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I’ve noticed an incredibly intense fear from white people around this idea of “getting it wrong” in relation to their anti-racism work.
Funny enough, these fears often stem from a deeper fear of judgement. NOT from a fear that they may cause harm to others.
This, my friends, is white fragility at its finest. When you move along your journey in anti-racism the focus should always be on reducing the harm you’re causing to marginalized people.
If a fear of “getting cancelled” is your main motivator, you need to take some time to reevaluate your purpose in this work.
To help you along that process, I have some difficult news for you:
You’ll continue to get it wrong sometimes. For the rest of your life.
You’ll continue to get it wrong sometimes. For the rest of your life.
Please understand how deeply rooted white supremacy is. We are talking centuries of violence, terror, and oppression — GLOBALLY. Yes this extends far beyond the United States. Anti-Blackness is a GLOBAL phenomenon.
It is naive to think that you could wake up one day and immediately stop perpetuating the system that was built to uplift, protect, and benefit you and most of your family and friends. And yes, it is no coincidence that it helps you — it was designed that way.
That’s a hard pill to swallow, but hurry up and swallow it.
You may not be able to completely control your fear, but you can control how you act in relation to it.
And many of you allow this fear to delay your action, and that’s just not acceptable.
In an attempt to “not cause harm” you’re causing significantly MORE harm.
And many of you allow this fear to delay your action, and that’s just not acceptable.
In an attempt to “not cause harm” you’re causing significantly MORE harm.
Mistakes inform your work. If you’re never corrected — you’ll never do better. And wow! That’s so much worse!
BlPOC folx have no obligation to coddle you. You may get gently corrected or you may be judged or you may get put in your place more forcefully.
None of that is life threatening.
None of that is life threatening.
Please consider the privilege you have to learn about racism rather than having an entire lived experience of it.
