Honoring Mother's Day: Black Mamas Bail Out

Weekly Newsletter, April 30, 2019

A C C O U N T A B L E  A L L Y S H I P

Definition of the Week 
A Call Out vs. A Call In
 

Part of our duty as allies is to allow ourselves to be called in when discussing race. We need to shift our perspective and be grateful when someone calls us deeper into this work, instead of believing they are trying to call us out. 

It is not productive to get defensive or try to convince ourselves we weren't in the wrong. It is only productive to stop, listen, consider what we could learn from this interaction, how we can grow, and what we could do better in the future.  

I loved this script example by Ally Henny of how to respond when someone calls you in. She posted: 

"I’ve said it before, but let me say this again. Being told that you’ve said or done something racist is not an attack on your character. It is an invitation to do better. We need to normalize this.

Somebody: Hey, what you said was racist.

You: Oh crap. I’m sorry that I said something racist. I didn’t realize. I’m not even sure what part it was. Would it be too much trouble for you to give me a hint?

Somebody: Sure. You said [insert racist thing].

You: I’m so embarrassed. I’m sorry that I said that. I will work to make sure I don’t say that again. How can I make things better?

Somebody: I would appreciate if you didn’t say that to me ever again because it’s hurtful.

You: Sure thing. I will do my absolute best to rid such a hurtful idea/thing from my thinking and vocabulary. [feels embarrassed and awkward; wants to crawl in a hole and die; goes home and googles thing to learn why it shouldn’t be said or done; learns from mistake]

This scenario can play out 100 different ways. The key is to acknowledge, clarify (if needed and without demanding labor), apologize, make amends, pledge to do better (this isn’t always an out loud step), educate yourself, do better.

When someone extends the invitation to be a better person, you have to make the choice of whether to become a volcano of fragility or to accept that you’re not perfect and to take the opportunity to learn and grow." 
 

In the example above Ally owns that yes, it will be uncomfortable, it will feel awkward, but it is an opportunity to grow. I want to emphasize once more what she said at the beginning, "Being told that you’ve said or done something racist is not an attack on your character. It is an invitation to do better. We need to normalize this." 

To learn more about Ally's work follow her here. 

Advocacy Excellence Highlight

Niki Franco is the Political Education Director for (F)EMPOWER MIA and civic engagement coordinator for POWER U CENTER FOR SOCIAL CHANGE. Through her work, she aims to dismantle racially oppressive systems, educate, and empower her fellow women of color. 

I am fortunate to know Niki personally and although these are the objectives of her professional career, they are also the values she lives day in and day out. Conversations with Niki are constant opportunities to learn. Her mere presence is a beckon for you to do better, become a better version of yourself, and move intentionally toward a higher level of consciousness. 

She is a mirror, forcing you to ask yourself questions like, how are you unknowingly harming (or not actively helping) other people/the environment/small businesses? And when you identify the ways you might be causing harm (or not actively helping) - what actions will you take to undo this harm? 

When I asked Niki what drives her to continue this work even when it's exhausting, heartbreaking, and triggering as an Afro-Latina herself, she shared: 
 

"My commitment never ceases or runs dry even against odds because my liberation and my people's liberation depends on it, and in Assata Shakur's words - it is our duty to fight for our freedom, we have nothing to lose but our chains." 

Inspired by Niki's work at (F)empower, we will be joining one of their initiatives as part of this week's challenge. Keep up with Niki Franco and her advocacy efforts here and here. 

Challenge of the Week
Honor Mother's Day: Participate in Black Mamas Day Bail Out

One of Niki's initiatives through (F)empower is spreading awareness about a national campaign by the National Bail Out collective.  Black Mamas Day Bail Out is an effort to reunite mothers with their families. 

As we talked about in one of the October newsletters, an enormous part of systemic racism is mass incarceration. Although blacks make up 13% of the population, they represent about 40% of the prison population. Because of the other systems in place discussed here, like income inequality, poverty has been criminalized. Below is a helpful graphic to explain one of the ways the criminal justice system separates families from even the slightest of legal infractions through setting bail. 

Statistics show that black drivers are about 30% more likely than whites to be pulled over by the police. Additionally, when black people are convicted, they are about 20% more likely to be sentenced to jail time than white people who were convicted of similar crimes. 

