Read on Twitter
I can’t stop thinking about all of the white people on my Facebook, Instagram, and (sort of? less so) twitter feed posting about racial injustice in response to all that’s gone down this week. (1/7)
The tone is very, “start having conversations with your family and the other white people you know about racism.” Although I do think that’s important, I think that conversation absolves people from looking in. (2/7)
Just like calling diversity training, “unconscious bias” training allows one to believe that their racist thoughts are “normal” absolves them from responsibility, saying “talk to your white friends/family members,” allows me to think it’s *them* who are the problem, not me. (3/7)
So I don’t know who needs to hear it this morning, but *all white people* are racist. Including me. Including you. And until we look within and ask ourselves: why do I think it’s okay to advocate for myself or my child at the expense of POC? why didn’t I speak up... (4/7)
...when I witnessed injustice? why did I let it slide when my liberal friend/coworker made a race-based joke or comment? Why did I feel like it was okay to make a race-based comment or joke myself? (5/7)
we aren’t going to change anything. Upending racism doesn’t start at your dinner table. It starts in you. And grappling with these questions about yourself is going to be 100x harder than getting in a Facebook fight, but I really don’t think we’re going to make any progress (6/7)
...until white people really, seriously start to consider what role THEY play in dismantling the status quo. You have more control over your own attitudes, cognitions, and behaviors than you do anyone else’s. It’s time to use it to change yourself. (7/7)
