Someone asked me today if I am a "resolution-making person." My answer is no - I'm a habit-building person, building habits when the need arises. For example, missing my gym and doing an awful lot of sitting since I began working from home full time due to the pandemic, I bought a bike desk and ride it for one hour of every work day (should probably do the weekends too!). It's a great habit I've built because there was a need in my life.
I've been passionate about racial equity work for probably close to 20 years with each year building my passion just a little more. This year it exploded. I found myself wanting to do more and more. I helped others build their knowledge and with it, I've seen others' passions grow as well. I've had many fellow white people ask the question "what can I do?" My answer is always the same. First and foremost, work on your own knowledge of issues and the history of racism in America. Fully and deeply seek to understand, knowing that you never fully will comprehend, but that you can always learn more. Secondly, find your way to your own lane. What ways can you best serve this work? It's okay if where you are most comfortable is doing things like donating money (again, as long as you are still continuing to work on your continued growth). Shop at a black owned store or get take-out from a black owned restaurant. Protest if you are comfortable. Talk to others, other white people who don't have the understanding that you do. Bring it into conversations in little ways or even big ones. Confront misunderstandings (gently, of course), challenge stereotypes, call out racist thoughts and ideas. And, always keep working on bettering your own understanding. For me, 2021 has had me expanding my lanes....this writing has been part of it and it is to this habit, writing weekly, that I return.
It's easy now, when the events of 2020, a year we all would like to forget, are fading from our view, to silently fall back into old habits of not acknowledging racism, of not trying to change systemic racism, of not keeping up the passion and energy of anti-racism work. It will take more work to keep the energy up. For now. Until the next George Floyd. Until the next Breonna Taylor. Until the next Jacob Blake. Need I go on? Do you know of Casey Goodson or Andre Hill? These are two of the latest police killings of unarmed black men in 2020. Are we already losing the fight, the passion, the energy of last year? I challenge us not to do so, to return instead to habit building, to the passion, and energy of earlier last year. Go back to the 21 day challenge post of October, continue to build the habit of being anti-racist. Keep reading. Keep up on the latest news even if the rest of the world is focused on something else (and there is a lot to distract us).
People are tired. Tired of the pandemic. Tired of racism and trying to fight what feels like an unwinnable battle or if they don't acknowledge the battle, and many white people still don't, tired of hearing about it. We must continue to build our habits - habits of wearing masks, socially distancing, speaking out against racism, building our knowledge and strength to be anti-racist. Let's build these habits together! Here is to 2021!
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