Antiracism & Taking Action
Antiracism & Taking Action
Time To Get Off The Bench
The Term “Antiracist” is a Verb
The term explicitly denotes someone that is willing to take actions to counter or end racism. There is no such thing as a passive antiracist. If this is so, then what is an antiracist to do? How do we take antiracist actions? How do we ensure that those actions are not more harmful than they are helpful? There is much to consider, but today I’ll give it my best effort.
If we want to move to a more just and equitable society, then white people will have to take antiracist action to make that happen. White people invented the construct of “race” to empower their status in a legal, social, and economic hierarchy. Everyone knows it isn’t a biological distinction. It was done intentionally and was incorporated into virtually every institution and social relationship that has existed in the United States since 1619. It will take white people with courage and insight to undo this construct. This isn’t a “black problem” it is clearly a “white problem.”
I’ve already written a post about the spiritual work of antiracism. It is a spiritual practice because it calls on us to fundamentally change our consciousness and the way we think as human beings. That is a spiritual exercise. It is hard work, and it is a constant process.
The outcome of this type of spiritual practice is empathy, which becomes the essential and primary motivation to act. Remember, no one wants a bunch of white people taking actions against racism out of a sense of guilt. Guilt places white feelings at the center, and the actions become penance on the behalf of the white person. It completely misses the point of action.
Assuming we are acting out of empathy, and a sense of identifying with the history and experience of Black people in our society, let me suggest the following actions that an individual can take. We can also act within Community. That is even better. Having a group of like-minded antiracists is empowering and will support your individual efforts.
Let’s get started….what shall we do?
Stop Promoting a “ColorBlind” Society
Many well-meaning but misguided people like to say that they don’t “see color” and they teach their own children not to judge someone based on the color of their skin. These folks take great offense when you tell them that this idea harms people of color more than it helps. There are several reasons why it is harmful.
First, this argument primarily attempts to exonerate the white person of any racist motive. It isn’t meant to help or deflect racism away from Black people. Its goal is to relieve the white person of having to do anything about racism. It is the back door exit out of the room when the topic of racism comes up.
The sad reality is people DO see color all the time. Study after study show that “colorblindness” does not exist. Those kids whose parents want to raise them as colorblind already have developed an anti-black preference by the time they are 4 or 5 years old.
More important, it denies the lived experience of people of color. To deny that color makes a difference in our society is gas-lighting. Even children can see what is going on with their own eyes, yet no one ever talks to them about it.
Additionally, I have never heard a person of color say they are colorblind, because their reality and experience underscore the underlying truth that color does matter. Everyday…it matters. To say “I don’t see color” is to deny the lived experience of another human being.
A second problem with trying to hold to colorblindness is that it provides an excuse to ignore the systemic nature of racism. When people try to use the colorblind rationalization, it allows them to ignore the economic, legal, social, educational and health inequities that exist. Unless these inequities are rooted out, which means we must see them, they will persist. Being colorblind only perpetuates the inequities by issuing a “gag-order” of sorts on the real problem.
Third, saying that you are colorblind is another way of saying that you don’t want to talk about racism. It is an escape hatch for white people to be able to avoid difficult and uncomfortable conversations. Most white people would rather not have conversations about racism and extoling the virtues of colorblindness allows them to sequester the conversation. Discomfort is avoided, goal is achieved. Plus they can claim the virtue signal that they are “progressive” because they don’t see color and inversely (and quite perversely) if you see color then you are the real racist. It is a bait-n-switch that blames black people for bringing up color in the first place.
So, what are we do? In Dr. Meghan Burke’s book, Colorblind Racism, one of her suggestions is to consider our various spheres of influence: friends, religious communities, neighborhoods, workplaces, etc., and make a list of three tangible things we can do to create more racial justice in any one of those spheres. One of the most provocative actions a person might take is to just start a conversation about racism and ask questions. I can guarantee that most white people will want to avoid that conversation. Learn to be an instigator, not to deliberately offend, but to open connections and conversations.
Listen to Professor Tricia Rose talk about the relationship between “colorblindness” and structural racism.
But challenge the colorblind argument anytime it comes up. That leads to our second action:
See Something, Say Something
This was the popular phrase coined in the aftermath of the 9/11 attack. It was more than a good idea, it was meant to save lives. The same is true regarding saying something when you see or hear racism in your sphere. Speaking out can help to guard the lives of POC.
Think back in your own lived experience as a white person. There are so many times in my own life when I heard something that I knew was wrong or offensive and I didn’t speak out, much to my shame. It was easy to ignore because I had white privilege, or worse, I just went along with it. My silence was approval.
How we speak out and disrupt something that we see or hear is critical. I’m not advocating being an annoyance, but then, racism is worse than annoying, it is deadly. Ibram Kendi has some suggestions on how to speak up. Asking questions is a powerfully disruptive tool to seek clarity or offer a new perspective.
Below are some suggestions to use in conversations when racist behavior or language occurs:
Seek clarity: “Tell me more about __________.”
Offer an alternative perspective: “Have you ever considered __________.”
Speak your truth: “I don’t see it the way you do. I see it as __________.”
