As I sit down to do my planning this week, I’m doing things a little differently and so should you.
Every Sunday for, well like 10+ years I have sat down to plan out my week. At one point it was a necessity because I had like 5 jobs to keep track of, now it’s a non-negotiable because I prioritize balance above all else.
You see, I make sure there is space for clients, for work, for writing, for moving my body, for preparing my meals, for spending time with my loved ones, for learning, for being outside, for working through my apprenticeship, and this week I’m adding in specific hours to educate myself deeper on the systemic racism in this country.
As a white person, I only know what I know and this week, while I’ve realized that I’m much more aware than most due to the diversity of my neighborhood and school growing up, I still know that I’ve only scratched the surface of trying to really understand.
It’s important to me to become more of an Ally for people of color in this country, and I hope you’re taking this responsibility seriously too.
I saw this meme the other day that said “we are currently living a social studies chapter” and that has stayed with me all week. Do you remember what it was like to sit in social studies class learning about the unrest and violence in our country in the past? Being in shock of how the Native Americans were treated, how the British treated their own people here on American soil, and how Indigenous people in Africa sold their own people to slavery? Not to mention the videos and readings about how slaves were then treated once they made it here. I remember vividly thinking how horrible all of the historic things of that nature sounded. And I also remember being SO grateful that we would never have to endure that kind of destruction again…
Flash forward 20 years… and boy, was I wrong. Here we are, living in similar times of hate, of turmoil, or destruction and so many fail to believe this is real. But how much more real does it need to get for you to see that things MUST CHANGE?
So, I will be dedicating several hours a week to educating myself on how to stop racism. I will continue to listen and show up every day to be an advocate for being better humans, as I always have been. Now it’s just a little more uncomfortable for most of you to hear because race is involved, and that’s okay. Be uncomfortable. That’s where growth happens.
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If you’re interested in how you can further educate yourself, I will link an incredible document here that is filled with resources of all shapes and sizes for you to watch, read, listen, and learn from. Don’t take this responsibility lightly. We want this world to be better? We must be better, end of story.