A Strategy for White People in the Long Haul of Being and Becoming Anti-Racist

Listen, Learn, and… Stay Engaged!

Like many privileged white people during this historic time, I am attempting to put a dent in my ignorance about so very much in the fight for racial equity and criminal justice reform.

I have heard that it is time to listen.

But I also know that I must act — and thousands of experts around the nation are telling us how; in books, videos, webinars, articles, podcasts and on social media. This is the firehose many of us have been drinking from.

I have never been more certain than now that the more you know, the more you realize how little you actually know.

We’ve been told that now is not the time to ask our friends and colleagues of color to teach us. It’s time for us to do the work. We’ve also been warned that we are probably getting a lot of this wrong. I know I am.

But right now it feels like the only thing that’s more wrong than getting it wrong is not doing anything at all.

My study of personal practices over the years has shown me that if you have something in front of you that is daunting — ie: our current landscape — and you feel overwhelmed, just how easy it is to lose your steam and/or numb out, no matter your best intentions.

In conversation with white friends, many of them express that they feel immobilized. They don’t know where to begin…so they don’t.

But let’s face it — the toothpaste is out of the tube, and a lot of us are feeling passionate about deepening anti-racism work, and also recognize it’s going to be a long haul.

To help maintain the momentum in this collective effort to push for systemic change, my suggestion is to just pick one thing — one video, one article, one movie or book, and begin chipping away.

You might argue that that’s not enough, that one small thing won’t make a difference — and you are probably right. But one small thing on top of another small thing on top of another might.

So pick one thing today — preferably something produced by black thought leaders. Then pick another one tomorrow. And another one the next day.

Make it your fuel for this long haul, because you are going to need it and change requires all of us.

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My pick for today: How Can You Win? A short lesson on why the current climate of Black Lives Matter is happening with author and educator Kimberly Jones here.