So you’re an activist now

Dear White people;

These following posts are a series of thought and options I think we need to consider. I consider myself both the writer and the recipient of these ‘letters.’

So you’re an activist now . . . ok you’ve been to some protests, made some social media posts, and called out a friend of a friend on social media on a comment they made you see as racist or a sign of their white privilege.

I’ve got a few things to say.

As you say ‘check your white privilege’ to other white people make sure you are also checking your own (this goes for me too). I’ve got an analogy for you to think about when you call yourself an activist now.

Think about jumping into a pool right into that deep end once you decided to learn to swim. Think about calling yourself a swimmer before you can actually swim, just calling yourself a swimmer because you want to be a swimmer doesn’t make you one, you have to learn to swim first. Most of us will flail and splash around and cause more of a mess and need someone to save us from ourselves if we try to jump in the deep end right away. We might even drown or take a few people down with us as they try to help us. You will expel so much energy that you will have none left to actually learn to swim. It is much better to start in the shallow end, use a kick board, some floaty wings. Basically I’m saying take it slow before you rush in. Your actions can have an impact you may not have considered. I will go into some of those thoughts in later posts.

But right now this swimming analogy is what you are doing if you call yourself an activist without fully doing the work to become an activist. It’s a lot of work to become a true activist. The activists I know lead with presence and work endlessly to make changes happen. Lots of small changes you might not see and lots of changes they might not get credit for. They bring to the table years of personal study and background in the area they are an activist for. They are sought out for their wisdom and advice on situations. They provide resources they themselves have used/read and do so with thought. They can bring about change though conversations and actions, they consider what those conversations and action will cause. Is it the right time to have a gentle conversation with someone or more forcefully call someone out in a conversation. They know there is a time and a place for both and which approach to take. They speak with both passion and a deep knowledge.

If you are new to activism you don’t need to make a huge splash you can make small ripples at first, learn your way thought the waters. It’s a lot to navigate and you can undo the work that activists with a big ‘A’ have been working years on doing. Your actions can go beyond your initial intention to be a help and be an ally. Take a step back and make sure you are in this for the long haul and seek the resources to help you grow and help you support the big ‘A’ activists.

Am I an activist? No, I am not. I am learning. I have made mistakes, I am observing and I am hoping I can help others.

Suggested book to read I found helpful in my ongoing leaning:
Witnessing Whiteness: The Need to Talk About Race and How to Do It, by Shelly Tochluk.