Black Lives Matter

This is honestly a difficult episode for me to put out there because part of me feels so unqualified to speak on this topic yet part of me feels it’s my duty to speak out. I don’t want to say the wrong thing or offend anyone and I am not here to educate you. In fact, one of the reasons I have chose to put this episode out there is because I have had to do some uncomfortable work and acknowledge my role in what is going on in the world. I don’t have the words to come from a place of understanding and as I already said, I have even questioned my place of doing an episode on this but what I do know is that I have white privilege and with that privilege I need to stand up for those who don’t. I want to be an ally, not a silent bystander who sits back and obsessively seeks out ways to learn, listen and unlearn.

 

I want to be very clear and honest that just a week or two ago, I was very IGNORANT to the depths of white privilege. And any conversation around it made me question why people saw things differently than me.

 

It started when Hannah Brown, the former Bachelorette, was talking/singing the words to a song for a tiktok dance. The lyrics had the N word in it to which she said it aloud in her IG live.

 

This triggered a conversation around whether or not it’s appropriate for white people to sing even if it’s in a song. I know I have done this in the past and I’ve done it with black friends. So to me, I had to dig deeper into why people were heated over it.

 

Instead of sweeping it under the carpet and choosing to just feel the way I feel, I wanted to understand it more from a different perspective.

 

So I started reading through comments from people of color, I listened to Rachel Lindsay, another Bachelorette, who tried to explain why it’s inappropriate.

 

And then I saw the Amy Cooper video shared on FB. THIS video was a clear representation of white privilege. The power of white privilege. But the most disheartening part is that she felt she could use her power, against an innocent black man who simply asked her to leash her dog. She knew that she could potentially scare a black man by calling the cops and telling them that an African American man threatened her.

 

This made me literally feel sick to my stomach. It was a clear visual picture for people to see that racism is still very real in this country.

 

But it didn’t end there. Then another video surfaced of a black man being murdered on camera by a white police officer with three other officers standing by. These men are supposed to be protectors and enforce the law.

 

The black man begged and pleaded that he couldn’t breath as the office knelt on his neck until his life escaped him. This is the saddening story of George Floyd.

 

I had such a hard time watching the video as any human person should. But in this moment I realized that the way my heart hurt watching it is how black people feel every day.

 

As I already stated, I have more work to do than I thought. If I want to be an ally, I cannot turn my eye or remain silent in a world where inequality exists.

 

I want to be an ally. I don’t want to be silent because as I’ve been seeing online, silence is taking the side with the oppressors.

 

I now see that being non-racist and kind are NOT ENOUGH. We must actively become and BE anti-racist. In order for change to take place, we must speak up when racist situations take place. That could mean a black joke or dismissing behavior because the “person is of a different generation.” Remaining quiet allows this to continue.

 

It’s time we stand up for black people. We are all human and deserve to be treated the same way.

 

If you are like me and want to learn more, educate yourself and make a difference there are so many resources out there. But the best place to start is recognizing that you have white privilege. This does not indicate a life with no struggle. What it means is that our skin color is not something we have to worry about. It’s not a part of our struggle.

 

Let me share a couple examples that have helped me to understand this concept.

 

When you are white and get pulled over by a cop, do you feel as though it could be a life or death situation?

 

When you are driving and abiding by the laws of the road and see a cop, do you worry that you may get pulled over just because of the way you look?

 

Are you afraid to take a walk by yourself for fear of something really bad happening to you because of your skin color?

 

When you put on a hoodie sweatshirt, do you worry about the way that people may perceive you as a threat?

 

I know for me, the thought of these scenarios do not cross my mind. This is white privilege.

 

Isn’t it time that all races and colors get to experience this kind of privilege?

 

I cannot be afraid to stand here and embarrassingly admit that up until this point, I had no idea how bad our country still is. I’m acknowledging it and working on being someone who can help make a difference.

 

I have opened the notes section on my phone. The title of the note states anti-racism and as I see things or words that help me gain a better understanding, I make note of it.

 

I refuse to be part of the problem by remaining silent. I want to be part of the solution and that means I must continue to educate myself and be seeking out information that helps me be the ally that black people deserve from us white folks.

 

If you are eager to learn along with me, I will share some resources in the show notes that will help you gain a better understanding.

 

This is our time to learn, listen and lean in to the change that is so overdue. It’s not about getting it right or having the right words, it’s about knowing that when we remain silent, we are part of the problem.

 

I talk a lot on this podcast about being a parent and I struggle so much with wanting to raise my kids to do the right thing. Stand up for the ones who aren’t being treated fairly. And then my privilege sets in wondering how young is too young to talk about race. But truthfully it’s never too early.

 

I know this episode is quick but it’s what is on my heart during this time and after all the listening and reading I’ve done and will continue to do, this I know ... white people we need to take action.

 

Show up. Call. Donate. Listen. Learn. Unlearn.

 

Being so immersed in my privilege, I never realized the role I played by being silent. And I’m so sorry it’s taken me this long to get uncomfortable, learn and begin the unlearning journey. I promise to listen without defending and speak without offending.

 

 

Follow the hashtag #blacklivesmatter on social media.

 

Instagram accounts: @austinchanning, @theconsciouskid, @laylafsaad, @rachel.cargle, and @ckyourprivilege

 

Books on Anti-Racism: Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong, Good Talk by Mira Jacobs, Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge, So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo, I'm Still Here by Austin Channing Brown, How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi, What Fragility by Robin DiAngelo