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I received many “Thinking of you” and “I wish I knew how to help” texts from white allies this week.
I’ve ignored most of them.
I needed to feel my rage, my crisis of faith in all of you.
But as my birthright burden dictates, I’m once again ready to continue your education.
1/
I’ve ignored most of them.
I needed to feel my rage, my crisis of faith in all of you.
But as my birthright burden dictates, I’m once again ready to continue your education.
1/
You’re fixers by nature.
Every problem should have a tangible solution
because you recognize your privilege,
and that privilege is power,
and power makes things happen right?
But you cower before the actual question you should be asking:
“What can I do about my own racism?”
2/
Every problem should have a tangible solution
because you recognize your privilege,
and that privilege is power,
and power makes things happen right?
But you cower before the actual question you should be asking:
“What can I do about my own racism?”
2/
Because you have it.
You were born into it.
No matter how many social media posts you write, or activist groups you join, or black people you marry, or mixed kids you have, you can not give it away.
You can’t shed it into your external, tangible accomplishments.
3/
You were born into it.
No matter how many social media posts you write, or activist groups you join, or black people you marry, or mixed kids you have, you can not give it away.
You can’t shed it into your external, tangible accomplishments.
3/
And you’re realizing that now. In spite of all your anti-racist crusades, you still text me to tell me how helpless you feel.
The reason is this: your racism is invisible. And it’s been invisibly good to you for your entire life.
4/
The reason is this: your racism is invisible. And it’s been invisibly good to you for your entire life.
4/
My generational inheritance as a victim of your racism has been pain.
Your generational inheritance as the wielder of racism has been POWER.
The power to win, to thrive, to be believed.
To mold your world.
To live in freedom.
5/
Your generational inheritance as the wielder of racism has been POWER.
The power to win, to thrive, to be believed.
To mold your world.
To live in freedom.
5/
So what do you do about your racism?
You need to do the uncomfortable, unnatural work of giving up power.
And you have to do it in the spaces where black people don’t reside.
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You need to do the uncomfortable, unnatural work of giving up power.
And you have to do it in the spaces where black people don’t reside.
6/
You must risk losing social capital amongst fellow white folk for openly challenging your race-specific power.
In situations where you're being treated with the grace that a black person wouldn't receive, you must risk demanding our consequences for yourself #MyWhitePrivilege
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In situations where you're being treated with the grace that a black person wouldn't receive, you must risk demanding our consequences for yourself #MyWhitePrivilege
7/
It won’t make sense to you.
Why willingly make life less comfortable, give up an accolade, lose friends, lose a job, accept your own earned imprisonment?
Exactly why you haven’t yet considered this an option:
Giving up power is anti-white.
It’s the opposite of your birthright.
8/
Why willingly make life less comfortable, give up an accolade, lose friends, lose a job, accept your own earned imprisonment?
Exactly why you haven’t yet considered this an option:
Giving up power is anti-white.
It’s the opposite of your birthright.
8/
And that, friends, is why I live on the edge of giving up on you.
Honestly, I don’t have much faith in you at all.
And since my health and safety depends on you taking yourself to task, I don’t have much faith in a happy ending for my own life.
9/
Honestly, I don’t have much faith in you at all.
And since my health and safety depends on you taking yourself to task, I don’t have much faith in a happy ending for my own life.
9/
All of us would love nothing more than for you to prove me wrong.
And when I can muster the energy, I will help you to do it.
Not because I want to, or because I like you,
but because it’s my duty to all of us.
10/
And when I can muster the energy, I will help you to do it.
Not because I want to, or because I like you,
but because it’s my duty to all of us.
10/
But don’t ever tell me that you feel helpless in this.
Ever.
Those born into every shade of power are never helpless.
Ever.
Those born into every shade of power are never helpless.
