I’m continuing my work to dismantle my own internalized white supremacy (if you’re white, it’s internalized in you too because it’s within all of our systems and institutions).I’m reading (and buying) books written by Black women, doing (and buying) workbooks and courses lead by BIPOC.If you’re a white follower here, I know that it can feel overwhelming as we grasp how entrenched everything is in white supremacy and systemic racism.When I start feeling this way, I think ,“if this is hard to learn about, think about how Black, Indigenous and People of Color must feel to LIVE this every single day.”We, as white people, cannot use the excuse of not knowing where to start or feeling overwhelmed so we do nothing.
I’m educating myself and taking action in places I’ve been especially oblivious to.
Choose one of your identities or areas in your own life you’re passionate about. Then do the work to find out how your privileges show up for you AND understand the flip side of how that oppresses others.For me, it’s being a mom who’s experienced postpartum depression and anxiety while also surviving and thriving during my pregnancy and birth. The oppressed side of this is the life, death and wellbeing disparities of maternal health of Black, Indigenous, Women of Color through pregnancy, birth and postpartum.For me, it’s also being a white woman with an identity as a feminist. The oppressed side of this is how white feminism leaves out and continues to oppress women of color. I am understanding more about intersectional feminism.For me, it’s also social work. I’ve been heavily immersed in social work education since I was 18, getting my BSW and MSW. I paid money (and my parents’ money) to learn about social justice, institutionalized racism, systemic racism and marginalized groups. I share this because I thought ‘I did the work.’ I’m now reflecting back on and understanding more about how I received this education through majority white colleges and at least 50% white professors.This is work that needs to be done now and work that will never be done (especially for white people). Social justice isn’t a trend, it’s life and death so we need to do the work.
I’ll be updating resources under the Anti-Racist Work tab.
