I am only able to continue to try to more deeply understand both the aggressions against Black people, and those perpetrated by the HWI. As a white person I am aware that those HWI have benefited me and Blacks hardly any if any at all. Admittedly some of that awareness is emerging and only intellectual. Some of the awareness also comes from witnessing for most of my life the overt aggressions from people and institutions. As I continue to strive for ever greater awareness I am thankful for a life attitude of no fear and boundless curiosity. Liking what I discover about self and self in community is not a value, nor its opposite. Instead, I try to use beneficial to many vs harmful to others or beneficial only to self (meaning possibly ignoring and turning away because it’s too uncomfortable).

All of this should be proceeded by “I deeply appreciate your reflections and willingness to speak.” (I’m typing on phone and find it challenging to move text around — I’m an immigrant to the digital age, not native born)