It would be incredibly insensitive & irresponsible to talk fashion/business without, at the very least, acknowledging the civil atrocities occurring in this great nation which root in a history of racially-inflicted wounds that never healed.
The Desk to Dusk community is a diverse group of phenomenal womxn; so, while many of you are amongst those dealing with this firsthand, at this point, it isn’t the responsibility of Black people to fight for their justice, civility and equality. This is NOT a political issue, but a humanity issue.
Of course all lives matter. But how can we say “all” if black lives are taken over a traffic violation/bad check/hoodie/a jog in their own neighborhood?
Personally, these are thoughts I struggle with daily - could my husband’s life be diminished to another hashtag in the hands of the wrong person because of his skin color? Will my daughter be present to witness it? #PhilandoCastille
Furthermore, racism goes much deeper than the visible acts of hatred or using of the n-word. The bias that exists on structural & institutional levels can be undetectable, even unfathomable, if you’ve never experienced it. It’s permeated deeply in parts of our daily lives that we are born into and therefore believe are normal & just.
I’ve encouraged you to step outside your comfort zone always for the betterment of yourself; today, I ask that you embrace the discomfort in talking about race & racism to ignite unity & absolute equality in your home, community, nation & world.
Your advocacy doesn’t have to look like someone else’s to be worthy. So if you're asking how, here are some ways you can get started:
1. Challenge your own thoughts. Apply towards others the morals, values, even teachings of your faith you uphold for yourself.
2. Acknowledge the existence of the problem: “I don’t see color” may seem like an antiracist, even inclusive, statement and perspective; however, in actuality it is dismissive of others' true beings and deflects any responsibility to understand their realities.
“I see your color & am willing to understand & accept you, your strengths & struggles for what they are,” will lead to deeper connections with friends who don't look like you, and allow for more genuine relationships.
3. Educating yourself: @enfntsterribles Enfnts Terribles, an online magazine, published a helpful article with good resources to start (link below)
4. Talk to your Black friends: make new friends too, and don't shy away from tough conversations. Ask questions to understand the depths of their plight, and what you can do to help. There is no way we as non-black people can fully know everything unless we ask questions and listen with open hearts and minds.
As we educate ourselves, it is also important that we make a conscious effort to talk to our family/children about race and racism. Call out racism when you see it as silence is a stance too.
This is far from an exhaustive list of things we can do to ensure black lives do start to truly matter, and the conversation definitely does not end here. I encourage all my valued Desk to Dusk women to weigh-in (comments/emails) and help us educate better and affect more change.
#BlackLivesMatter #IcantBreathe #UntilYouCanBreathe
Melissa
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Article Link below is from Online Magazine, Enfnts Terribles
https://enfntsterribles.com/how-to-educate-yourself-about-racism-and-white-privilege/