Dismantling white supremacy
by Rossella Forle’
Protest in Minneapolis in solidarity with the death of George Floyd, May 2020
I speak as a white, feminist activist woman and has been seeking for many years to create an identity of anti-racist.
As white people, we need to take responsibility to end racism. We need to feel accountable for violence against people of colour, we need to take a stand to stop racism!
I’m sharing Obioma Ugoala and Sarah Dean’s point of views on how dismantling white supremacy.
SO, YOU DON’T LIKE RACISM, BUT YOU’RE IN THE UK AND FEEL POWERLESS TO DO ANYTHING?
I have had several conversations with friends who have recently felt powerless as to what they can/should be doing in response to some of the atrocities in the US. Here are some ideas.
Firstly, let’s acknowledge that global anti-blackness is a real thing. It manifests differently in different countries, but white supremacy has been an economic driving force for centuries. This is just a fact. So read that and don’t feel defensive. There is no attack here.
The U.K. has a terrible history of atrocious crimes from near/actual genocide to pillaging nations of their natural resources. We can only move past this if we have ever, at any point, addressed it as a nation. We haven’t, don’t and must.
Obioma Ugoala
Get past our ego and own that we are racist. Again, this is a fact. As white people, we have benefitted from our skin tone our entire life. That is a neutral fact. Black and brown people have suffered tremendously because of the system that allows us to benefit. Again, neutral fact.
Learning about our racism will be uncomfortable. Don’t be fragile or precious. Walk into the discomfort. Likely the rest of our life - because that is what is required to undo a lifetime of conditioning around our privilege. It’s ok to be uncomfortable. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
PAY BLACK EDUCATORS. Learn from POC who make a living educating others on race. Do not ask our black friends, neighbours or co-workers to educate us for free. They are exhausted and they don’t own us any education or explanations. PAY BLACK EDUCATORS who so generously put in the emotional and mental labour to share their stories, their history, and their brilliance.
Don’t expect POC to hold our hand and sing us lullabies as they educate us. They will likely make us uncomfortable - perhaps even mad. Sit with that. It’s not their job to teach in a way that coddles us. They have endured a lifetime of discomfort. It is appropriate and necessary for us to feel uncomfortable as we’re learning from them.
When we see racism in action we need to name it, call it out, take a stand against it. Yes, this will be uncomfortable.
When we find ourself in spaces of only white people, ask why that is. If we lead spaces of only white people, ask why that is. Yes, this will be uncomfortable.
Teach our children about race, racism and skin tone. This is not a “wait until they are old enough" conversation. They are old enough now.
Know that we’re going to say and do offensive things while we’re learning about our racism. Own mistakes and missteps. And, again, let’s not be fragile or precious. Keep learning so we can keep doing better.
Be a resourceful, responsible, more anti-racist citizen by learning from these educators. PAY THEM. Buy their books, sign up for their talks and courses and events. Give money to the causes they share.
Sarah Dean
