On Racism: Time for Us White People to Unmute Ourselves and Act
Systemic racism is all we have ever known and yet there are no excuses for it. As a white person it can be so easy to accept the status quo from the comfort of our privileged lives. The biggest shift in our minds these past few weeks (following the death of George Floyd) was that uncomfortable “aha moment” we white people collectively shared when we shifted our view of racism from being a “black issue” or a “minority issue”, to being OUR issue. It is our issue to not just acknowledge and read up on, but to help solve.
“And I imagine if I was black it would feel 1,000,000 times worse because George Floyd isn’t the first, he is one of many black Americans who have been killed for no other reason other than for simply being Black. ”
Let’s quickly rewind back to May 25th, 2020. I turned on the TV to watch the news, prepared to see the latest stats on the coronavirus and instead I saw the video of George Floyd, a black man, being murdered by a white police officer, while other white officers stood there and watched and ALLOWED it to happen. There are so many words to describe what we all witnessed on that footage that keeps being replayed. The word “uncomfortable” kept being used by the media to describe how one might feel while seeing the video of a black man pleading for mercy, clearly stating that he couldn’t breathe while an officer pressed down on his neck while he laid face-down on the pavement motionless/defenseless—the word “uncomfortable” doesn’t cut it. Watching someone being killed by the very people who are supposed to be serving and protecting ALL of us, made me feel sick to my stomach. As a mother I couldn’t get that image of this helpless man out of my mind, nor could I erase the sound of his voice as he cried out to his mom in heaven, knowing that he was dying…that he was being killed in that very moment. And I imagine if I was black it would feel 1,000,000 times worse because George Floyd isn’t the first, he is one of many black Americans who have been killed for no other reason other than for simply being Black.
My beautiful friend and rabbi, Rachel Greengrass, speaking out against racism at a protest in Miami this past weekend.
I have been taking these past few weeks to both mute and educate myself. I read and listened and learned, but it doesn’t stop there. It can’t stop there because if it does change will never come! I decided to break my silence and join the on-going conversation about racism, as uncomfortable as it is, it’s the absolute least I can do.
Any white person can post an image of a black box--a BLM hashtag--a MLK quote--and then move on with their day—as many did on Black Out Tuesday. As white people, we have always had this luxury. We have the luxury of being able to choose to focus on the issue of racism as much or as little as we’d like. THIS is the epitome of white privilege. We need to acknowledge the elephant in the room and talk about racism so we can better understand it and understand the part we ALL play in it. We (white people) are ALL a part of the problem and like Maya Angelou said, “when you know better, do better”. So let’s start!
My sister, Lori Baralt, brother-in-law, George Moyer, and my two nephews made their voices heard at a protest two weeks ago held at California State Long Beach.
It is so easy to talk about the person who isn’t in the room. What isn’t easy is defending them in their absence. This is one of the bigger issues, when we (white people) live in predominately white neighborhoods. We might have a few black friends, we might have a few black coworkers, we might have a few black workout buddies, we might have a few black teachers or coaches or trainers or classmates, but overall, we are drowning in a sea of white. This is why it is so important that we (white people) speak up against racism not just with our children but with ALL of the white people in our lives. The truth is we are all the products of our environments and until things change drastically and we achieve racial justice for all, we white people cannot JUST read—WE MUST ACT. Not being racist isn’t enough, we know that now.
My friend from high school, Sarah Graber, attended a protest at Glasgow Green, a park in Glasgow Scotland. Photo taken by Jamie Alexander.
As a person of privilege, experiencing COVID-19, more specifically quarantine, has in a way softened and humbled us and maybe that’s why THIS time, THIS loss of a black life FINALLY is being felt across the nation by people of ALL races, perhaps more than any other time before. Being home and mostly isolated these past few months has forced us to slow down. It has helped us realize how life as we know it can change at a moment’s notice; that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. These are things that most black people already knew because they know how fragile their lives truly are, that fear is instilled in them the minute they come into this world. It has made us (white people) realize that we in fact can live happily with a lot less “things”. It has made us realize that we all can come together as one unified country when we choose to. It has made us appreciate all essential workers more than ever (many of whom are black). It has made us realize that we should think of others more and not just the little bubble that we live in. It has made us realize what truly matters in life and I think it ultimately, it has helped us finally GET what it means to say “Black Lives Matter”.
Another friend of mine, Melissa Morales, walked with friends at a Pride/BLM protest in Hollywood, CA. This photo was taken of them on Sunset Blvd. this past Sunday.
We can no longer be passive, ignorant or look the other way, we know too much now. More than ever before, our eyes are open. Our ears are now open. Our hearts are now open. Our minds are now open. That’s why THIS time will be different. Let’s ride on this momentum and let’s not stop. Let’s make ending racial injustices OUR top priority. We are ready to take action to END racism (for all minorities) so that ALL Americans can be just as free as we are and enjoy LIVING their LIVES the way we always have and the way ALL human beings should. Now that we white people are better educated, let’s un-mute ourselves, speak out, stand up, and get to work!
5 Things to Do Now and Keep Doing!
Give Money.
Many people think that they have nothing to contribute because they aren’t an expert on these issues. Good news, many black people are leading the movements and organizations, and financial support is one of the best ways to show our support. Here is a list of some great organizations to support.https://nymag.com/strategist/article/where-to-donate-for-black-lives-matter.html
Get Informed and Keep Learning.
Continue to learn about systemic racism in all realms of society. Learn from experts and movement leaders about what changes are being called for to support racial justice. Many white people have knee jerk reactions to calls for “defund police”, but it’s up to us to educate ourselves on what these mean and why it is so important. Here’s a good place to start!
Incorporate Anti-Racism into your Life.
Look for ways to challenge racism in yourself, your family, and your community. Look at the media, books, podcasts, new sources that you consume…are they all or mostly white? Diversify your reading and news sources to better understand other perspectives and issues. If you are a parent, do the same for your children’s viewing and reading materials and toys. My friend and favorite librarian, Lauren Bercuson has an incredible blog for children’s book reviews. She recently posted a new blog all about anti-racist children’s books. It is definitely worth a look for all parents.
https://happilyeverelephants.com/home/childrens-books-about-racism/antiracist-kids-books
Then look beyond your home to your neighborhood, school, workplace, and think about what could be done to promote racial justice. A great place to start is an organization by and for white allies/accomplices in racial justice called Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ). Look for a chapter near you and check out their resources.
Challenge Racism Whenever/Wherever you see it.
Don’t leave challenging racism to black people and people of color to handle by themselves. Challenge racism in your own family, community, and workplace.
https://www.ted.com/talks/luvvie_ajayi_get_comfortable_with_being_uncomfortable/transcript
5. Support Anti-Racist Policies.Being anti-racist means challenging racism even when doing so reduces our privilege. This means that we need to stop only thinking about how to have more privilege/make things better/nicer for our own kids, neighborhoods, and schools. We need to support policies that create a more racially just society.