Black Lives Matter. Black Life Matters.
I should have been saying that clearly for years. I am sorry that I have not.
If you've ever opened my newsletter before you know I am a doer! I want a first step! I love a spreadsheet! I need a plan! I cannot tell you how many posts I have swiped through on Instagram recently, trying to figure out WHAT TO DO about racism. (All of them, the answer is, I have swiped through all of them.)
I found the words of Latasha Morrison humbling and helpful this week:
"In the midst of everything that is going on in our country right now, we want to remind our white brothers and sisters to press pause. We want to remind you to not jump right into action and "fix it" mode. Learn to be still and listen and learn. Do not give into the temptation and ingrained conditioning to "lead." This does not mean take no actions––this means change the place from which you are taking those actions. Work from a posture of awareness and humility, always being open and flexible to change your process as you learn from Black people."
Latasha's book, Be the Bridge, is available wherever books are sold and she offers webinars and guides here.
I didn't learn that white supremacy still exists and that I benefit from it last week. I didn't learn that I have implicit biases last week. I didn't learn about systemic racism last week. My issue was not being oblivious! My issue was being aware and not actively working towards change. Oof.
That is bad. It's not something I am happy to admit. But it's true. And I share it because guilt is part of what kept me complacent and complicit. I do not want to be complacent or complicit.
I am in your inbox today to, yes, apologize, but also acknowledge the life-long work* I will to do as a person, as a mom and as a business owner. I learned these past few weeks that "ally" is a verb. I can't write about "being an ally." I can't "become" an ally. I can just listen, practice and work to ally.
More on this idea here: "Allyship is a love language." Please read the caption too. Books by Adrian Michael are available here.
