A Note of Compassion

image via angela mayhoe

I was born into a society of racism, inequality and silent observers. I had to learn how to navigate through waves of white privilege and constantly make adjustments when necessary to maintain a sense of self, sanity and dignity. Although there has been progression in our everyday civil rights, the consistent noise of inequality has once again nudged the big white elephant in the room and “select” groups of people are once again appalled that racism still exists. Now we’re here…

I do have compassion for those who are genuinely seeking ways to understand and become a better advocate for injustice but it’s not my responsibility to create and unfold the roadmap. This is a time for those who want to contribute to gain self awareness and peel off the layers - the layers that have be compacted when you witnessed racism or was the consumer of conversations at your dinner table and did nothing. Ask yourself, why have you been silent - why don’t you know what to do and why are you lost? Just like I figured out how to insert myself into this society - you will figure out how to create new ideals to improve it. This is going to involve uncomfortable self-diving reflections for some and unlearning false truths for others.

This is only the beginning of a long road that I (along with my American ancestors) have walked our entire lives. My ancestors were brought to a country, enslaved while contributing to its success, denied basic human rights and had laws set in place to hinder their greatness and possibilities. It’s going to take more than hashtags, black squares and pledged donations to make real change. It’s going to take action - action that requires letting go of privileges that the “select” have been carrying around in their pockets like pretty wrapped candies to digest in infinite situations. Are you ready to create authentic diverse relationships into your everyday life? Are you going to consistently be outraged when you witness injustice? Are you really ready to let go of your privileges and leave them to dissolve onto the same streets that you are protesting on?

America’s inequalities have been sprouted from an intertwined system that was planted centuries ago. Dismantling that system is the ultimate solution - a solution that demands not only budget and law revisions but also demands the participation of everyone on this planet to embrace the meaning of humanity and be very concerned when it gets erased.

AWARENESS - ACTION - CHANGE