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“Racism isn’t getting worse— it’s just getting filmed.” Will Smith had it right when he said this a while ago.
I don’t speak for the Black community; I speak with them. And I’d apologize for my tone, but you’ll just have to excuse my manners as my exhaustion and hopelessness for this country is the only voice I can speak with right now.
You see, whenever Black people hear of yet another racist murder, our timeline of grief looks something like this:
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HORROR
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DISGUST
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RAGE
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EXHAUSTION
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HOPELESSNESS
Rinse and repeat x 134,737,245,234,778,256
You see, as your privilege keeps you emotionally detached from picturing your Black brother, father, husband, uncle, or cousin going through something like that, life goes on as usual.
Cities across America are rising up in protests and demonstrations and while I will never condone violence, I F*CKING GET IT.
This community is tired of being silenced, ignored, oppressed, and disregarded as being less than human, generation after generation. You’ll find dogs that get treated better than Black people do.
Violence is the language of the unheard and scarring public tissue is the ultimate cry for help. Click To Tweet
Buildings are replaceable; lives aren’t.
Lest we forget, even Jesus had to flip tables to get His point across, so if you think for a second you should call out the chaos without bringing attention to the issue that caused it, don’t. Click To Tweet
No, it is not my responsibility to answer your questions, so please refer to Google or the resources linked below.
Black people, I want to remind you that activism has multiple layers.
Whether you’re on the frontlines protesting, at home making phone calls, donating to organizations spearheading change, or simply avoiding the Internet and loving on your Black brothers because you’re just happy to have them around.
All of that is valid and don’t let anyone guilt you for speaking too loud or not speaking loud enough.
Our self-care is paramount.
This morning I woke up again in the stage of HOPELESSNESS as that’s become my default, and during my meditation, I was reminded of this starfish parable.
A woman was on the beach throwing starfish back into the ocean one by one.
A man came along and asked what she was doing.
She told him that she was just saving the starfish.
He looked at the thousands of starfish on the shoreline and said, “It’s impossible to save them all, so what difference does it make?”
She picked up another and chucked it in the ocean and said, “I made a difference to that one.”
Please remind yourselves that even in your smallest actions, you’re able to cause a ripple effect to invite the wave of change.
If you’re white and want to do better about using your privilege as a platform, go here.
If you’re Black and have been suffering from anxiety and trauma from all of this, go here.
If you’re somewhere in between, whether stateside or abroad and want to show your support, then say something online, during work Zoom calls, or at the dinner table with your family, and if the thought of that makes you feel uncomfortable, then it’s all the more necessary.
A close friend who works in a corporate all-white office shared how going into work today was triggering in itself.
She felt like her co-workers tip-toed around her all day and couldn’t even make eye contact. And while you might not know what to say, acting like this makes it worse.
So many of us have to modify ourselves in corporate settings or otherwise to earn the slightest bit of respect, because we know our presence makes [white] people uncomfortable.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve walked into a store and purchased something out of guilt because I’m terrified they’d accuse me of stealing if I walked out empty-handed. Click To Tweet
So if you feel uncomfortable now; try a lifetime of this.
The least you can do is acknowledge our pain and let us know you support us. You’re not 12, use your big boy and big girl words people.
And as I continue protecting my peace and mental health during this time, I’m reminded that in my pursuit to help others, I must first look after myself. And right now, that’s avoiding social media and most forms of communication with others.
Thanks for understanding.
xoxo,
Glo
