Recognizing Your White Privilege (Yes, It’s Real)
Now is not the time to be using this platform to talk about new music or celebrate artists, now is the time to be using this platform to talk about reality of the current state of society.
I am a young, white woman. I’ve never had to fear getting stopped by a policeman, I could always cry my way out of it. I’ve never had to fear going in public places with my family. I’ve never had genuine fear of leaving the house and not returning. I have never in my life experienced racism. It never really crossed my mind that those of other races had to fear simple activities. That is white privilege.
Unfortunately, like a lot of people, I stayed silent for too long about racial injustices and racial inequality. I feared that I was not “educated” enough to speak on the subject. I claimed I didn’t want to “start” something. That is white privilege. As White Americans, we have the privilege of not speaking out about these things because they are not happening to us. Though they are happening to our friends, family members, coworkers, classmates and so on. Just because we are not provided a substantial education of Black history, racial inequality, or racial injustice in school does not write off not obtaining that information regardless. This is something I should have started a long time ago.
Several months ago, after the death of Amhaud Arbery, I decided it was time to get educated. I started reading books, news articles, watching documentaries, essentially anything I could get my hands on (listed below). It was that simple. By doing this, I realized I had been using my privilege all my life by denying myself that education that was right there in front of me. I started researching who I could donate to, a small (but silent) step forward. Then I started speaking out publicly. I wrote to local lawmakers, I wrote to my employer asking what they would be doing to take a stand, and (shamelessly) went crazy on Facebook. If you are truly an ally in this situation, the loss of approval from non-allies has GOT to stop bothering you.
Following this, my former classmates and I decided to hold a protest in our small hometown. This was a simple process, meaning yes, you can (and should) do it too. Just because you don’t live in a major city does not mean that this conversation cannot be had where you live. The backlash was expected, but disturbing nonetheless. As a group, we sat back and asked ourselves, “How much worse would the response have been if a young group of Black Americans had organized this protest?”. That was a moment of unfortunate clarity. If I was receiving threats from faceless burner accounts, what would they have said/done to a black woman or man? That is white privilege.
Once you recognize your privilege, to be effective you must start using it in a positive manner. Call people out, have these conversations with your friends and family members, your coworkers or employers. We can no longer be a part of the collective silence. Start the conversation, when I say it isn’t hard to organize a protest in a small town, I am serious. Contact the city, obtain the required permits and spread the word as much as possible. Your small town is not exempt from experiencing or talking about racial injustices, inequalities, and police brutality. Get educated. Below I will link books, documentaries, and sites that still need donations. But also recognize, you could find that in a simple google search as well.
Finally, do not ask your black friends/family members/coworkers/etc. to educate you. This is the time for you to educate yourself. I hope this helps, provides resources, and sparks a fire in you to do the same. If not now, when?
DONATIONS:
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES:
Chokehold: Policing Black Men — Paul Butler
Killing The Black body: Race, Reproduction and the Meaning Of Liberty — Dorothy Roberts
White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide — Carol Anderson
The Talk: Race In America — PBS
Race Matters: America In Crisis — PBS
13th — Netflix
I Am Not Your Negro — Amazon Prime