As (F)empower says, "We are working in coalition with nearly two dozen groups across the country to bail out Black mamas so they can spend Mother’s Day with their families, and supporting Black birth mothers, trans mothers, and other women who mother and are entangled in the criminal legal system and sitting in a cell because they are unable to afford bail. "

I challenge each of us to personally donate to Black Mamas Day Bail Out at any amount we can give. If each Accountable Allyship subscriber donates $5, we will have contributed $545 to this urgent and worthy effort. If we each donate $10, we will have impacted this effort by $1,090. 

Many of us spend this much on coffee in one week. This week, we have the ability to redistribute this money in the name of reuniting mothers with their families for Mother's Day. 

If you can't donate, please share the video below on a social media channel and encourage friends to donate or spread the word.

FAQ's and history about #FreeBlackMamas can be found here. 

P.S. If you would like to highlight a leader of color who dedicates time toward racial justice efforts please do not hesitate to reach out to me with a short summary of the individual and what you think Accountable Allyship readers should know about their work. 

Black Excellence Month

Weekly Newsletter, March 22, 2019

A C C O U N T A B L E  A L L Y S H I P

Black Excellence Month

Last month was Black History Month, this month is Women's History Month - what do you get when you add those two together? Black Excellence Month. This week I am sharing some of the black women I find most inspiring.

As we talked about last month, black history is not in the past, it is here and now. Alongside the injustices happening to black bodies in this country, there have been countless examples of black excellence. I would like to dedicate this week to celebrating a few of these women. Please respond to this week's newsletter with the black women you admire. 

The New Leaders
 

Rosa Parks, Oprah Winfrey, and Michelle Obama are household names for their leadership. I'm excited to celebrate new leaders: Tarana Burke, Layla Saad, LaMonica Richard and Cherie Buckner-Webb that I believe should become household names too. 

Tarana Burke

Many heard about the #MeToo movement through prominent white celebrities like Alyssa Milano and Lady Gaga. The movement swept the globe and sparked a long overdue conversation about sexual harassment and sexual assault. It single-handedly raised awareness and gave voice to survivors around the globe. The creator of the movement? Tarana Burke. Tarana coined the phrase “me too” while working at Just Be Inc., a nonprofit she founded in 2003 that focused on the overall well-being of young women of color. While talking with a girl who revealed that her mother’s boyfriend had been sexually abusing her, Burke uttered a phrase she used from that day forward - "me too". This phrase helped Tarana shape her life-long campaign for activism to help girls and women who have experienced sexual harassment, abuse, or assault. 
 

Cherie Buckner-Webb

In 2010 Cherie Buckner-Webb became the first elected black state legislator, and first black female legislator elected in Idaho. Today, she serves as the Democratic Senator for the state of Idaho and prioritizes Human Rights, Education, and the Environment. Cherie is a talented singer, a pillar of hope in the community, and an inspiring speaker. She vehemently believes in bell hooks quote "To build community requires vigilant awareness of the work we must continually do to undermine all the socialization that leads us to behave in ways that perpetuate domination."

LaMonica Richard

LaMonica Richard lives and works in Boise, Idaho where she has spoken publicly about her experience as a black woman in the workplace and in a majority white community. She debut "Invisible Shackles: Why Representation Matters" at an event for female empowerment to a room made up of 100% white women. In this powerful piece of writing LaMonica begins with, "When I was 12 years old I wanted to be white." She writes with courage, transparency, vulnerability and leads with her compassionate heart. LaMonica is a patient teacher in helping white women understand the experience of black women in America. Find more of her work here.

Layla Saad

If you have been a subscriber for some time, you have heard Layla's name. Layla is the creator of the crucial workbook, Me & White Supremacy, as well as a speaker, podcast host, and racial justice advocate. Her mission: transforming consciousness, cultivating personal anti-racism practice and taking responsibility for our individual and collective healing. Layla had dedicated her life to advocating for racial justice. All of her resources and teachings can be found here. I recommend following her on Instagram as well. 

