I started six separate blogs in the last few days and rejected them all.
Not because the content wasn’t heartfelt but because they all felt tone deaf to what is happening in our cities and country.
My heart sank and my anger raged when I saw the wall being erected around the White House. It is the biggest sign yet of a failed government.
So then I had the conversation with myself about what walls am I putting up? What uncomfortable truths am I hiding from? I’m not a newcomer to engaging in conversations about white privilege but it would be a fallacy for me to think such conversations can ever be done.
For me, the next level is to read up on the history I was never taught. To see who was at the table and who was not when monumental and profound decisions were made. I need to look at my own circle to see what perspectives are missing before I voice an opinion.
From this point forward, I commit to asking more questions and answering very few.
So I ask you, which walls have you erected whether consciously or otherwise, that you are willing to challenge?
Look at your inner circle:
- Do they all come from similar backgrounds?
- Do you work with people who mostly look like you?
- What biases do you carry that need to be reconsidered? (That’s a tricky one because first you have to go look for your biases.)
- Will you commit to learning by reading books and engaging in conversations designed to help you learn about white privilege or books that take place in cultures unlike your own?
It’s worth it because when Black Lives Matter then all lives will matter.