Find common ground: “We don’t agree on __________ but we can agree on __________.”
Give yourself the time and space you need: “Could we revisit the conversation about __________ tomorrow.”
Set boundaries. “Please do not say __________ again to me or around me.”
Asking questions like these can disrupt a racist conversation and require another person to explain and think through what they are saying. The challenge is greater when it is someone close to you; a brother, uncle, aunt or grandparent. But to choose to ignore it will only perpetuate it.
To be antiracist is to be a disruptor.
Educate Yourself, and Educate Those Around You
This one seems obvious, but it may be the most important action you can take as an antiracist. Continue to educate yourself about racism. Read books, join an antiracist book group, listen to podcasts, take a course in Black American history, go to lectures, and engage in conversations.
A very good book to start with if you are new in this journey, is a book called Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad. During Covid some friends and I met together virtually to read and discuss this book. It was an emotionally challenging experience, but one I’m glad we took together. Saad will not mince words and will not let your white privilege go unchallenged.
You can also go to the “Antiracist Table” website and join it. It is free. They have a 30-day antiracist challenge that will help you begin to learn about your own unconscious biases and actions you can take to further your own change.
Engaging in these types of learning experiences will be much more effective when done in concert with others that are interested. There is strength and support in doing this learning together.
The purpose of educating yourself and those around you is to empower you to have meaningful conversations with others about racism. Simply being fluent and able to discuss the differences between individual racism, interpersonal racism, institutional racism, structural racism, or implicit bias will allow you to clarify these terms for yourself, but also become a much more persuasive person.
Understand what is meant by “white privilege,” “white-supremacy,” or “white-exceptionalism.” Clarifying these terms and learning how to talk about them will allow you to not be intimidated by having these conversations. Learning to talk about and communicate these ideas is a powerful action.
Learn about the historic construction of “race” as a power-hierarchy that was used to create benefits for one group at the expense of another. Understand how “race” was used throughout American history to marginalize people of color, enrich white society, and provide unlimited power for some. Most of all it is important to understand the legacy of these actions.
Educating those around you isn’t so much about trying to teach anything as it is trying to demonstrate or role model a new way of thinking and being. My background as an educator allows me to be comfortable in a formal setting sharing ideas like these, but that isn’t for everyone. But people are watching, especially children, grandchildren, neighbors, and even just the stranger in the grocery store. Your antiracism can have an impact on those around you without a formal teaching structure.
And of course, this education never ends. It will always be a work in progress because to combat white supremacy will require a life-long commitment to unlearn bad ideas and learn new ideas constantly. It is exhilarating, but it can also be challenging. Accept the challenge.
Understand Your White Privilege, and Work To Undo It
My goal here isn’t to launch into a definition or description of what white privilege is and try to convince you that it exists. If you have read this article to this point, I assume you accept your own white privilege.
Here is the larger point. My white privilege and your white privilege have allowed us to benefit, prosper and achieve many things at the expense of people of color. Our white privilege has harmed and hurt people. Put a sticky note in the front of your brain and remember this. Continuing to benefit from a set of unearned favors based on the non-blackness of my skin is wrong.
This privilege has created vast inequities that has affected the ability of people of color to advance, to gain generational wealth, to get a job, drive a nice car in a nice neighborhood without being profiled, get a mortgage to live in that nice neighborhood, or to walk down the street of that nice neighborhood free from fear of the police. The question now becomes, as a white antiracist, what can I do to end the inequities?
Here are a few ideas that you can begin to implement within your own world and sphere of influence:
Ask questions about the organizations you are associated with such as your church, school, job or civic groups. Do those organizations reflect the diversity of the community, at all levels of the organization? Is the organization’s culture one that is currently capable of being inclusive to all people?
Do I, as an individual, have a personal network that is diverse? Who do I associate with and how diverse is that group?
What are the policies of the financial institutions where you do business? How diverse or inclusive are they? Do they provide advancement for people of color? Do they issue mortgages for people of color without special rules? Are they socially active in supporting local events that celebrate people of color?
How diverse and inclusive is your local police department? Check the records to see if there are a disproportion of people of color being arrested or stopped.
Support candidates and policies at the state and national level that will increase justice for communities of color and dismantle systems of injustice.
How are you spending your money? What charities do you support? Are there any black owned businesses that you can start to patronize? Are the black organizations that you can support financially and perhaps as a volunteer?
Ask questions about your school district’s suspension policies. Are students of color being disproportionately disciplined compared to white students?
Finally, support reparations…yes, you heard me. Support reparations for black families! The work of antiracism is partly in making restitution for the generations of wealth that were extorted, stolen, and taken through forced, unpaid labor.
Be Prepared To Take Direct Non-Violent Action
Finally, in this journey toward antiracism, each person will need to evaluate their own values and priorities and decide at what point am I willing to sacrifice my own comfort and safety to help correct an unjust practice or law? Many people participated in protests and rallies in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. Taking direct non-violent action is an option in the face of injustice. This topic deserves more thoughtful discussion so I will leave it today with a link to over 100 ways white allies can take action. I’ll be writing more on this topic.