Acknowledge and Celebrate
 

Some of these women I know personally, some of I have had the honor of meeting, and others I look up to from afar. My challenge to you as you reflect on the black women you admire is to consider how many of them are in your circle. If given the opportunity, many of us would attend an event with Oprah Winfrey or Michelle Obama the helm. But who are the black women in your life, in your community, that are deserving of the same admiration, respect and following we give those with fame? Who are the black women in your life you ask to speak at events - not because they check a diversity box - but because you are challenging yourself to dismantle the white supremacy culture (which suggests that cis white women with a certain voice and attractive appearance is he most qualified). Black excellence surrounds us, and I challenge us to acknowledge and celebrate it more. 

Challenge of the Week

In our last accountability check-in for the Me and White Supremacy Workbook many of you shared that you had downloaded, but had yet to start the workbook or you were still in the introduction and had yet to start the journal phase.

Some of you have recently joined this newsletter, others have demanding schedules. I completely understand, but encourage you to make this a priority. Start with one hour a weekend. 

After the white nationalist attack on New Zealand last week I vowed to revisit the workbook again. Each time I circle back to a prompt I discover that I still have more to pull out of myself. More room to grow, more room to learn and unlearn. Our internal growth in this work is just that - ours. So take time to be with yourself and dismantle white supremacy culture from the inside out. 

Black History Month

Weekly Newsletter, February 28, 2019

A C C O U N T A B L E  A L L Y S H I P 

Black History Month
 

When I was growing up I learned about Black History Month in school. I learned about Rosa Parks and her bravery on a bus. I learned that MLK Jr. was a civil rights activist, and died because of it. I learned that there were drinking fountains and bathrooms labeled "Whites Only". I learned about slavery and segregation. I learned that there were bad people that belonged to a hate group with tall white hats. Most of all, I learned that all of this - this thing called racism - was in the past. Slavery was abolished, busing desegregated the schools, blacks could vote, water fountains were shared, being "colorblind" was good, and the front seat of a bus was for anyone who wanted it. I remember being so relieved I didn't live in that time in history because I didn't believe I would be able to bear witnessing such injustices. 
 
My coming of age election was Barack Obama's first term. I had seen him speak during his campaigning in 2007 and was thrilled to vote for him and proud to watch history be made as the United State's first black President took office in 2008. 

For the majority of my life, I continued to believe racism was a thing of the past. Racism Hiding in plain sight from my protected white perspective.

This week, I'd like to take some time to reflect on the history we are currently creating and perpetuating. For my subscribers who are BIPOC, I would like to offer a trigger warning for the following section.

For my white subscribers, please note that the only way to move beyond our racist society is the daily work. There is no quick fix or "white savior" solution we can swoop in with to end racism. We must work to dismantle white supremacy culture, seek education about the realities of our racist society, discuss and share with other white people, and to use our white privilege to help leverage for a just and equal society. We must not remain complacent in the evil that surrounds us but does not touch us. If you feel hopeless or overwhelmed, return to the daily work. Pick up Layla Saad's Me and White Supremacy Workbook and return to your internal transformation. This is the path. 

Modern Black History
 

18 days ago an 11 year old black boy was arrested for not reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Arrested. They arrested him. At 11 years old. 

If an 11 year old white girl refused to recite the Pledge of Allegiance because she believed it to be racist, she would NOT be arrested. In fact, she'd likely be covered in the news as a compassionate little girl who stands up for others and is going to change the world.

5 weeks ago the officer who shot and killed Laquan McDonald was sentenced to under 4 years of prison time. Laquan was 17 years old at the time of his death and was shot 16 times. Sixteen times. As difficult as it is to see, please watch the video.

6 months ago three police officers arrested and wrestled Chikesia Clemons to the ground in a Waffle House because she asked to speak with a manager. They exposed her breasts, smashed her face into the ground, and held her by her throat. Watch the video here.

White women ask to speak to managers constantly and I have never heard of an instance like this one where a white woman's body was slammed to the ground by police. 

10 months ago two black men were arrested for asking to use a restroom in Starbucks. Watch the video here. They had arrived to Starbucks early for a business meeting and before their white colleague could arrive, the employee reported them to the police for sitting without ordering.

As a woman who has to pee 47 times today, I have entered countless establishments to use their restroom, left without purchasing a thing, and never been reported or harassed. 

In the last 4 months the following families have asked for more coverage of their missing daughters, with little to no response from national media outlets. This is part of a proven disparity between coverage of missing persons based on race and gender. These are their little girls. 

