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PSA for people involved in political campaigns or organizations:Your group chats are probably racist. They're almost certainly exclusionary. Here's a thread explaining how. (1/10)
(h/t to the brilliant @faithrynda for inspiring many of these thoughts)
You're probably in a group chat with a few or many of your friends on the campaign/organization. It probably started super casually and grew as people added other people on a whim. And you probably share a wide range of info there, from memes to analysis to opportunities. (2/10)
As you get more comfy in that chat, you've probably started to make decisions in there. "Is anyone free to do x? Who wants to lead on y?" There's probably information in the chat that isn't available to all people in the campaign/org.
But who's in the chat and who isn't? (3/10)
But who's in the chat and who isn't? (3/10)
The people in the chat are people you know and are comfortable with. People you don't already know are excluded. And dollars to donuts, a lot of those people are POC.
Why? Because you don't know them, or they're new to the work, or you just didn't think to add them. (4/10)
Why? Because you don't know them, or they're new to the work, or you just didn't think to add them. (4/10)
THAT, right there, is what structural racism is. It's making decisions amongst your friends while you shut out people of the same professional stature. It's unintentional and casual.
And it locks POC out of opportunities, relationships, and advancement permanently. (5/10)
And it locks POC out of opportunities, relationships, and advancement permanently. (5/10)
POC in your campaign/org will wonder why they don't connect with others. They won't understand jokes and will feel shy to speak. They'll be blindsided by decisions you made in your chat without them. They'll feel alone.
They might even quietly resolve to leave politics. (6/10)
They might even quietly resolve to leave politics. (6/10)
And it's not just POC who are hurt by exclusionary group chats. It's disabled people. It's older or younger people, depending on how your campaign skews. It's people who work 3 jobs and don't have the time to wonder why they're getting left behind. It's people you need. (7/10)
The solution? Every time you make a group chat, ask who's being left out. Notice if your group chat is overwhelmingly white. Ask people you don't know if they'd like to be included. Uplift POC voices once they're in the chat. Make SURE that decisions include everyone. (8/10)
Because here's the thing:
I notice when I'm not included. I notice when I'm marginalized. I judge you for it. I tell my friends of color. They tell me about it when I ask them to volunteer ("I don't feel welcome in that campaign/org.")
And you lose out on our talent. (9/10)
I notice when I'm not included. I notice when I'm marginalized. I judge you for it. I tell my friends of color. They tell me about it when I ask them to volunteer ("I don't feel welcome in that campaign/org.")
And you lose out on our talent. (9/10)
So, in sum:
Make sure you're including everyone, or don't even bother. Make sure you're walking the walk on progressivism. Notice what's going on in your spaces. Open up those group chats and those white spaces. It's good for you, POC, and your campaign/org.
(10/10)
Make sure you're including everyone, or don't even bother. Make sure you're walking the walk on progressivism. Notice what's going on in your spaces. Open up those group chats and those white spaces. It's good for you, POC, and your campaign/org.
(10/10)
