Do Black lives matter to you? | Austin, Texas | June 3, 2020
A rambling of a few stolen and incomplete thoughts...
Societal change is about more than political activism. So much more than a timely display of solidarity. It's about the perceptions and assumptions we build as we navigate the world. Self-awareness, research and intentional education of, and participation in, efforts to make a positive impact are all welcome. The problem is it’s going to take more than being a good person to unlock real change in this country. It takes action with intention and a commitment to do the work. It’s not someone else’s problem. It exists in each and every kitchen.
Marching, chanting, posting messages of solidarity, even donating are gestures. Trust me such gestures are appreciated but, they are not the work. The true work is identifying ways in which we perpetually and (hopefully) unconsciously support the conditioned perception that Black, brown and indigenous people are less valuable to society. It might be painful work. It likely requires us to accept the shame of what we’ve been complicit in perpetuating. Perhaps that shame needs to sit on the same shelf as patriotism and self-satisfaction.
You may think we are living in a post-racial society. I’m not sure how... but let’s assume your position comes from a genuine place. Notions of “not seeing color” suggests that my experiences are not real, that they are somehow invalid. You don’t feel it, therefore, it doesn’t exist. The truest evil in that mindset is that the perpetrator knows they’re being disingenuous. The benign evil is not recognizing the pain of an entire group because you, yourself are just fine. Which do you think is worse?
I have been internalizing self-loathing, and the idea that I have to be twice as good to come in third, all the while clearcutting my way through a structure designed to exclude me anyway.
I can’t keep going
But I have to keep going
I owe it to them
Rattle that haiku in your brain for 35-40 years and let me know how you come out on the other end.
I could write so much more… start to make connections with misogyny and other forms of discrimination. Show how the bridges toward empathy are already halfway built if we look for them. Alas, I’m tired. And after compiling a list of things I still need to design some concepts for various people… so, back to the “day” job.
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This list was compiled during a redbull/coffee induced haze, so please forgive its haphazard nature.
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Find out if there is a specific policy on police brutality and police oversight in your area.
https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-attorney/contact
https://da.lacounty.gov/contact/email
https://www.denverda.org/contact-us/
Etcetera, ad nauseam.
THOUGHTS and INFO:
Contact your reps about voting rights and gerrymandering.
Learn about how mental health relates to policing and homelessness.
Understand that the results of centuries long mythologizing of racial stereotypes will not go away overnight.
Black athletes are considered gifted, white athletes are smart. Think about how far that notion travels.
When basketball players fight, they're thugs.... in hockey, it's "part of the game"
Talk with your kids and other young people about racism.
Research the history of white people who fought and died for racial justice.
Stay focused on the larger issues.
I believe my success does not depend on your failure.
Perceptual Contributions to Racial Bias in Pain Recognition (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31070440/)
SUPPORT:
https://unitedwedream.org
https://mappingpoliceviolence.org
https://eji.org
https://www.raicestexas.org
https://www.sistersong.net
https://www.reclaimtheblock.org/home/#about
https://www.joincampaignzero.org
https://www.naacpldf.org
https://www.texasappleseed.org
LISTEN:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch
https://aapf.org/all-episodes (INTERSECTIONALITY MATTERS!)
https://www.sceneonradio.org/seeing-white
FURTHER READING: (and some watching)
https://www.citylab.com/equity/2019/08/police-officer-shootings-gun-violence-racial-bias-crime-data/595528/
https://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports98/police/uspo17.htm
https://populardemocracy.org/news/15-things-your-city-can-do-right-now-end-police-brutality https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2015.1129256 (From “brute” to “thug:”) https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/8/16/20806069/slavery-economy-capitalism-violence-cotton-edward-baptist
https://www.vox.com/identities/2020/2/18/21134644/black-history-month-2020-myths https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/links/misclink/harrymoore.htm (civil rights activist Harry T. Moore)
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jftr.12360 (https://www.netflix.com/title/80200549) https://www.netflix.com/title/80091741 (Ava DuVernay, 13th)
EVEN FURTHER: (make yourself aware... this is just the tip) https://apnews.com/c104d88974eb41ad92d3a691a78c912b (proud boys) https://www.thethreepercenters.org/ (https://twitter.com/threepercenters)
https://www.adl.org/blog/the-boogaloo-extremists-new-slang-term-for-a-coming-civil-war https://oathkeepers.org/about/
https://eagleforum.org/projects/ccc.html
https://www.jbs.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomwaffen_Division
Cover photo by Jay Janner / American-Statesman