It’s all well and good sharing posts on Instagram and social media, but if we do not follow this with action, we’re throwing an empty fist in the air, and not directing it straight into the systematic structures that caused this in the first place.
It’s up to everyone to engage in conversations and learn.
I’ll be honest, even as I type I’m so worried of unintentionally saying the wrong thing and keep debating whether a blog is the appropriate course of action. However, the discussions need to be had and I am certain I’m not alone in these thoughts. I want to do more, learn more. If I am saying the wrong thing, I will happily learn and engage in conversation as to my errors.
I am fortunate to have my own little platform, so I would be a hypocrite to not use this to champion voices and resources. I’m not going to pretend I know enough on this topic. I feel almost embarrassingly uneducated, which makes this so much more important.
I want to keep this intro short.
This is a conversation we need to have, but to my white friends – it goes without saying that this it is not our conversation to dominate.
For now we must be active. We must be actively anti-racist. Listen, read, educate and help change through giving a platform to those voices.
It’s a conversation that is going to take time, patience and a desire to learn and better, not only ourselves, but the world we inhabit. It starts at home and it starts with education. Reading, learning and talking. All free and all make a huge difference.
If you don’t want to read this, or feel like it doesn’t affect you. It does. That is you exercising the ‘luxury’ of White Privilege. That action is directly affecting people. If all you do is read, you are still doing something proactive.
We will all put our foot in it at some point. It’s impossible to learn without making mistakes. We just need to be open to making these errors, listening and learning from others as we go.
I saw this online and sadly I’m not entirely sure who to credit it to. But,
“I will continue seeking to educate myself by sitting at the feet of incredible black activists who are speaking. I will not ask them to explain or offer my thoughts. I will listen. I will learn how to be and do better. I will support this work by donating. By taking their lead and then taking action. In my own heart and home and community.”
Whilst I’ve written a little intro, I repeat, this is not my narrative.
Read, listen and educate with the below resources.
And thank you to everyone who supplied suggestions.
Instagram pages to follow:
@das.penman
@ohhappydani
@rachel.cargle
@sassy_latte
@candicebrathwaite
@nowhitesaviors
@blklivesmatter
@ckyourprivilege
@iamrachelricketts
@thegreatunlearn
@renieddolodge
@ibramxk
@weareyourvoice
@veganhiphopmovement
@shishi.rose
@theconsciouskid
Podcasts:
TEDx
The Good Ancestor – @Layla Saad
Hoodrat to Headwrap – @Erika Hart
Books.
Fiction:
- Girl, Woman, Other – Bernadine Evaristo
- Queenie – Candice Carty-Williams
- I am Not Your Baby Mother – Candice Brathwaite
- Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche
Non-Fiction:
- Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race – Reni Eddo-Lodge
- Me and White Supremacy – Layla F Saad
- White Fragility – Robin DiAngelo
- The Hate You Give – Angie Thomas
Netflix:
- Explained: The Racial Wealth Gap
- Time: The Kalief Browder Story
- When They See Us
- 13th
- Who Killed Malcolm X?
Websites:
- Black Lives Matter – https://blacklivesmatter.com/
- The Conscious Kid – https://www.theconsciouskid.org/criticalconversations
Places to donate:
- Black Lives Matter
- Minnesota Freedom Fund (@mnfreedomfund)
- Until Freedom (untilfreedom)
- Stand Up To Racism UK
Petitions to sign:
I’m off to do more research and will update and add to this when I can.
If you have anything you’d like me to add, never hesitate to message (Instagram is my preferred platform). If I haven’t explained something well, again, please let me know constructively so I can keep learning and amend.
*The resources above have been collated using the incredible posts on social media and direct replies to my Instagram stories.
