This is 2017 in America. And we have got to get real about what is happening in our country. White supremacy is alive and well, and we have no choice but to confront and combat it head on. In the wake of Charlottesville, we are being forced to reckon not just with the reality of white supremacy and racism, but the larger question of who WE are and who we are to one another.
White people, we’ve got work to do. We have to stop waiting for the right time, the right tone or the perfect readiness to act. We just need to start somewhere. And we need to start now.
This is a call to action. Reach out to your brothers, sisters, parents, cousins, friends, and colleagues. Racism is all around us. It’s closer to your inner circle than you think. We need to be bridges in our social circles for courageous conversations and compassionate conflict.
It is not the kind of thing you can do from the sidelines. It looks like disruptive conversations, radical relationships, taking to the streets, bold action, and LOVE.
Love does not sit back and watch. It gets down and dirty. It is fierce and active.
Let us take risks, make mistakes, be vulnerable, and love beyond our safety.This work is messy, and our job is to practice it, not perfect it. We need to come together and do whatever is necessary to reduce harm and create the conditions where everyone can thrive.
We urge you to take this fight from Facebook to face to face, where we can see one another’s humanity. Where we can feel deeply the cost of racism on our community and culture. And where we can learn and grow together.
Because we are all impacted by systems of oppression and power.
We won’t be sidelined by 45 and his circus. We are focused. We are organized. We are in this together.
— Kerri Kelly, founder of CTZNWELL
WELLread is a weekly newsletter produced by the nonprofit CTZNWELL. Every Wednesday, we round up the N2K information so you can use your time to take care of yourself, organize like the badass that you are, and actively protect our people and planet. If this was forwarded to you, sign up here.
THE SHORTCUT
“I want a theology that begins to deepen people’s understanding about their capacity to live fully human lives and to touch the goodness inside of them rather than call upon the part of themselves that’s not relational.”
We are turning to the brilliant words of civil rights icon Ruby Sales. We must go beyond ideology and ask, “Where does it hurt?”
DEAR WHITE PEOPLE
CALL IT BY ITS NAME
This is racism. “It’s a cancerous, terrible, putrid sickness that represents the absolute worst of who we are.” And we must name it. White supremacy is alive and well in 2017, folks. And white people benefit from it. Not just white men, white women too. The culture of white supremacy is all around us and often illusive. Identifying the attitudes and behaviors that animate this culture is the first step to dismantling it. Check out this culture shift guide from dworks.
CHECK YOURSELF
“Why are people still racist?” is an interesting article on how science plays a role here. This video lays out how racism is deeply rooted in the church. And if you are white you must read “White People: I Don’t Want You To Understand Me Better, I Want You To Understand Yourselves.” This pyramid shows how white supremacy is more insidious than you think.
Get the full WELLread from this week—including resources for becoming a better ally, practices for revolutionary self-care, and ways to help organizations after Charlottesville—plus get it sent directly to your inbox every Wednesday by subscribing:
