Anti-Racism Teachings: A Monthly Feature
On May 25th, when the death of George Floyd hit headlines, I had many friends reach out to see how they could support the black community. At the time, there were so many opposing ideas circulating on the internet and social media about not reaching out to your black friends. People said it was insensitive, and that learning about racism and oppression was on you to learn about. But you know what? I was on bed rest at the time. I had literally hours to burn, so I did answer the call.
In the first few days and weeks, I spoke to so many people in my inner circle. I quickly realized, there are many different narratives around how to teach others about anti-racism and becoming an ally. The number one question was “How can I help? I know that things can’t go back to normal. I know they must change, so how do I show up?”
Coming from a place of someone who has (since highschool) been seeking and educating herself around the issue, I have many ideas on how to speak about racism. But my number one answer to this question is this:
What can you do daily, and not experience burn out? How can we show up in the lane that we already live in?
In my experience, people will do big things once, but not twice. So start in your OWN lane. If you’re a stay at home mom who sits on the PTA, you can ask for your school’s library to supply books and materials that show all races and social-economic standards. You’re a hiring manager? Make sure your company is practicing racial diversity, and if they’re not, find out how to challenge your company to bring diversity. Maybe you’re the buyer for a store. Take a look at your vendors and see who you’re investing in.
Each of these small acts DO make a difference. From here on out, I will be using my platform for a monthly blog post, speaking about ways to teach and contribute to anti-racism. These posts will be centered around being an example for our children and teaching them how to be actively antiracist. It’s crucial to remember that this work starts at home.
In an effort to be true to my authentic voice I want to share this part of my life with you. I’ll be sharing coaching techniques to help empower you to have respectful conversation, practice active listening, and empower you to set boundaries and standards around being anti-racist. Take what resonates, and remember that this is my perspective. All I hope for is that these monthly teaching points inspire people to keep doing the internal work to make progress on these issues. Education + Accountability + Action = An Ally.
If you’re interested in learning more, I implore you to head over to Rosa Rebellion. Rosa Rebellion is a platform for creative activism by and for women of color. As a think tank and do tank, the Rosa Rebellion team invites women connected to the global diaspora to develop projects, publish works and produce media that serves to elevate marginalized voices, advocate for vulnerable communities, agitate systems and disrupt normative culture. I am a board member, and have found it an incredible resource. If nothing else, check out their Instagram! And for children based teaching please check out the conscious kid.
xo BJS