Two Steps to Be a Better Antiracist Today

Ok, so now you’ve begun the process of checking yourself and the beliefs you might take for granted (if you hadn’t already). I hope you feel uncomfortable. Cue your internal dialog: She wants me to feel uncomfortable? That’s kind of rude…

You’re right! It’s not typically kind to wish discomfort on anyone, let alone one’s wonderfully kind and thoughtful blog readers! But all the same, I don’t take it back. Feeling uncomfortable isn’t fun, but I know I sure feel yucky when I have to go through the process of examining my thoughts and understandings of things that I think are givens. Our discomfort pushes us to truly want to be better, to be excited to learn more. It’s not easy to reconsider our ideas— our brains crave certainty and correctness, so forcing ourselves to stay open minded and willing to be corrected is difficult, but necessary.

So now that we’re nice and uncomfortable, where do we go now? How do we employ our open mindedness and willingness to be held accountable in everyday life? There are countless answers to this question, but let’s start small, with just two: reading and responding.

First up, reading. I’ve been thrilled to see infographics, opinion pieces, and posts about everyday life and joy from BIPOC popping up all over my social media feeds. I’ve loved the bite sized opportunities to learn from and support BIPOC all throughout my various social apps. Maybe you’ve seen them too! If you haven’t, here’s a list of BIPOC content creators (mostly women) that I love— you absolutely have to go check them out now! By each is a little blurb from their bio to give you an idea of who they are and what they do:

Instagram:

@blackforager: foraging and environmental science enthusiast

@nicolemcrowder: furniture design and upholstery studio

@arborandwood: decolonized home educator, antiracist, feminist

@amandasgorman: poet, dreamer, writer

@aclu_nationwide: nonprofit, nonpartisan, legal and advocacy group

@therewasatime: plant lover and film director

@pinklomein_: painter, illustrator, printmaker

@gdbee: digital artist

In addition to these beautiful accounts, here are links to articles that go into the details about the affects policy has on antiracist efforts:

To learn more about gerrymandering and fair representation in regard to the recent Census, check out this article, from the Brennan Center for Justice.

If you want a quick Mass Incarceration 101, this page is a must read, also from the Brennan Center.

And last, but not least, is this incredible intersectional resource, called Radical in Progress, shares essential points from important antiracist books in what they call “Study Guides.”

I hope I didn’t overwhelm you there! That was a lot of information all at once, and I have more still, so get ready! My second small action item, reacting, is more specifically geared towards non BIPOC people, and it is this: react appropriately to microaggressions and racist behavior when you see them happen. (If you’re wondering what a microaggression is, or why they’re a big deal, check out this article by NPR).

How would you respond as a bystander? What does appropriate action microaggressions look like? Maekae Woods on TikTok guides us through how we can react to microaggressions, pointing out that silence is acceptance. We have to say something in these situations, and here are some example responses that she suggests:

1. Saying simply, “Ouch, that hurts.”

2. Naming it outright, saying “That’s a microaggression.”

3. Saying “I am personally offended by that.”

4. Disrupt the situation and say “Nope, we’re not gonna do/say that, nope.”

5. Rephrase the microaggression. For example: “What I think you’re trying to say is that she has a powerful and passionate voice, not that she ‘speaks really well.’”

There are lots of helpful comments with other ideas on how to react to microaggressions in the comments on Maekae’s video! Her series on microaffirmations is also incredible, so while you’re following those Instagram accounts, you might as well pop over to TikTok to follow Maekae (@maekaewoods)!

Phew, that was a lot of information! To review, we covered two simple, yet powerful things you can do today to be a better antiracist ally, and they are:

1. Read content from BIPOC creators and from larger groups who research and report on how policies create and perpetuate racial injustice in our country.

2. React to microaggressions to support and welcome marginalized people into your spaces.

More posts about how to apply antiracist ideas will be coming soon! I have a whole bunch of topics I can’t wait to chat about. Is there anything you want me to cover? Let me know in the comments!