The institutional and structural racism and oppression of Black Americans have been part of our country’s history for hundreds of years. The recent murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Riah Milton, Dominique “Rem’Mie” Fells, and more — as well as the disproportionate impact the Coronavirus has had on Black Americans — are at the forefront of the recent protests and the Black Lives Matter movement. But these protests did not come out of nowhere. They are a result of the racism that is in our country’s DNA, from slavery to Jim Crow to redlining to mass incarceration.
We have to listen to the Black community, amplify Black voices, actively and continually recognize our own privilege and call out and confront racism to continue our nation’s long journey toward a just future.
I’ve spent the last few weeks listening, reading, learning, unlearning, and having difficult conversations with friends and family about how to be anti-racist. As someone who grew up in a predominately white community, went to predominately white schools, and has predominately white friends, I know I have work to do. A responsibility to put myself under a microscope and examine my own biases and especially recognize the ways I have benefited and continue to benefit from white supremacy.
Something I will be focusing on is continually directing myself and others to Black people who are leading and educating on these important topics. It’s imperative to center and amplify Black voices by sharing their articles, books, art, podcasts, blogs, and more.
Rachel Cargle, Ericka Hart, Lalese of Lolly Lolly Ceramics, Erica Chidi, Ozoz of Kitchen Butterfly, Adrian Michael Green, and Soul Fire Farm are some of the people and organizations I’ve been following and learning from lately.
I stand against all forms of racism and believe Black lives matter. Please join me, wherever you are in your own journey towards becoming anti-racist and commit to creating a future that is safe and equal for everyone.
(Portrait of George Floyd by Kadir Nelson for The New Yorker. Black Trans Lives Matter by Ira L. Black—Corbis via Getty Images.)