Wednesday, January 25, 2017

FOR MY WHITE FRIENDS, AND THEIR WHITE FRIENDS

I posted this on two social media outlets, and the Knife suggested that I post it here, too.

CN: cookies

MY FELLOW WHITE PEOPLE - Specifically, to those who are scared for the first time and are just now getting to the party that our indigenous and POC siblings have been at for over a millennia...(yes, really, over 1000 years. Europeans started colonizing the Americas as early 1000).

I see you.

I see that you finally understand that there is something for you to "get."

I see you working to get caught up on how not to be a shitty white person.

I see you showing up to a march that was peaceful, not because our cause is righteous, but because so many of us are white.

I see that you are discouraged, not prepared for the anguish and rage of our indigenous and POC siblings, demanding to know where you have been. Their feelings are valid. They have been fighting this fight for CENTURIES, without our help, without our support.

Please press on through your feelings of hurt/anger/confusion/discomfort at our white perception of how unfair it all is because while we might be late, at least we're here. These feelings are a part of our white fragility.

Please sit and feel your feelings of discomfort. It is a first step to acknowledging your white privilege.

Please be quiet and listen and witness the the feelings our indigenous and POC siblings share with us. Their feelings are valid. We need to hear and accept their truth.

And when you need a cookie, come find me, a fellow white person. I will give you a cookie. I am walking this path. I know that it is hard. I also know that it is worthwhile. There will come a time when you won't need cookies any longer; you'll just get to work.

And when you need to shed your white tears, come find me, a fellow white person. You can cry on my shoulder. I am walking this path. I know that it is hard. I also know that it is worthwhile. There will come a time when you won't shed them any longer; you'll just get to work.

And when you feel overwhelmed at the enormity of this work, come find me, a fellow white person. I will walk with you. I am walking this path. I know that it is hard. I also know that it is worthwhile. There will come a time when you will realize this is a life-long path and it will not intimidate you; you'll just get to work.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thank you for reading! I'll review your comment within the next 3 days.

If you are using comments as a way to fish for information on me or my partner, you'll be ignored.