“In a racist society it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.”―Angela Y. Davis
As change-makers during this historic time, we have the responsibility to not only acknowledge racism, but to resist racism. Being anti-racist goes beyond being aware of racial injustices. Being anti-racist is a verb; it is something we must practice. You don’t have to be on the frontlines of protests to practice anti-racism.
To be anti-racist means to:
- Challenge your perspectives: What has been traditionally normal to you and how might that be different for others? Here is a perspective by Patrice C. Washington.
- Sit with your discomfort: Feel your emotions, and then take a moment to pause and reflect on why you feel those emotions. “Leaning into your discomfort is a noticing practice and invitation to reflect before you respond.” says Myisha T. Hill of Check Your Privilege.
- Reflect deeply: Think back to the time you were singing “Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Mo!” If you don’t know what I am referring to, consider reading this article. Continue to question the way you grew up. How has that affected the way you move through the world? If you need more context, here is a 4-minute animation about systemic oppression.
- Self-educate: This means not asking your marginalized friends and acquaintances to educate you. Do not burden them with intellectual, emotional, and mental effort on top of what they are already going through in their daily lives. Invest in your education and learn from professionals. Someone who has taught me a lot about inclusion is Michaela Ayres. Here are other anti-racist professionals: Myisha T. Hill, Louiza Doran, and Michelle Kim. Another way to self-educate is to diversify your social media feed. For a start, here is a list of 200 Women of Color On Twitter To Follow and 11 Anti-Racist Accounts That Are Worth Following. “I don’t study to know more, but to ignore less.”―Juana Inés de la Cruz
- Build muscle to have uncomfortable conversations: This is one of the most impactful things you can do. Challenging one’s perspective is not a natural tendency for the majority of people. As you have these difficult conversations, it creates more opportunities for muscle-building to happen.
- Assess what can you offer: What can you do or give to support marginalized communities? This can be in the form of money, time, connections to your network, or any resources you think may be of assistance. If you aren’t sure, actively seek opportunities and LISTEN to the people in the communities. Here is a framework of how you can help.
- Take pause and reflect before you act: Even when you have good intentions, your actions might have a negative impact. Ask yourself, “Is it possible that my actions could cause unintentional harm?” Learn to recognize the difference between intent and impact. Kathy Wilson explains the concept well in this two minute video. If you have unintentionally impacted someone negatively, just apologize and do better. Franchesca Ramsey offers great advice on getting called out and how to apologize in this video.
- Breathe: Being anti-racist is hard work. It should be! We are working to dismantle a system that has been in place for hundreds of years, to undo the work of generations and generations of people. Remember to take care of yourself. One thing my friend Alexis Lucio said to me, “[as an anti-racist] Rest is a radical verb.” So rest, recharge, resist, and repeat.
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I want to acknowledge that current events have definitely prompted society to educate themselves about racism and about how to be anti-racist. Racism is one of many lenses through which people have been historically excluded. We all come from a place of bias and privilege. This is influenced by many factors: the way we were raised, where we went to school, where we choose to live, the list goes on. Keep in mind how all of this is related to creating a culture of inclusion.
I stand in solidarity with the Black community. As a queer person of color with a background in the nonprofit sector working to uplift historically underinvested groups, I too have a lot to learn and grow. I encourage you all to continue to challenge your perspectives and keep on the journey of learning and UN-learning.
I’ll end with something I said to a colleague today after challenging their perspective:
“I know we are all trying to keep afloat these days considering the pandemic, civil resistance, and our personal lives. Right now, I only hope to implore everyone to at least dip their toes in some discomfort. These conversations are super important as we all learn how to navigate uncharted waters. It is scary and has the potential to be rough at first but the ocean is our home. It is beautiful once we go beyond the storm. I am open and welcome to have more brave conversations.”
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