Sheltering-in-Place: Day 76

Sheltering-in-Place: Day 76

Image reads, Black Lives Matter Keep it Growing, in big green text. The background has dahlias and a tiny woman pointing up at the text.

The text on the image reads

BLACK LIVES MATTER
Keep It Growing

Today, I watched former President Obama's virtual town hall on “Reimagining Policing in the Wake of Continued Police Violence.” It was serious. It was uplifting. It was informative. In his initial remarks, he mentioned Campaign Zero and Color of Change. These are two resources with data-based solutions about how to make a difference. I know I have a lot more reading to do, and I'm excited about it.

Also participating in the virtual town hall were

Hon. Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Former U.S. Attorney General, Obama Administration

Rashad Robinson
President, Color of Change

Brittany Packnett Cunningham
NBC News and MSNBC Contributor; Co-Founder, Campaign Zero;
Former Member, President Obama’s 21st Century Policing Task Force

Phillipe Cunningham
City Council Representative, Ward 4, City of Minneapolis

Playon Patrick
Youth Leader, MBK Columbus, OH; Incoming Freshman, The Ohio State University

One of the things I struggle with is how I can be useful in the Black Lives Matter movement without being a dick. It's really easy to accidentally be a dick when you're a middle aged white lady trying to be of use in a movement such as this. It's even easier to accidentally be worse than just a dick. Systemic racism and institutionalize racism are real. When I notice racism in me, or worse, when I notice it coming out of me, I try to stop, change, apologize, never do it again. I hope I'm getting better. I work to learn how to get better. I am forever grateful to the people who point out to me when I am being racist, and sometimes they're kind and patient enough to explain how. I hope that trend among the people in my life continues. For me, life is growth and learning and trying to be better.

So, after watching the town hall, after watching more protest footage, after watching videos on people's perspectives on the protests, I decided that it might be time to put my middle aged white lady self back in my daily journals because I think it's important that I acknowledge that I'm a white lady saying these things. Maybe it'll help get more white ladies to say these things, read these things. I don't know. Maybe I'm being a selfish, racist, dick. It's possible. I will forever be learning where that line is and trying to do better. 

I'm a middle aged white lady, and I'm against racism.

I'm a middle aged white lady, and I'm anti-racist.

I'm a middle aged white lady, and I'm against police brutality.

I'm a middle aged white lady, and I want you to breathe.

None of these statements are radical.

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