walk the walk
We can’t make the problems our own
And get over the white guilt
It might “hurt” to hear we have power
But think of the barriers that have been built
If we pity ourselves
We’re not looking at the bigger issue at hand
Take time to consider
How would I feel if someone stole my land?
How would I feel if I were targeted for practicing my religion?
How would I feel if I were hated just because of my cultural food?
How would I feel if I were treated as property?
Wouldn’t it be a little rude?
It’s more than rude
And it needs to come to an end
But racism prevails
And the truth is we will never fully comprehend
Because the reality is
These troubles, we are lucky not to face
We were born lucky
We were born a part of the privileged race
So start speaking up and taking action
It can’t be fixed overnight but we need to try
This isn’t our time to be the leader
It’s time to be an ally
It’s time to take the backseat
Someone else should take the wheel
Listen to our friends of color
Give them the space to heal
I continue to be on a journey
To understand how to be
To check my power
To be a better me
"Be the change you want to see in the world" - Mohandas Gandhi
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