Fighting Racism by Building Friendships
I started a “healing white racism” book club with my activist friends. It is bringing us closer, which allows us to be more vulnerable and share stories and feelings that we don’t expose most of the time.
The two issues I have been most concerned about are racism and climate justice. White racism is being played out [acted out] in the United States in the ongoing and increasing attacks on voting rights. Fighting for voting rights is fighting white racism. It will be much harder to end white racism, and address the climate crisis, if our fundamental way of picking leaders is disproportionately skewed to benefit those already saturated with privilege.
There is so much going on [happening] at once right now. Not surprisingly, it is easy to feel hopeless and unable to prioritize what to do first. I tend to feel most overwhelmed when I don’t notice the connections I have, or when I back off on building the relationships I want, or when I watch too much news instead of taking care of myself.
Early on I had to figure things out by myself and fight by myself to survive. It was a smart move. It worked, but only to a limited extent. I’ve realized that the way for me to make things right in the world is to build friendships with a diverse group of people who want to organize together. It’s harder to feel overwhelmed when I have others helping to carry the weight and pick up the slack for each other when we need a rest. And it’s a lot more fun!
West Wyoming, Pennsylvania, USA
Reprinted from the RC e-mail discussion list for white allies ending racism
(Present Time 205, October 2021)