Dear White Women…

From August 1, 2018

White women, we have work to do.

The deafening silence around Nia Wilson’s murder is just one more betrayal by white women. Throughout history, white women have been oppression’s “constant gardeners”. “The fact, is white women have an abysmal track record. From suffrage right through to the 2016 election, white women have demonstrated that they are primarily interested in protecting themselves and advancing their own political goals”, says Jessie Daniels in this Huff Post piece.

But that is also not a reason to cancel them. For those of us who are white women, we have a responsibility to “go get our people” and bring them into anti-racism work and active ally-ship. Not because we are going to save the democratic party, but because we are a threat to it and the progressive values that will move us toward liberation. We will win not through centering ourselves but through solidarity.

Solidarity is based on the principle that we are willing to put ourselves at risk to protect each other (Starhawk). It looks like telling the truth and holding ourselves accountable. It looks like listening and learning from leaders on the margins. It looks like going hard in the battle against an oppressive regime. It looks like boldly showing up and taking risks for the wellbeing of the whole.

And it looks like love. A love that is big enough to include everyone. A love that is sophisticated enough to understand how we got here. A love that is fierce enough to fight. And a love that is hopeful enough to see a way through.

Let’s finally do the work that is necessary for all of our liberation.

-Kerri Kelly

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