Things I have educated myself about over the past few years as a white woman who grew up in an almost exclusively white town in the UK, and was educated in a Catholic school system that solely celebrated colonialism when talking about history:
- When I used to say that I didn’t see colour, however well intentioned I thought I was being, I was actually dismissing and devaluing the struggle that my black and Asian friends face on a daily basis.
- When I used to say that I didn’t see colour, I was actually denying a huge part of society’s uniqueness, cultural heritage and beauty.
- When I used to say that all lives matter, I was again dismissing and devaluing the reality that BIPOC are statistically more likely to be discriminated against, brutalized and incarcerated solely on the basis of their race and/or the colour of their skin. In doing so, their pain and their very real need to be listened to was left unheard.
I learnt these things several years ago. But I still have many, many more things to learn. I’m ashamed that it took yet another brutal, unjust murder for me to finally sit up and say publicly that enough is enough. I used to consider myself an ally. But now I realise that I was far from that and that I need to do better. I need to do more. So i’m starting with a reading list:
- Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge (currently reading)
- The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
- How To Be Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
- Why People of Color Need Spaces Without White People by Kelsey Blackwell
- Me And White Supremacy: How to Recognise Your Privilege, Combat Racism and Change the World by Layla F. Saad
- So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- How to Be Less Stupid About Race: On Racism, White Supremacy, and the Racial Divide by Crystal Marie Fleming
- White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
- Plus this list of articles and resources from Black Lives Matter
(I welcome any more suggestions)
I’m also listening. And what I am hearing over and over again is that I also need to DO.
I’ve been signing many of the petitions that have been circulating, a lot of which were for injustices in the USA. However, the UK is not innocent. With that in mind i’ve taken the last couple of days to find ways that I can actively help in the UK. I’ve chosen to donate monthly to two charities which advocate education:
- Runnymede: ‘UK’s leading independent race equality think tank. We generate intelligence to challenge race inequality in Britain through research, network building, leading debate, and policy engagement.’
- Show Racism the Red Card: A leading UK anti-racism educational charity who provides ‘educational workshops, training sessions, multimedia packages, and a whole host of other resources, all with the purpose of tackling racism in society.
There are obviously many more charities that need help, both in the UK, and wherever you are in the world. But i’m not here to virtue signal, or to tell anyone who bothers to read this what they should do. I just started writing this to try to make some personal sense of my own white privilege, and to address the comments I am still seeing on social media platforms. So if it helps any white people (particularly in the UK) with starting points to further educate themselves, it was worth writing. For anyone who wants to help, but can’t financially, there are still ways: Amplify BIPOC posts on social media; Use this fundraiser to help raise funds for BLM simply by running ads. Perhaps even consider mentoring (I have personally mentored using Mosiac and can recommend, but there are many more).
I tend to keep this Tumblr as my own personal retreat from real life, and yes, tomorrow I’ll be back online, blogging my usual nonsense about Tom. But i’ll continue to educate myself and others, and keep trying to be the best ally I can.
Take care of yourselves and each other. Stay safe. Wear a mask if you are able to go out and protest (unfortunately i’m still shielding). And vote for change in your country when you have the opportunity.
Much love, Humm 💕