It has been almost 3 years since I blogged. I have moved from a teaching position, to a principal residency, and now serve as an Assistant principal on the Northwest side of Chicago. During these past 3 years I have lost my mom (RIP Mommy) and gotten married to a wonderful man. But that's not why I logged on today.
I am writing because I feel paralyzed. Over the last couple months, it has come to my white, privileged attention that it's open season for racists... (no thanks to "45")...and when empowered with a badge and the supposed trust of a community, a racist police officer is the worst kind of terrorist there is. Watching the life slip away from George Floyd while Derek Chauvin (yes I say his name too because he should never have peace again!) knelt on his neck like a prized, hunted animal, made me cry. All I could think of was, that could be my husband, my stepson, my nephew. No, this isn't the first time I am feeling this way, Trayvon Martin, Ahmud Arbery, Eric Garner, Michael Brown... they all have made me sick to my stomach and fear for my family a little more. But watching George Floyd hit me different. Like, Emmett Till's murderers not being convicted or brought to justice different. And in my disgust and sadness and rage, I feel helpless. So as I stand with my friends and colleagues of color, I listen and I attempt to be more than not racist, but, an Anti-Racist.
I write today, not for my black friends, but for my white friends and acquaintances. What I have seen on social media over the last month or so has made me realize a couple things - 1. I need to trim my "friends" back and 2. It is so easy for people with privilege to sit behind their computer and scream about "All lives mattering" and "looting will bring shooting". Growing up privileged, in a community with maybe 2 families of color in elementary school and a sprinkle more in high school, I am here to tell you PRIVILEGED does NOT mean you grew up with some sort of financial advantage or your life hasn't been hard, it means YOUR SKIN TONE ISN'T ONE OF THE THINGS MAKING IT HARDER. There are other types of privilege - socio-economic, cisgender, male, but this is about your WHITE PRIVILEGE. And guess what? You can deny you are privileged all you want, but YOUR WHITENESS TELLS ON YOU SO YOU CANNOT HIDE.
Now that we got that out of the way, you may ask or say, "what can I do? I didn't ask to be born white?" Ah, no, you didn't. But it is important you recognize white privilege exists as a result of historic and enduring racism, which designed practices to oppress people of color. "I'm not racist" you say. "I have black friends". Mmmm, ok. so again, it's not about you, but the system that has been put in place that you are unfortunately a part of by birthright. What does this mean for you? Well, it means that as a white person, you actively benefit from the oppression of people of color - this is shown in many forms:
- your actions are not perceived as those of your entire race;
- products and learning materials are designed for you - White is the Universal discourse;
- your citizenship isn't publicly questioned;
- most people at work look like you;
- you don't get harassed for being in public places PERIOD!
And then, there is systemic racism, that yes, you benefit from:
- Black graduates are 2x more likely to be unemployed
- Black americans are 30% more likely to get pulled over by police
- The wealth gap.
- Black students are 3x more likely to be suspended
- Black americans make up 40% of the prison population,
- Black americans are shown 18% fewer homes
I have been disgusted by the comments I see from white friends that DO NOT have the right to have a contra-opinion! Sharing your opinion about looting and what you believe "respectable" protesting should look like was not asked for! You sure didn't have anything to say when a WHITE man squeezed the life out of a man in broad daylight! Or, when a black man was shot for jogging! So stop for a second and back your whole racist self up. If you didn't know the information above. That's ok. But take this as a learning experience, please. And for my White friends who feel as helpless and paralyzed as me, besides letting our friends of color know we stand with them you can:
- Promise to listen to and amplify the voices of people of color;
- Teach other white people the barriers of success for people of color;
- Be Anti-racist - not just, "not racist";
- Confront racial injustice, even when it's uncomfortable.
Robin Diangelo says it best, "White Fragility is an idea whose time has come. It is an idea that registers the hurt feelings, shattered egos, fraught spirits, vexed bodies, and taxed emotions of white folk" Furthermore, if you aren't the "book-reading" type, Beyonce makes it plain as day - "It's been said that racism is so American that when people protest racism, some assume we're protesting America". Remember when you got mad when Colin Kaepernick took a knee? A peaceful, not bothering anyone knee? Yeah, that's why we are here.
Look, we ALL have implicit bias. If I don't know the barriers you face, or the struggles you see on a daily basis, I can make misguided assumptions based on societal stereotypes. If you are lucky, you have a colleague or friend of color who you trust enough to check you when you show out.
If you are looking for some resources that can help you understand how to promote an anti-racist agenda, here you go: (thank you Janet Lorch)
Here is a link: bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES
*This document is intended to serve as a resource to white people and parents to deepen our anti-racism work. If you haven’t engaged in anti-racism work in the past, start now. Feel free to circulate this document on social media and with your friends, family, and colleagues.
Look, you have a choice, you can spew your hate speech and sit in your house behind your computer judging what you don't understand, or you can educate yourself, listen, and be an ally. At least you have a choice. George Floyd didn't. #SAYHISNAME
