I took my girls to their first protest this week. It was hot and we marched for miles and they did it. I’m so proud of them. More than that I’m proud of their generation that organized the protest for our small town. High school students of all backgrounds brought together a town to march together, honk horns, cheer, shout, and fight together. Let this be the beginning toward a more equal future. Let our kids be the heralds to bring about this change in their communities and government. Let this be the beginning of the end of systemic racism.
My mom grew up in Mexico. Most of her side of the family still lives there. I was planning on visiting this year but that will have to wait until after the pandemic. My mom is no stranger to racism in this country. She still taught me to see our nation of races and identities as a beautiful “salad” where all the different flavors, textures, colors enhance the whole (remember that metaphor?). It can be difficult for me to always see how racism affects me personally since I am white-passing, but I am working hard to stay educated on how to be the best ally to the BIPOC/POC in my community. The work starts within and also needs to be passed down to our kids, especially white and white-privileged kids. Below is a list of some of the resources that I have used to enhance my anti-white supremacy work. The internet is full of many wonderful, comprehensive lists just like this if you need more.
- One of our local Black midwives here in the bay – Gingi Allen – has created the Black Bay Area Birth Fund. Here you can donate to sponsor a Black client funding a homebirth with Black midwives. You can Venmo (venmo.com/blackbayareabirth) or PayPal ( paypal.me/blackbayareabirth).
- Correta Scott King Book Award Winners – Children’s books about African American culture
- The 1619 Project – the history of slavery in America and its consequences over time
- Seeing White – a podcast about the history of whiteness in America
- Pod Save the People – a current events podcast with a focus on the impacts of our society on people of color
- Me and White Supremacy – a book by Layla Saad with activities that challenge you to look at how your whiteness is a privilege and undermines people of color’s lives
- Zinn Education Project – teaching materials on a range of social activist topics
If you can, donate some money to an organization that supports people of color. Support Black-owned businesses. Call or write to your representatives in government to raise up issues that benefit people of color. Educate yourself.
While this work is really important and yes we should all be examining our place in this system, please also remember this:
“Racism should never have happened and so you don’t get a cookie for reducing it.”
-Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah
We all benefit from a more equal system. Really. It’s time.