In the fight for Racial Equity in the USA, we gotta VERB:
from the perspective of one white man attempting to live in the work.
Merriam-Webster defines the word verbs as, "words that show an action... almost every sentence requires a verb." So let's get to Work, shall we? And if you're scared of the Work, that is ok. The great white machine has intentionally withheld the knowledge, habits, tools, and resources necessary to tear down and reconstruct a society wherein ALL its inhabitants receive the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness they are promised in this nation's sacred documents. The time for drinking the "dead white guy" Kool-Aid must be past us, my fellow Americans (especially for those of us who come from a life of grandiose privilege). I hope you see that, or at least feel it in your bones...
The reason I present the above image is due to the fact that, although this pandemic we've been hiding from in our houses (hopefully - and wear a mask!) for the past few+ months presents no inherent bias in its conquest, at least not from the virus' point of view, it has been systematically (and predictably, if you're tuned in) revealing the supremely biased and inequitable foundations of a grossly westernized USA erected by colonizers. Colonization, colonialism, genocide tactics, gentrification, redlining, and perhaps the grandest lie ever concocted: white supremacy -- have all led us to this grand stage of inequity, inequality (please look up the difference between the two!), cultural imbalance, and crimes against BIPOC’s humanity, which the massive spreading of COVID-19 (and ALL events that have occurred since) have shone a big, hot, white spotlight on...
"This article is more than one month old." Yes indeed, folx... this is not new news. Nor is it fake news. But, my god, if all the news that has pummeled our nation over the past month alone hasn't shed light on the above statements for you (hopefully #blacklivesmatter, #nojusticenopeace, #defundthepolice are ringing some bells), then I'm at a bit of a loss, quite frankly. If this info is brand-new news for you, well then, I fiercely recommend you switch to caffeinated and promptly wake UP! Please pardon my tone of speech here, but as I headlined in my "pump-up" video up there, the "time for nice" is way over - and I trust you to apply that message to your own lived experience, and crawl/ walk/ run Forward with it how you will. Let me repeat, most humbly: I Trust You. And I sincerely hope you Take Action with this trust. Because members of our BIPOC community (perhaps even within your very own social circle) would really like to trust you as well, I'm sure.
The resources for our traditionally oppressed communities are not available, never have been, and those "citizens" with the most power/ authority in the US would rather see hundreds, thousands of BIPOC, poor people, disabled people, and advocates for these perpetually marginalized populations die horrible deaths than step foot toward any sort of equitable progress (see: the brutal treatment of peaceful BLM protestors for anecdotal proof of this fact; Also see: that the lynching of Black citizens is happening RIGHT NOW). Our white (because "Caucasian" ain't ours, y'all - look that up) forefathers truly did teach us how to hate the "Other" more than love ourselves — it is perhaps the single most powerful of the legacies they left to us in a will signed with bad blood. Which still runs through the veins of our "great" nation. If you believe in the science of Epigenetics, then this legacy runs through my blood as well. I implicate myself in the internalized racism complex and the systems of severe bias that our nation was founded upon... as "pioneers" violently stole the land from our Indigenous and First Nation brethren.
My paternal lineage contains some of the first Pilgrims who landed here, as well as Robert E. Lee. That fact used to be big ol' badge of honor worn by me in grade school. I no longer wear that badge. But the blood of these people, as well as their fire-eyed ferocity, still runs through my veins. I get hot in the face from it sometimes. What was once a source of [white] pride mutated into [white] guilt... and then, it grew, blossomed, transformed into a sense of [white] RESPONSIBILITY. I have a responsibility to learn from the mistakes of my ancestors, and to leverage my pioneer-like aggression toward the unconditional loving of my people - all of 'em. My loved ones who are BIPOC. And that love must contain fighting for their rights, liberties, happiness, safety - their very lives. And the lives of their children... and their children's children. But, lemme say: The UN-learning process is a real one, my people. And it is a mother, my people. And mothers, as we know, are POWER-FULL. It is completely okay to be afraid of leaning into this work. But I urge you, nay INVITE you with open arms, to let your fear make you fierce in the fight for equity and justice. For our nation's collective humanity. For its very soul.
You, as well as all the mistakes you are bound to make, are welcome in this fight. I dare say they are NEEDED. “Dog eat dog” is for dead white guys. Empathetic and EQUITABLE practice are the Future, if we truly hope to have a future that thrives. We are One Nation, y’all (said the guy who loathes the pledge of allegiance)... so let’s take what we are learning right now, from this momentous and gouging time in our collective history, and carry the memory of how it felt into the near and distant future - expending more energy at building each other up and keeping each other lifted. Equity, Justice, and our very humanity depend on it. FORWARD. I hope to see you there...
Ps: It's okay to feel a bit stuck, my fellow advocates for change -- so please check out the invaluable resources gathered below, and Take Action. The movement Forward will require your presence and participation. "Ally is [also] a Verb." So now, get yer VERB on...
- Read, Self-Educate, Sign, Write, Call, Donate:
blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ (<-- LOTS of resources here!!)
https://crossculturalsolidarity.com/the-uprisings-of-2020/?fbclid=IwAR3G-B09UDC5vwvtSKWXr_4FJY_UnvmYCtcXY3R-hY40Ud1TKuavDow8QTo (<-- Lots more stuff, all in one place!!)
https://www.npr.org/2020/06/09/873375416/there-is-no-neutral-nice-white-people-can-still-be-complicit-in-a-racist-society (<-- A quick read, with some RAD resources attached for getting your Equity Advocate ball rolling, and tracking your own progress!)
- Listen:
'Code Switch' Podcast series on NPR >> https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch
'1619' Podcast series (It will shake you.) >> https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/podcasts/1619-podcast.html
- Engage in communal learning:
This amazing educator is one of the best in the west, IMHO. He is mentioned in the video above & I urge you to consider pursuing some further education with him. >> https://www.mrrconsulting.org/
Much Love, y'all. ~OB.
About the Creator
Orion Bradshaw
(M.A.T. / AEA) I am a Teacher & a student of Life. I am a Storyteller every single day & a Facilitator of Equity Justice principles. Constantly curious, ever seeking, attempting to lean into my fears. May the Learning never cease...
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