I’m not going to claim to know much on the topic of [the daily pain involved with] racism; but I’ve been making it my mission recently to become as aware as possible, to see as much as possible, and to step into the shoes of others as much as possible so I may understand my white privilege; how my life & the way I go about things, can be a breeze in comparison to the horrific potentialities of life as a black or brown person, how I affect the lives of others, in my ignorance, how my privilege makes life so much easier, and how my silence, on racism, can not only be violence, but can actively contribution to helping uphold the WHITE HOUSE within which racists burrow, births, exists and punishes those living beside us as fellow beings.

I’ve always stood with the Black Lives Matter Movement, but privately, in my own space, in my own head, and my own time, with my own views. And maybe I believed there was a safety in that. Maybe someone white shut me down. But I remember when it kicked off 5 yrs ago; I even created a Black & White film on the movement and my proclamation in that everyone should join it….. but guess what? I never published it. I don’t know why, maybe I showed a white person and they didn’t get it… maybe I was embarrassed…maybe I felt I didn’t know enough on the issue/ issues involved / experienced by black & brown people daily, to just show a level of support out of fear of looking stupid – but either way I just didn’t post it.

I want those reading this to know the intent to say how I felt and show support; before I even knew as much of the history behind our white supremacist culture, as I do now, was there, the attempted display of my levels of empathy [ for what I knew of at the time] was always there. But I have now turned the volume up and the rage I feel, and pain I feel for these cruel heartbreaking injustices is to the max and I’m not shutting my mouth on this anytime soon. ESPECIALLY when I’m SO aware that my ECHO CHAMBER (circle) is a fairly middle class white centric hetero-normative audience. Who also need to understand, digest, grasp and dive into this rhetoric of our VERY REAL privilege and that for many of us that has meant UTTER IGNORANCE to the continual suffering of other beings.

I just didn’t understand or be old/ brave/ comprehensive of the issue enough to recognise that people suffering at the very hands of systematic racism NEED to know, and hear, see, and be assured, by myself and EVERYONE ELSE that I’m not just against racism, I’m actively willing and able to fight AGAINST racism both day to day in our lives but it the way it rears its head within our political and societal systems. I didn’t understand that black and brown people need to know that we’re not okay with how they are treated, that it doesn’t just bother us, or that we actively think it’s bad but that we’re brave enough to make sure it doesn’t and won’t happen any longer. We need to show up and let them know we’re not okay with how they have been treated, even if in the UK we don’t see or necessary HEAR of it in front of our own life experiences ; Knowing that it happens and being ready and willing to listen and fight for equality at any opportunity is essential.

I want you to know that I was there and had love and compassion for your experience, BEFORE I even understood the levels of darkness the history and structure go, but I had no idea vocalisation was needed, how to vocalise it or where to even begin but I’m glad we are now.

George Floyd, may the universe bless and hold his soul in love, rest, and peace, has just FORCED many to finally understand and acknowledge, that A) this shit is still happening & to our fellow human beings and that B) simply sitting in the comfy-ness of not being actively racist, or the comfyness that isn’t affecting our circles; and may never affect our circle; IS NEVER GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE. Facing this head on, acknowledging the experiences of people across the world who are suffering at the hands of racism is, learning, and fighting for change will bring about change. PERIIODTT.

This is a change we should all want so that EVERYONE can sit in equality.

A change that is LONG OVERDUE.

I’m bloody devastated it’s taken us THIS LONG to SEE THAT PAIN, hear your anguish, experience a mild dosage of your clear reality beyond the every now and then incident on the news.  In watching those minutes clock by,  as nobody moved, watching an innocent man of the world die with zero care for HIS humanity. I’m sorry this tragedy is the final one and that the many others who have passed before didn’t force my hand to ACTIVELY REACH OUT. But I want you to know I’m here now, I know it’s not enough but I’m determined to self educate, listen, understand and empower the lives of Black and Brown folk; to help bring about the change for justice, so you may be able to experience life through without a fear for your life, and more than that I want you to be able to experience a lens of life where all you have to worry about is what to wear to school in the morning; which subject to pick at higher education; or whether you’d like to travel the world; with 0 concerns that your skin colour will mean you may face discrimination/ brutality or pain from other people of any kind.

In order to elevate this community I am going to share my journey into my furthering of understanding of racism; as I am learning. By talking about the platforms I’m learning from, books I’m reading, people I’m blessed to hear off, and the ways in which I’m trying to ACTIVELY make a change; whether that be socially, politically or otherwise.

Racism is a white person created issue; so we must therefore be the ones to call it out, fight it, and burn it to the ground, where it belongs; so that EVERYONE ELSE can finally breathe the air they deserve. & have deserved for a long time.

Maybe it’s time we held our breathe, for a very very long time, to be silent, listen and be lead by b&b people, to understand what it may feel like to live in such an oppressive system for the majority of their lives.

To my friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and a like

I see you, I hear you, I’m sorry, we must do better in order to protect you & no WE DON’T NEED THANKS & GRATITUDE BECAUSE WE SHOULD’VE BEEN DOING THIS YEARS AGO.

AS I’VE SAID THIS IS BASIC EMPATHY – US white folks don’t deserve appreciation of that. I’m just sorry and I hope we do BETTER by you.

With love. Char

 

With that I’d like to share with you things I’ve been researching/ learning about as of late. With links, comments, petitions, blogs, pages, etc ❤

Links to Authors you should read;

http://www.pbs.org/black-culture/explore/10-black-authors-to-read/

There are many books to choose from where you can support Black Writers/ Authors/ Experience, but I wanted to start with these two.

 

Today to start my reading off I purchased;

 

I listened; to this Radio Live Stream by BBC Radio 1 Extra

DJ Ace & Seani B on George Floyd and the similar racial experiences people have in the UK. With Thoughts, condolences, open conversations on racism in the UK, and Police Brutality.

This stream is incredibly raw, honest, and heartbreaking but truly needed for British white ignorance.

ON; 1Xtra Talks Special – George Floyd and Black Lives Matter

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000k3yt

 

YouTube Video you should watch; in order to better understand the black & brown experience of our white world.

This Ted talk by Baratunde Thurston on decontructing racism.

Talking to Children about Race

 

Great accounts to follow, that I love, or that I have listened to/ followed today/ over the last week on Instagram;

@nowhitesaviours [ http://www.instagram.com/nowhitesaviours ]

@thedailyshow [ anything Trevor Noah – http://www.instagram.com/thedailyshow ]

@1_800_did_i_ask [ thought provoking quote art – https://www.instagram.com/1_800_did_i_ask/]

@das.penman [https://www.instagram.com/das.penman/ ]

@femalecollective [www.instagram.com/femalecollective]

@tiffanydloftin [www.instagram.com/tiffanydloftin ]

Beautifully made Diverse Programs/ Series to Watch on Tv/ Netflix, that I’ve watched avidly. Which touch on the issues of Racism, and utilising mixed & diverse casts/ experiences.

THIS COMING SATURDAY IN CAMBS

2PM – 06/06/2020 PARKER’S PIECE – PEACEFUL PROTEST BLM

FOLLOW @cambridgeblacklivesmatter [https://www.instagram.com/cambridgeblacklivesmatter/] to stay up to date.

If you haven’t yet signed the petition in demand for the officers involved in the murder of George Floyd’s to be brought to justice. You can follow the link here; https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd

Stay Safe. Take Care. Protect & Love each other.

❤