• Tim’Monique Davis, missing from Moorhead, Minnesota since Jan. 20.

• Anya Washington, missing from Houston, Texas since Jan. 29.

• R’Mahnee Williams-Turner, missing from Palmdale, Calif., since Jan. 26.

• Whitney Elliseau, missing from Lakewood, Calif., since Feb. 5.

• Jada Cyrus, missing from Boston, Mass., since Jan. 29.

• Myla Abanda, missing from Fairfax, Va., since Nov. 16, 2018

• Kelli Allen, missing from Atlanta, Ga., since Dec. 20, 2018.

• Hazana Anderson, missing from College Station, Texas, since Oct. 28, 2018.

• Rae’vanna Anderson, missing from Duluth, Ga., since Nov. 3, 2018.

A comprehensive list of missing black girls (there are nearly 75,000 missing across the country right now) can be found on the website for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). 

"All levels of governmental and law enforcement entities ― local, state and national – must be engaged to address disparities. Progressive social justice activism requires that this issue to be framed as America’s problem, not one relegated to the margins of the black community." 

As stated in the article To Be Young, Missing, and Black.  
 

Modern Racism by the Numbers

• While black children constitute 18% of preschoolers nationwide, they make up nearly 50% of suspensions.

• According to one study, white families hold 90% of the national wealth and black families hold 2.6%. For every $100 white families earn in income, black families earn just $57.30. (source)

• Out of the ten richest Americans, 100% are white (seven of them are the richest in the world). (source)

• The black unemployment rate has been consistently twice that of whites.

• According to the data, blacks with college degrees are twice as likely to be unemployed as all other graduates.

• This study found, job applicants with white-sounding names get called back about 50% more of the time than applicants with black-sounding names, even when they have identical resumes.

• When all age groups are examined, black students are three times more likely to be suspended than white students, even when their infractions are similar.

• When black people are convicted, they are about 20% more likely to be sentenced to jail time, and typically see sentences 20% longer than those for whites who were convicted of similar crimes.

• Although blacks make up 13% of the population, they represent about 40% of the prison population.

• In most states a felony conviction means you lose your right to vote. Right now in America, more than 7.4% of the adult black population is disenfranchised (compared to 1.8% of the non-black population).

• Additionally, a recent study demonstrated that people of color are told about and shown fewer homes and apartments than whites. Black ownership is now at an all-time low (42%, compared to 72% for whites).

• Statistics show that black drivers are about 30% more likely than whites to be pulled over by the police. They are also about three times as likely as white drivers to be searched after they were stopped. 

• More than half of all young black Americans know someone, including themselves, who has been harassed by the police.

• Black people accounted for 31 percent of police killing victims in 2015, even though they made up just 13 percent of the US population. They are also statistically more often unarmed than their white counterparts.

This is a small excerpt of the black history of our time. This is what our complacency and silence in white privilege perpetuates. Will you be the one who looks it in the face and does something about it, or will you be the one who turns away? 

I want us to sit with this reality. At the same time this history is being created, there are so many stories of black excellence. So many examples of formidable hope, strength and perseverance that deserves to be celebrated by each of us. In the coming weeks we will be highlighting this excellence. Black History Month will continue. 

Accountability of the Week

Continue your individual work in the Me and White Supremacy Workbook. If you have finished the workbook in its entirety, please email me here so I can gauge our progress as a group. If you have yet to begin, today is the perfect day to start.

Weekly Media: 

Watch or re-watch the eye opening, Oscar-nominated film, 13thabout the criminalization of black bodies and the United States prison boom.
 

Weekly Quote:

“You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.” 
― Angela Davis

Weekly Reflection: 

How would you identify with the stories above if it were happening to white people with names like Matt and Rachel and Emily? Would you internalize this human brutality differently? 

Name Update: Accountable Allyship

Weekly Newsletter, January 26, 2018
 

A C C O U N T A B L E  A L L Y S H I P

Introducing a New Name 

As I have said from the beginning, I am constantly learning and growing alongside each of you. When I chose the name Accessible Allyship it felt appropriate. The word accessible, to me, was attempting to welcome white people to anti-racism work in a gentle and unintimidating manner. I wanted white people who had never considered modern day racism, their own white privilege or their role in white supremacy to feel comfortable subscribing. And I still want all white people to feel comfortable subscribing, regardless of where they are in their knowledge of racial justice. 

