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Understanding my white privilege. A thread. I’ve been trying to make sense of a lot of things these past few days. Finding myself speechless, which is a rarity. I go back to a special workshop opportunity I had a few years back while at a former job hosted by @UndoingRacism
I couldn’t imagine the impact that two days of talking and learning with a room full of diverse faces, representing different corners of the New Orleans community, as well as people like me, flown in from around the country.
Like most, prior to that week, I always thought I could relate to the plight of an underserved world. I didn’t come from great means... no sign of a silver spoon in my background. Then, the history of the world was shared with me.
My eyes opened to the understanding of how society was built from the earliest days of civilization. By design, White stood for power, success, opportunity. Black was bleak and dark and scary. It wasn’t something that I did, it was something I was born into.
If life were a foot race my “blue collar” “middle class” upbringing allowed for me to start the at the half-post while others, held down by injustice lined up at the start line.... many with the weight of the world tied around their ankles. My eyes opened (and welled up, a lot).
It was the most impactful time of personal growth I’ve ever experienced. More than the education my privilege granted me, or the career opportunities. And I was grateful for it. I needed to see, I needed to learn. And in many ways, I did.
The number of times I’ve thought about those 2 days, and the learnings I’ve tried to bring to the way I live my life are endless... and yet, what I’ve learned time and time again, including this week.
It’s simply not enough. This is not a fight that one can claim victory in because they once learned something or did the right thing.
The fact is, I don’t have to wake up each day with the fear that my actions will be misinterpreted as a threat, and that my life, or the life of my family will be forever changed at the hands of senseless, racist, fear-filled murderers.
The work is never done. We all have a responsibility to protest, donate, and reach out. To learn and teach. To listen and to speak. To VOTE. And have those difficult conversation with those whose minds are preprogrammed with the wrongs that have become norms.
I want to do more, I want to do better. I will do more. I will do better. Love to those who are hurting right now. And a hell of a lot more love to those who know nothing else but how to hurt. We can and will be part of the solution.
