Black stories matter …
In the spirit of listening and acknowledging that Black stories matter, here are some Medium posts by some incredible Black writers I read recently that were powerful and on point. They made me uncomfortable and deeply reflective, and reminded me how to be more sensitive and aware of what Black people are experiencing — and have experienced for way too long. I’d like to share them with Bride in Reverse readers as someone who is endlessly and humbly learning how to be a better advocate, reader, creator and storyteller. I am taking in their words and their truth:
“Forgive us if our work isn’t up to par, we just saw a lynching. Pardon us if we’re quiet in the Zoom meetings, we’re wondering if we’ll be the next hashtag. Spare some grace if we’re not at the company happy hour, because the hour of joy that most adults look forward to has been stolen from us due to the recent string of black death.” — Shenequa Golding, in Maintaining Professionalism In The Age of Black Death Is….A Lot
“The next time you’re tempted to say you ‘can’t believe’ something, ask yourself: Why can’t I believe it? Has this happened before? Is this a daily experience for people with a different skin tone, religious background, or ethnicity from me? How does this information contradict what I want to believe about my country? What does it mean for me as a White person to be ignorant about this?” — Ajah Hales, in 5 Phrases Your Black Friend Wishes You’d Stop Saying, featured in ZORA
“We need you to put down the smartphone and process your guilt. Only then will you be able to truly ‘stand with Black people’ and forge real change.” — Marcus K. Dowling, in Your White Guilt Is Taking a Toll on Your Black Friends, featured in LEVEL
“There is this world view that Black women, in particular, are indestructible. But the fact is that we live our lives at an intersection of identities that increases our risk of death.” — Zuva, in My Family Shamed Me About My Relationship With Food, featured in ZORA
Last weekend I also took some time to think about what I’ve tried to create and support as a communications professional over the years that strongly advocates for real storytelling over tokenism and one-off MLK quotes on social media. Here are a few ideas I had about how to better acknowledge and support Black stories.
Black stories matter … Black lives matter.