But as I continue this work I find that this name, and my reasoning behind choosing it, encourages the notion that education directly from Black, Indigenous, Person of Color (BIPOC) is in some way too intimidating, violent, or unsafe. In reality, each worthwhile lesson I have learned about racial justice has been from BIPOC - all of whom have made their knowledge just as accessible as this newsletter. Our work to unlearn racism is not about accessibility - the information has always been there for us - it is about accountability. 

To keep the name Accessible Allyship would be to uphold white supremacy culture that dictates that white voices and white spaces are "safer". 

So I have decided to change the name to Accountable Allyship. This space, more than anything else, is about holding ourselves and our white peers accountable. It's a simple change, only 8 new letters. I hope we all adjust smoothly. I will be working to edit hyperlinks and the website so please have patience as the archived newsletters will be down until this process is complete. 

Late and Imperfect

Last newsletter we kicked off days 1-7 of the Me and White Supremacy Workbook. I told you I would hold you accountable on Sunday, January 20th. But when the 20th arrived I had yet to finish this week's newsletter AND I had yet to finish days 6 and 7 of the workbook on my own. Instead of dedicating time to this specific area of my anti-racist work I went to dinner, drinks and a show in New York City.

So...should you go find a better newsletter created by a more regimented human? If you want to, yes. I don't share this reality with you because I am proud of it or because I want to instill doubt. I share this information because I want us to unpack it together.

We have to remember being an ally in this work does not require perfectionism (in fact, perfectionism upholds white supremacy culture) but rather requires both constant introspection and determination over performance. We have to continue showing up as our imperfect selves and remain determined when we make mistakes.

I had to admit to myself that I was opting into my privilege. I had to admit to myself that I lack a sense of urgency because, to me, this work can still feel so abstract at times. It is not my life on the line. My white privilege allows me to opt-in and opt-out of anti-racist work. How would my dedication to this work change if I had a teenage son who was black? Or if my grandfather was Nathan Phillips? 

These are uncomfortable truths. But so much of overcoming White Fragility is becoming comfortable with discomfort. I'm late, and imperfect. I am constantly learning and always trying to improve. Our work as allies is never done. We will never know it all and we will undoubtedly mess up along the way. But being an ally is less about our ability to meet deadlines and perform - is about our actions in real life, our ability to show up, connect with, stand with, and do no further harm to BIPOC. 

Challenge of the Week

This week we continue our work in Layla Saad's Me and White Supremacy Workbook. As stated in her guidelines, we will not be sharing our own journal entries or taking excerpts from the workbook to talk about them here. Layla has already put in all the work to guide us, we are here to keep each other accountable in completing our part. 

For the next 3 weeks as we continue working through Me and White Supremacy we will have no new definitions in this newsletter. All learning is provided beautifully in Layla Saad's workbook - so make sure to download it and begin if you have yet to do so. 

BONUS CHALLENGE: If you have the means, please consider supporting Layla's work with a one-time or monthly donation. You can find options here. She offers her expertise, workbook, and resources completely free of charge and I strongly believe we should support her efforts through financially investing - even if only a $5 per month. That's one coffee toward an incredible leader and educator in racial justice. Join me in becoming a Patron of her work. 

Weekly Media: 

Many of us saw the viral video of the teen spewing hate toward a Native American elder during the Indigenous Peoples March. In place of watching the clips of the teen, I implore you to watch and share this interview with Nathan Phillips.The white teen's inexcusable behavior should never have been met with the opportunity to defend himself on a national network. 

Weekly Quote:

"I think the importance of doing activist work is precisely because it allows you to give back and to consider yourself not as a single individual who may have achieved whatever but to be part of an ongoing historical movement." - Angela Davis

Weekly Reflection: 
 

Have you procrastinated starting the Me & White Supremacy workbook? If so, what excuses or mental blocks are holding you back from diving into this work? 

Advocate for Cyntoia Brown

A C C O U N T A B L E   A L L Y S H I P 

Quick Note and Trigger Warning
 

Hello Allies. We have a different format this week. Our challenge of the week is the priority and focus. We will not be reviewing any new definitions, we will be taking action. Please note there are themes of sex-trafficking, sexual assault, and abuse in this week's newsletter. As always, thank you for being here. 
 

