as white people, we can be angry about violence against black people & then return to our jobs, hobbies as if nothing's changed. but there's no momentary anger for black people. they have no where to put this down.

if you're white & you're not considering the reality of oppression everywhere you go - grocery shopping, at the park, at school - then you are not paying attention. it should always linger in your mind.

because being white does not mean you exist without race. being white means /everything about you/ is about race. your promotion at work? your relationship? your education? all of it is a product of your whiteness.

black people & other poc do not have the luxury of ignoring their race in western society. white people shouldn't have it, either. it's time we recognize and reflect on our whiteness & how we personally benefit from the oppression of others.

it starts with being angry about violent acts of white supremacy all the time, not just when it's convenient or plastered on our social media feeds.

but it doesn't end with overt violence. you must be angry about black boys being forced out of their education early by uncaring white teachers. you must be angry about black women being refused jobs because of their hair.

you must be angry that your white son is more likely to be mentored in school. you must be angry that your white friend is more likely to receive a loan with lower interest rates. you must be angry that YOU received a promotion over your black coworker.

allyship cannot exist without introspection. and white allyship does not just mean recognizing how poc are set up to fail - it's recognizing how you have been set up to succeed.

and recognizing how your successes cannot be attributed solely to your skills, talent, or experience. no matter how good you think your resume is or how worthy you believe you were to receive an award, your whiteness will always give you the edge.

it cannot be separated from you, and you cannot be separated from it.