How Can White People Be Better Allies? #BlackLivesMatter
Who could have imagined that in the year 2020, we would be writing posts about racism and how to overcome it… First of all, I want to acknowledge you for being here. Just the fact that you are researching and looking into how to be a better ally for people of color is really beautiful. You are making a difference simply by educating yourself. I’m right there with you, figuring out how to better support the people who need it most right now - specifically our black brothers and sisters.
This is a humans rights issue in front of us, and we can kick this off with the golden rule: “treat people how you want to be treated’.” Well, how do you want to be treated? Take a moment to actually think about your answer. Human beings are sensitive, funny, creative, charismatic and at the end of the day, we want those qualities to shine through and be acknowledged. On the most basic level, we just want to be seen and heard.
Black people are not being acknowledged as they should be, particularly by law enforcement, due to the systemic issues that plague our society dating back to slavery. To support black people, we need to educate ourselves on how these systems were put into place in order to empathize with their pain and suffering. From that place of empathy, we can move forward.
When the #BlackLivesMatter movement first began years ago, I was naive. I used the term #AllLivesMatter instead because I felt left out of the narrative. I quickly came to realize that until black lives matter, all lives cannot possibly matter. Saying all lives matter is like seeing your neighbor’s home burn down but saying ‘my home matters too!’ even though yours is not burning… it’s just redundant and uninformed. Right now, we have to be brave enough to be wrong and ask questions. Humanity is evolving and the process is often uncomfortable.
It’s been a really intense week. One minute I'm crying tears of grief, the next minute I'm crying tears of pride watching people come together. Last night I sat in observation of my feelings, and the big question presented itself. How would I feel as a black woman in America right now? If I, as a white woman, am experiencing this kind of heaviness...how must the black community be feeling?
I will never be able to truly fathom what it feels like to be a person of color in the United States, but I can empathize to the best of my best ability. We can all think of a time when we were made to feel 'less than', ignored, or bullied for something we couldn't control. Perhaps harnessing those memories will help us understand the deep subconscious wounds of a community that has been bullied and prosecuted for hundreds of years.
Furthermore, the entertainment industry is arguably the most powerful force we have. We need to see more people of color in front of the camera and on our feeds. In light of that, I'd like to share the IG handles of some of my favorite creators/business owners:
@sophia_roe , @ericachidi , @trinitymouzon, @lionbabe, @mahinaalexander, @asiyami_gold , @palomija , @fridacashflow , @adrienneraquel, @nycxclothes .
Please follow these goddesses and continue to support people of color on social media <3
Right now, we are in phase one: protesting and raising awareness. Phase two is education. White friends, we have got to do our research and truly understand why systemic racism exists in this country and what we can do to change that! Can you make time today to do that? This is no time to be silent. If you aren't speaking up, you are part of the problem (as harsh as that sounds). I don't care if you have five followers or five million followers - your voice matters now and always!
Here are some resources for furthering your education on this issue:
