Speak Up

This is a thoughtful and forward thinking group of folks, who thrive in the unknown, revel in the quiet and slow of the body, while bursting forth into imagine.

How do we, as a collective, address the known violence of oppression and systemic racism? How do we take part in the noise right now? How do we use our imagination to engage in skillful action?

I have no idea.

No matter, let’s try, because not trying is deadly.

I need you to stay with me right now.

It's going to be really easy for some of you who read this newsletter to stop reading once you realize I’m not talking about dancing.

PLEASE DON’T DO THAT.

Instead, imagine it is your son, your daughter, your mother, your brother being killed, tortured, or imprisoned because of the color of their skin. (Some of you reading this don’t have to imagine — you have and are living this, every single day).

Am I simplifying things?

I don’t know enough history and haven’t read enough about systemic racism and white supremacy to know the answer, so maybe, but let’s keep going anyway.

There are a couple of things I'm asking the white people in this group, myself included, to do, if you aren't already -- not just this week, not just this month, not until the summer ends, but for the rest of our lives.

Like dancing, learning to become an anti-racist is a life long process of learning, making mistakes, trying again, and hopefully doing better next time.

Let's start here:

1.
Listen -- Let's really listen to everything going on around us right now, with clarity, presence, and humility.

2.
Speak Up -- Let’s all commit to speaking up when someone says something that’s hurtful, racist, ignorant, like "All lives matter!" OR when someone doesn’t say something, and that is hurtful, racist, ignorant.

WE HAVE TO SPEAK UP — PEOPLE WITH BLACK AND BROWN SKIN ARE BEING KILLED BECAUSE THEY HAVE BLACK AND BROWN SKIN. This is not shocking, it is not new, it has been happening since Columbus landed the ship on these shores. It is brutal, it is real, and this particular moment is a flash point in a long history of flash points.

My fellow white people -- we have GOT TO START SPEAKING UP ABOUT THIS.

IN RAGE.

IN DROVES.

Anti-oppression consultant, Regan Byrd, said something to me that might help with speaking up more (if you need help with speaking up, because a lot of you don't -- you've been speaking up about this for lifetimes. I know this because I'm trying to learn how to do that from you).

When I told her I didn't say anything because I was scared I might get it wrong and I also didn't want to start a conflict with anyone (I'm specifically talking about social media here, but this can be applied to all conversations. Also conflict avoidance is classic white fragility) she said:

“You ARE going to mess up, it’s inevitable. How you respond to feedback if and when you mess up is far more important. If you are not sure what to do, err on the side of doing something rather than nothing.”

So speak up white people, myself included, be prepared to mess up, and then learn.

And for those of us on social media: START CLAPPING BACK.

3.
Give money: $5 or $1,000, give something.

Let's all commit to giving money, in an on-going manner, to an organization or organizations that are working to dismantle this system of white supremacy by responding to and addressing the harm and violence this system creates and perpetuates. Let's also give money to organizations that support and uplift possibility, potential, and connection in our communities.

I'm naming a few organizations here that I imagine many of you already donate to:

The ACLU
NAACP
Color of Change
National Bailout
Colorado Freedom Fund
The Rising Majority

Here’s a local one that I really love:

The Chinook Fund:
"Chinook Fund supports grassroots organizations working on issues of social and economic justice; by pooling our collective resources, we seed groups making a positive, systemic impact to improve the quality of life for all Coloradans."

They are thoughtful and strategic, and are laser focused on each organization they support being constituent led. Really worth checking them out, especially if you are in Colorado. I’m thinking of applying for their training this fall.

These organizations listed below are copied and pasted directly from The Chinook Fund's Facebook page:

"In solidarity with The Movement for Black Lives Week of Action, we are amplifying former & current Black-led grantees. We ask you to center Black Liberation, Black futures, & invest in Black communities.

Denver Justice Project – Transform law enforcement, end mass incarceration, and seek racial justice in Denver.

Black Lives Matter 5280 – Build a more loving and united Black communities while eliminating anti-Black violence and racism.

Black Business Initiative – Economic Revitalization Program committed to growing a stronger businesses presence within the black community.

Soul 2 Soul Sisters – Black Womxn-led, faith-based programming that focuses on anti-Black racism, reproductive justice and voter engagement.

SCD Enrichment Program – Recruit and mentor students of color (specifically Black) into AP, IB and accelerated coursework.

Breaking Our Chains – Disrupting and dismantling the pre-school-to-prison pipeline.

The Black Men's Project, a project of Another Life Foundation – Bringing awareness of mental wellness in the Black/African American community.

Second Chance Center – Helping formerly incarcerated men and women transition to lives of success and fulfillment.

Young Aspiring Americans for Social and Political Activism-YAASPA – Encourage and support under-served youth to participate in their communities socially and politically.

Slam Nuba – Promote the creation and performance of poetry and cultivate literary activities and engage community, focused on the power of the written and spoken word.

Shop Talk Live– Dedicated to the education and empowerment of Black people affected by social economic, educational, housing, employment, political, health (etc) challenges.

Speaking of money, the Wednesday and Sunday Dog Dances classes raised $1,000 for Casa de Paz in May (Yay Dog Dancers!).

For the month of June, we are raising money for Mirror Image Arts.

As a teaching artist in our state prisons, this one is personal for me as these guys do the work with young people before they get to prison, with the hope that they never end up there. And they do that work through highly embodied theater and improv with all kinds of kids.

The work that Mirror Image Arts is doing is the under the radar, not super flashy, committed to people and community kind of work that I’m interested in and value.

As Julie Rada, board member of Mirror Image Arts, friend, and colleague said to me when we were talking about all this, "Mirror Image Arts is proactive rather than reactive, with a politic built on care."

If you want to give to Mirror Image Arts by taking the Wednesday or Sunday Dog Dance class (or you just want to give some money and you don't want to take class), email me and I'll send you the info.

4.
Read.

I'm starting here:

Articles

Why You Need to Stop Saying "All Lives Matter"
By Rachel Elizabeth Cargle

White people assume niceness is the answer to racial inequality. It's not.
By Robin diAngelo

My White Friend Asked Me on Facebook to Explain White Privilege. I Decided to Be Honest
By Lori Lakin Hutcherson

Remember, No One is Coming to Save Us 
By Roxane Gay

Destructive Power of Despair 
By Charles Blow

5 Racist Anti-Racism Responses “Good” White Women Give to Viral Posts By Katie Anthony

Books:

White Fragility 
By Robin diAngelo

How to be An Anti-Racist 
By Ibram X. Kendi

Abolition Democracy 
By Angela Davis

The New Jim Crow
By Michelle Alexander

A People’s History of the Untied States 
By Howard Zinn

So You Want to Talk About Race 
By Ijeoma Oluo

How We Get Free 
The Combahee River Collective

Citizen 
By Claudia Rankine

5.
White Allyship Trainings.

Let's all take these trainings,  facilitated by Regan Byrd, about how to be a more effective and resilient ally. 

I just signed up for both.

The beauty of anti-racism is that you don't have to pretend to be free of racism to be an anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself.  And it's the only way forward.   --  Ijeoma Oluo

With warmth and also rage,
Joanna