Through Discomfort & Action Is Our Healing
Today we celebrate Father’s Day and we cannot reflect on today without honoring those fathers taken unjustly from us; George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, Alton Stirling, Eric Garner, Sean Bell, Oscar Grant, Philandro Castile, Donaly Ivy, Bobby Gross, Deonte Dorsey, Walter Scott, Terence Crutcher, Sam Dubose, Selrawn Smalls and many, many more. On the heels of Juneteenth (June 19th) a celebration for the last 150 years, for when the emancipation of all enslaved Black Americans, finally arrived in Galveston, Texas, Black people in 2020 are still fighting for freedom and emancipation from the systems that are still oppressing and taking life today.
The killings have continued since George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, with another two Trans women killed over the past two weeks, Riah Milton and Dominique Fells. Robert Fuller and Malcolm Harsch were found hanging from trees in Southern Californian cities, Rayshard Brooks was unjustly killed, shot in the back and Oluwatoyn Salau was found dead after attending a protest. She was sexually assaulted, publicly called him out and then her life was taken. The protests and activism won't stop until ALL black lives are safe, seen, valued and free.
‘Juneteenth’ - Black Lives Matter Protest - NYC
We know that creation and emergence of new comes through pain and often always through suffering. Many are asking, what took everyone so long to 'wake up' to racism and the senseless killings of Black folks, when this was nothing new and it's been shouted about many times before. What was it this time? Perhaps a combination of the isolation and slowing down from COVID-19 and seeing the murder of George Floyd with our own eyes, triggered something in everyone, everywhere, that we've never seen before.
When reflecting on the impact of Covid and how through all the pain, it brought us collectively, some positive things too. It forced us to be still, to connect more, to listen deeper, to go within. Then when the recent murders and the protests that followed began, everyone suddenly was in a place to listen. There was no where to hide, or be distracted anymore, as we came face to face with one of our biggest human diseases - racism. We have seen in our darkest moments over the past few weeks, some reminders too of the beauty of humanity, that there IS still so much good in the world, so many people are working through the pain, every race and identity protesting together - all around the world, people asking questions more and more and the seeds of change are being planted. A reminder that when people do the work and come together, that's truly when change is enabled.
Finally the world wakes up and says, this is not the world we want to have as 'normal' and we won't accept it anymore. In that moment of awareness and acceptance of what is, we begin the journey to maybe, just maybe finally face our shadows and systemic illnesses, heal from them and move into realizing the dream. Yet as the media coverage quietens, we cannot. Every single person who is committed to liberation, equity and decolonizing all our systems and structures, this is just the beginning of a new wave of racial justice transformation. To quote the late, great, Nipsey Hussle, 'the marathon continues'.
This is not a moment in time, this is a movement.
What are you going to do next?
So what's next?
Where do we go from here? So much achieved in four weeks, yet there is still so much work to do. . There is still no justice for Breonna Taylor, for Nina Pop, Tony McDade, Riah Milton and Dominique Fells, Robert Fuller and so many others.
What can you do?
Keep calling the local governors, donating and signing petitions for change. Send emails, ask for investigations to be opened up. Demand justice.
VOTE - sign up and register to make sure you get your voice heard.
https://www.vote.org/
Calls to defund the police, and reallocate $ to healthcare, education, mental health and other social services to help reduce crime, save lives and provide resources that are proven to impact everyone positively. There are many organizations and groups working hard to build a healthier awareness and approach to policing. Here are some to check out and support.
http://www.policereformorganizingproject.org/
https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/
https://www.untilfreedom.com/
https://www.joincampaignzero.org/
Criminal Justice Reform - If you've watched ‘13th'; ‘The Kalief Browder Story’ and 'When They See Us' you'll have a taste into the injustices in the criminal system in America. The US holds only 5% of the world’s population yet over 25% of the world’s prison population. The nation has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Black and Latino folks are disproportionately affected based on racial profiling, bail inequalities and other issues. The system is in a dire need of overhaul. Learn why criminal justice reform is so important today, by people that are deep in the work, and find out how you can support.
Non-profits in Criminal Justice Reform
The Sentencing Project works for a fair and effective U.S. criminal justice system by promoting reforms in sentencing policy, addressing unjust racial disparities and practices, and advocating for alternatives to incarceration.
What other areas need support and transformation?
Education - we know knowledge is power and education is at the heart of healthy, strong societies. Yet much of the education system is not set up with healthy structures and the last reform was in the 1980s. Small changes in education will have large social returns in citizen health, wealth and well-being. Updating the curriculum to include a full Black, Latino and Asian American History, cultural competence, emotional intelligence education is not only needed, it is essential to a thriving, healthy, equitable society.
Advocacy Groups in Education Reform
Organizations - when we leave school, most people go into some sort of organization - large, medium or small companies, entertainment industry, sports industry, criminal justice, medical, health and wellbeing, technology, hospitality, construction etc. All of these organizations are a microcosm of society and often we spend more time at 'work' than socializing - the structures, policies, practices that are deep in each organization need healing, nurturing and complete reform in many cases.
Buy Black- supporting local, national and global Black-owned businesses, brands and entrepreneurs is one way to help shift, enable and spread economic wealth. There are a number of people sharing and promoting Black Owned Businesses and products. We fell in love with this new platform created by four talented, Black women, who decided to create a platform to make it easy to find and shop in one place. Everything from fashion to food. Check them out here Let’s Buy Black The Block
Personal growth & reparenting - if you've already ordered and read the books to support your journey of discovery or healing (depending on your point of reference) that's amazing! Now take things up a level - who are you working with to break down and break away from colonized conditioning and stories that are no longer serving you or others? How can you truly step into active allyship and anti-racist work? These are some great teachers to look into for support of this work and continuing your healing and check out our Resources page too.
- According to Weeze - Anti-racism Educator
- Monique Melton - Anti-racism Educator, Podcast Host, Author
- Conscious Kid - Parenting and Education Resources through a Critical Race Lens
Continuous conversations - with all those you know and love, around race layered with intersectionality (see the video below). When we're asking for change, we're asking for ALL Black Lives to matter. As we do the deeper work, we need to be working across all intersections. When we talk about dismantling the system of white supremacy, it also means a dismantling the patriarchy that for centuries, all over the world, has had women and LGBTQ+ folks ignored, abused and neglected over and over again.
And through this all there has never been a more important time to focus on self-care and self-love as we continue through our biggest collective healing yet.
How are you taking care of you? What are you surrounding yourself with to lift you up? How are you refueling?
There is no one more important than you. You matter. You are needed. You are wanted. You are important. We are only going to shift things if we are also working on our own self-healing and self-care. Beyond bubble baths and boundary setting, self healing goes into how we reparent, observe and release the stories, beliefs and conditioning that are not healthy, built on the conditioning from white patriarchy and white supremacy. Then we must build new healthy, loving, abundant, worthy, lifting stories and beliefs. Start there. Start with you. Start with the thoughts, habits and actions that actively lift and liberate you and everyone around you.
