Right before Thanksgiving break I called on/challenged my White friends, who I know understand the severity of racial injustice in this country, to stand with and in some cases for people of color. That status sparked some AMAZING conversation about race, allyship, friendship, and the role of White people in this particular movement. Despite how exhausting it was to engage in such heavy conversation, I consider all of the 20 plus unique conversations well worth the energy. Was it risky calling out a single group in that manner? You bet! Was it necessary? Absolutely! Id do it all over again. I believe we all have various forms of privilege and it is time we start doing some serious self-work. Everyone! Those conversations also brought me much closer to some friends. I established much more respect and love for many of the people I conversed with---even if they didnt completely agree with me. Each of those conversations pointed to a common theme though. Many White people who know racism is alive and well or in the very least acknowledge that something isnt quite right, dont know what their role is in this movement. They dont know what they should say and they fear upsetting the community and taking up space. These are very fair feelings and I respect the desire to stand back, reflect, and listen. However, at some point action is necessary. Through my conversations and status, many of my White friends graciously answered my plea for public support. They shared their thoughts, feelings and encouraged their peers (other White folks) to be open to conversation and the existence of a different lived experience than their own. I asked a few of those people if I could share their statuses as examples of the way in which White people can engage in this conversation. They all said yes and for the next few days I will be sharing their statuses. I hope it sparks more conversation.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 15:33:10 +0000
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