How are you showing up right now?
Hello!
I don’t have to tell you that we are witnessing and participating in a major shift in our country and culture. Our actions and inactions are making it clear to our families and our communities where we stand and what we believe in.
I want to be explicit about my stance: Black lives matter.
As a white person, I know I have work to do—and if you’re a white person, you do, too. We have to rewire our brains to turn toward discomfort and pain. We have to educate ourselves and get quiet and listen. We have to face the fact that we have been brought up in a system that is designed to help white people succeed and hold back Black and indigenous people of color. We have to acknowledge our internalized racism and continuously work to unlearn all we have been taught. We are going to do this imperfectly, we are going to make mistakes, and we are going to say the wrong thing sometimes.
Nevertheless, it’s our work to do. It’s our job to get super uncomfortable and to ultimately dismantle the internal and external systems that uphold racism. This is true on small and large scales, in our homes, our communities, our nation, and the time is now.
I want you to know I’m here doing the work right alongside you. The work is never done. There are many incredible Black people leading the way, and I’m going to link to their social media accounts below so you can get connected to them and continue on your journey. If you utilize the resources they provide, please consider paying them for their time and energy.
I am here if you want to talk about this, if you have questions, or you need to process. We can work together to move toward justice and healing. In fact, I think it’s the only way we are going to get there.
I am holding you in my heart this week and always.
Warmly,
Elizabeth