It’s hard to believe that my April Currently post was written at the beginning of isolation, and here we are, two months later, still in quarantine. When I wrote that post, it was hard to imagine writing one just a couple of months later in an even more somber tone.
I don’t even know where to begin. Recent world events and the heartbreak to the black community and the world have left me speechless. In the last few days, I have made it my duty and my priority to educate myself on the topic of anti-racism more than ever. I feel ashamed I didn’t put forth this type of effort sooner.
I’ve been using my platform and my voice in ways I never did before. I’ve watched my follower count go down, and I also know I’ve made people uncomfortable. All I can say to that, is I KNOW I am doing the right thing. To stand silent is to agree. It is the smallest burden I can bear to do anything I can to help people who are truly in pain and suffering.
I shared a post here with a more in depth expression of how I’m reacting and feeling. It is uncomfortable to face the truth that I am part of white privilege, as much as I try to fight against it. But, I am. It is now my responsibility to educate MYSELF on how to be better, to do better, and to help anyone I can reach do the same. I can not rely on the black community to tell us how they want to be treated. The responsibility lays on me, and on us, to care enough to teach ourselves.
I’ve started my education by listening to Me And White Supremacy. It is a 28 day journey to challenge myself to help combat racism and make a change. I’m only a few chapters in and already feel like my eyes have been opened. If you know you want to make a change but don’t know where to start, try giving this book a read. Any little change we can all make will begin to turn the wheel and set us on a path of change.
I’ll leave you with something that has been stuck in my head for days. It is a message Chrissy Rutherford said in her video, and to me, it sums up why we should be using our voice.
“It’s just so hard for me to imagine people being scared to speak out about what is right. Like, are you afraid that people are going to think that, like, you like black people? And you don’t believe they should be executed in the street? Like, please explain that to me.” – Chrissy Rutherford
When you read it like that – what exactly is it that’s holding you back from speaking up? Why wouldn’t you want to share that you care about and like black people? You can’t let fear of judgement or upsetting someone else hold you back from doing what’s right. For anyone claiming not to be racist – you aren’t doing enough if you aren’t making noise. All I can say, is it is time white people feel uncomfortable and ask themselves these hard questions.
Sending you all lots of love – let’s keep fighting this fight together.
x
