White people, white supremacy is our problem to solve

If you've been following the heart-wrenching news on social media, you'll see many activists stating that "not being racist isn't enough". This is proving time and time again to be true.

Every single white person has benefited from white supremacy and racial inequality. Of course, that doesn't make every white person a racist, but it makes passiveness and wilful ignorance damaging and wrong. If you choose to look away, that is a privilege that countless black people just don't have.

In reality, white people need to be fighting just as hard (if not harder) than black people, if we want to see a change to the system. That's not something that we can look away from. If it makes us uncomfortable, that's not an excuse to look away.

White supremacy is not something that we should only address when it's trending, or at its most violent. Likewise, it truly isn't enough to retweet some tweets and post a black box on your Instagram. Most white people think that calling people out for racist slurs and signing some petitions is enough. When really, that's just the start.

When the killings of black people such as George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Belly Muninga, Ton Mcdade, and countless others (some that we will tragically never know about) take place, white people tend to look in from the outside.

We treat the issue as if it is a black problem, that we shouldn't comment on, rather just listen. However, white supremacy is a white person problem, and it is our responsibility to dismantle it.

That's not to say that it is our narrative to tell. Our job is to listen to the black voices around us, amplify them, and take the necessary steps to make a change. Unjustifiably, white people's voices are louder than black voices - we need to use that to help. The phrase "silence is violence" rings in my ears, every time I see performative activism performed by white people.

So, where do we start? A system that whitewashes history, blocks out information of white supremacy and denies racism, it's can be difficult to know where to even begin.

Let's begin with educating ourselves. Yes, it's extensive, heavy, and difficult. Remember how privileged you are to be able to just learn about these things, rather than experience them every single day. From this, teach our families and friends how ingrained white supremacy is in society, and how it appears in nuanced ways - not just overt racism.

If you attend protests, do not make the decision to turn them into riots. Black people will be blamed and suffer as a result of this. If they make that decision, protect them and use your white bodies to stand up for them. It's not your job to tell black people how they should react, especially after they have seen their people brutally murdered by the people who are supposed to protect them.

Think about the peaceful protestors over the years, who have been ridiculed - Colin Kaepernick, LeBron James, and Martin Luther King - who many seem to forget that he was murdered. Peaceful protests haven't worked, riots have already made changes.

Next step - reflect on your own inaction and internalised racism. Have you looked away from hatred and violence? Have there been times when you haven't done anything when you could have helped? It's not enough to say that it's not your place to speak up on issues like racism. It's actually essential for part of the movement. I repeat; this doesn't mean you should control the narrative, rather repeat and amplify black voices and opinions.

Next step - Donate. During a pandemic, it's hard to ask people to part with their money. It's important to remember that this protest or revolution hasn't come at an inconvenient time. It's long overdue. The pandemic is the inconvenience.

I don't have even half the answers. All I know is that we have to do more than posting a black box on our Instagrams. We need to partake in touch conversations, looking into our actual history, signing petitions, donating, protesting, and emailing those in charge.

We need to read literature, study papers, watch documentaries, and listen to podcasts. Consult black activists on how you can help, and use your privilege to dismantle the system. Look into programs which are trying to reform the prison system. Look into how to help immigrants. Seek justice for black families, Grenfell survivors, and victims of white supremacy. Support black-owned business, and promote. Don't worry about losing followers or friends - do you really want to associate with anti-racists anyway?

Below, I've listed just a small number of "influencers", which do an amazing job of educating and sharing resources. These are all on Instagram.

@feminstajones

@mspackyetti

@laylafsaad

@renieddolodge

@mireillecharper

@danielleprescod

@angelarye

@snoochieshy