I don’t have it in me to do my regular sales spotlight. This week has been a rough one here in the United States. We started it off, passing the grim milestone of 100,000 lives lost to Covid-19 and ended the week with yet another senseless death of a black man at the hands of law enforcement. The bleakness of these two events has left me shook.
Things to Chew On
So today, instead of starting with the Sales Spotlight, I am skipping straight to Things to Chew On! If you are new here, they are the two primary sections of my consistently, inconsistent, weekly article, The Tea.
In my program, we have a saying, “uncover, discover, discard.” It encompasses a lot of the work we do in the steps. To grow as a country, we must look directly at the problem, access how our actions contribute to the problem and make changes to those actions to remedy the problem. Make no mistake; we do have a problem in the US. The problem is 400 years of systemic racism that built this country and continues to flourish today. The time is long overdue for our nation to look at it and do what it takes to change.
I am an Ally
Being a white woman, I will not presume to know how to make right the years of oppression and slavery our black brothers and sisters have endured. What I can do is show up as an ally. I will listen to what POC have to say, examine my own racial biases and speak up every single time I see racial injustice.
For the most part this week, I’ve felt powerless to help. I spent way too much time arguing with people online who seem to have more trouble with the rioting than with the murder of George Floyd. Of course, it isn’t productive to fight with people online, but it allowed me to feel like I was doing something. If you have ever felt similarly, then maybe you can understand why people are rioting. At some point, feelings of powerlessness spill over into anger and action even if it isn’t productive.
But consider this – history shows that rioting brings about social change. From the Boston Tea Party to the LA Riots, uprisings have brought about much-needed reforms. If you want more evidence, please check out the article from Vox, Riots are Destructive, Dangerous, and Scary – But Can Lead to Serious Social Reforms.
If you still say, ‘but they shouldn’t be rioting.’ Consider the New York Times article Of Course There Are Protests. The State is Failing Black People. The protests have been a long time in the making. And with C19 laying bare the social inequities in our country, it is no wonder with yet another death of a black man at the hands of those sworn to protect and serve; tensions have bubbled over into protest.
So You Think You Aren’t Racist
Most of us like to think we aren’t racist. But if you posted online anger at the protesters but not at what they are protesting, then maybe you need to examine your bias. If you saw nothing wrong with the white men storming the Michigan capital fully armed but were upset at Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the National Anthem, then you need to check yourself. The reality is we all have racists thoughts at times. Denying it just perpetuates it. Seek to uncover, discover, and discard racists thoughts. Remember, not a single one of us is born racist. It is learned.
Do Something
If the events of this last week set your teeth on edge, causing you to feel powerless in a world gone wrong, then consider this article from The Medium 75 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice. I will work through this list. I signed up for news from Showing Up for Racial Justice SURJ to find out local events and how I can get involved.
If you still aren’t convinced that as white women, we must be allies, then maybe I can appeal to your empathy. When I became a mom, my empathy ratcheted up by like a 1000. I view all events through the lens of ‘what if it were my child?’ For that reason, the article, When My Beautiful Black Boys Grows from Cute to a Threat hit me in the gut. I get it. No parent should have to fear for their child’s life just because of the color of their skin.
We must do better. We must stand up. With our world forever changed by the Corona Virus, the time is now to come out the other side better. I believe Black Lives Matter!
I would love it if you followed me on Instagram for my everyday outfits or on Pinterest for my fashion inspiration. StyleDahlia is a fashion and lifestyle website with a modern take on midlife. We hope to inspire you to step out of your comfort zone, try new things, and live your life in full bloom.
