An Open Letter On Race, Justice, And Taking Action
We are thrilled to bring to you this open letter drafted by Nicole, our resident data officer and a black woman, addressing the “but now what?” questions many of us are asking in the wake of a national uprising following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. We are indebted to Nicole for her experience, wisdom and willingness to lead on an issue critical to the future of our families, communities, workplaces and nation.
Over the past week, I have received an outpouring of love and encouragement from my white friends and family. I genuinely appreciate your support and am thankful that you are willing to stand with my family.
However, standing with me cannot be all that you do. Loving me and my family is simply not enough. Love alone is not going to change the deeply rooted, structural issues that we face.
You must be willing to do the work required to bring about sustainable change.
Some of you have asked about the purpose of the protests and about what comes next. This movement is not just about the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and Ahmaud Arbery. It is not solved after a handful of officers are removed from their positions and held accountable by the justice system. This is about the countless (often nameless) people who have experienced government-sanctioned violence.
This is about making sure that our children and grandchildren are not dealing with these same experiences and the collective trauma that comes with them.
Some of you have asked me what you can do. I believe that we are in a unique moment in history where we can push over the threshold to see real change, but we must be intentional in taking action. I outline below three things that you can do:
Take the time to listen and learn.
Do not remain silent.
Start the work to bring about change.
In this letter I provide some resources to get you started.
1. Take the time to listen and learn.
We live in a time where information is available at your fingertips. Seek out the stories and perspectives of others. Ask questions and seek out the answers. Make a concerted effort to listen to the diverse voices of oppressed peoples.
All of us want to be able to live freely our full humanity. We might not all agree on how to reach that goal, but understanding the various perspectives is a critical part of us moving forward together.
I highly recommend Rachel Cargle’s public address. Please take less than 20 minutes and listen to her public address. This. All of this.
Here are some resources to get you started on the path of learning more:
Some of the most common questions about the Black Lives Matters movement have been answered here. If you need a quick overview, start here.
USA Today published a wonderfully curated reading list for adults and children on race and racism and PBS has a list for what to read, listen to and watch to learn about institutional racism. Charis Books has also compiled a list of books for understanding and dismantling racism.
Nikole Hannah-Jones re-examines the legacy of slavery in the United States with the 1619 Project. In this CBSN interview she provides some historical context for the protests that we are seeing today.
Black men are not the only target of police violence in the United States. The stories of women of color who are brutalized by the police are often ignored. The LGBT community has a long history of experiences with police brutality, and today the transgender community has been particularly targeted. The abuses of ICE and Border Patrol have been well documented. Indigenous people also experience exceptionally high rates of police violence. The Marshall Project has curated some of these stories.
Ava DuVernay’s documentary, 13th, examines how the amendment that abolished slavery in the United States led to mass incarceration. Looking for a more regular discussion about the systemic issues that plague our criminal justice system? Pod Save the People, hosted by DeRay Mckesson with weekly appearances by Samuel Sinyangwe, Clint Smith, and Brittany Packnett, brings together academics and activists to discuss the work involved in bringing about social justice. David Harris also hosts a weekly podcast called Criminal Injustice about current problems in the criminal justice system.
This is not the first time that attempts have been made at criminal justice reform. There is research available around what policies and practices are effective in reducing police brutality and which are not. Campaign Zero, an organization focused on ending police violence in America, has identified eight policy solutions to immediately impact police violence.
Familiarize yourself with the movement to defund police. MPD 150 is one of the abolition groups that is providing ideas for meaningful structural change.
2. Do not remain silent.
You might not feel like you have the right words to say - but do not let that keep you in a state of paralysis. You can influence people who would never have these conversations with me or another person of color. Now is the time to speak up. There are plenty of resources for you to have these discussions.
Take the opportunities that present themselves to talk with your friends and family. You likely will not need to seek out these opportunities; they will appear in offhand comments, in “jokes,” in sincere questions, in observations, in opinions. Use those openings to start a dialogue.
Have discussions about race, structural racism, and privilege with your children. Today’s Parent published a short article about age-appropriate ways to talk to your kids about race a few years ago. It is important to help older children understand that freedom for all requires more than just loving the black families they know or personally trying to treat everyone equally. Structures have been built that will take actual work to change. Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich has compiled a list of books for parents and children to start those discussions on race.
These discussions also need to be happening in our businesses and organizations. Make space for these conversations with your employees. Catalyst provides this infographic with suggestions about overcoming conversation roadblocks.
3. Start the work to bring about change.
Each of us may have a different role in this movement but we ALL have work to do. I am asking you to do the work required to have a clear understanding of the issues underlying the protests and identify how you can contribute to the movement forward.
Here are some thoughts and resources to get you started:
Need help getting started? A list of 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice was compiled a few years ago on Medium.
Hold our local, state and national governments accountable to America’s core values of liberty and justice for all. These tenets should hold true across political party affiliation and it is important that you join the voices of oppressed people calling for change.
Consider contributing to organizations supporting the movement for freedom. Look into your local Black Lives Matter chapter or other local grassroots organizations to see how you can assist.
The financial costs of mass incarceration are staggering. Call on your leaders to invest your tax dollars into housing, employment and healthcare in ways that can help address some of the larger societal issues.
If you have the resources, consider contributing financially to people and organizations doing work on the ground to bring about change.
Protesters should not have to stay in jail because they cannot afford bail. This site gives you the opportunity to donate to one or more of the 70+ community bail funds, mutual aid funds, and racial justice organizers.
The racial trauma that comes from these experiences of injustice can have a negative impact on the mental and emotional health of men and women. The Love Foundation provides a fund to cover therapy sessions for those who cannot afford it.
When you use the resources provided by activists, educators, and individual artists, pay for them, or donate to the creator if you can. Many creators accept donations or have a patreon to support their work.
Business and organizational leaders also have a responsibility to help bring about change.
Racial Equity Tools is designed to support individuals and groups working to achieve racial equity. It is a hub for tools, research, and curriculum.
While it is important to listen to black and brown voices, asking people of color to do the work for you is not an option. Take ownership of learning what you need to do to become a true ally in this movement.
For this season, my role in this movement is to help equip my white friends and family with the resources they need to do the work required to make this sustainable change. This is my charge for this time but should not be the expected work of the people of color in your lives.
I will not have all of the answers, but I am here for the discussion. I do this work in hopes that my child and his children will live in a better world than this one.
“Until we are all free, we are none of us free.” ~Emma Lazarus
Onward, Nicole