Weekly Challenge
Advocate for Cyntoia Brown
 

Cyntoia Brown was sold to as a sex-slave to a 43-year-old Nashville realtor, Johnny Mitchell Allan, when she was 16 years old. 

During her time as a sex-trafficking victim she was hit, choked, and dragged. She had a gun pointed at her multiple times during her captivity and she feared for her life. Due to her experiences she was scared Johnny Mitchell Allan was going to kill her, and in turn, fatally shot him.

Tennessee tried her as an adult and found her guilty of murder. She has served 14 years, and the recent ruling mandated another 51 years until parole. 

Governor Bill Haslam of Tennesee has the power to grant Cyntoia Brown clemency before he leaves office on January 19th. Haslam has been considering granting clemency and is receiving pressure to do so from the Black Lives Matter movement.
 

It is our duty to add our voices and demand justice for Cyntoia and all the black and brown bodies that suffer disproportionately at the hands of violence and incarceration.

Governor Bill Haslam's phone number is 615-741-2001.

Your only challenge this week: call Haslam and demand that he grants Cyntoia Brown clemency.

If her name were Emily and she resided in a white body with blonde hair she would have been appropriately tried as a 16-year-old girl and found not guilty. 

Make no mistake - our current judicial system is steeped in white supremacy. Cyntoia Brown's sentence is racist and unjust.

As outlined in this article, "Haslam presides over a prison system that incarcerates more women per capita than almost every state. While black people are only 17 percent of the overall population there, 44 percent of the people behind bars in Tennessee are black. One third of people imprisoned in Tennessee live in prisons ran by notorious private prison company Core Civic/Corrections Corporation of America. And the private prison industry is one of Haslam’s top campaign contributors." 

I called yesterday and it took less than a full minute. The line will likely be busy so press 1 to leave a message for Governor Haslam. My message was simple,"My name is Emily Fascilla, I am an active voter, a white woman, and an advocate for sex-trafficking survivors. I believe Cyntoia Brown's ruling was racist and unjust, she was a minor and should have been tried as a minor. I am asking you to grant her clemency in the next 6 weeks." 

On The Urgency of This Work 

I realize it can be intimidating to take action before you feel completely comfortable, knowledgeable and well-versed. As we have discussed many times before, it is our job as white people to work through the discomfort. It is also our job to continually learn and as such, we may never feel "ready", we may always feel nervous. 

But we cannot hesitate.  

This work is already overdue. Black and brown bodies are being murdered and incarcerated at disproportionate rates because of their skin color daily. Racism is not a theory or a history lesson, it is life or death. Still. Today. Right now. 

As white people who strive to be allies to people of color it is our duty to take action and add our privileged voices. 


 

Weekly Reading
Letter from Birmingham Jail
 

Below are words from Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963. May they give you the confidence to take action in this week's challenge.

"First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a “more convenient season.” Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection."
 

"Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, “Wait.” But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she can’t go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people; when you have to concoct an answer for a five-year-old son who is asking: “Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?”; when you take a cross county drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you; when you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging signs reading “white” and “colored”; when your first name becomes “nigger,” your middle name becomes “boy” (however old you are) and your last name becomes “John,” and your wife and mother are never given the respected title “Mrs.”; when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of “nobodiness” — then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait." 

Weekly Reflection: 
 

Are you hesitant to make the call to Governor Haslam?

When you are asked to take action on behalf of someone who does not look like you or does not share similar experiences, do you feel its urgency?

Do you feel as though it is optional to add your voice on her behalf? If so, what are some of the unconscious biases you may be experiencing? 

Read more on the current state of criminalization of sex-trafficking victims here. 

Renewed Commitment: Me & White Supremacy

Weekly Newsletter, January 10, 2019

A C C E S S I B L E  A L L Y S H I P 

New Year, Renewed Commitment
 

Welcome to 2019, Allies! As I reflect on the past year, a word that comes to mind is tumultuous. In the realm of social justice and human rights it was consistently and relentlessly devastating. While we reflect on such a year I want us to consciously consider how we are going to show up for our anti-racist work in 2019. As we talked about a few weeks ago, true Allyship is not a phase, a fad, or an achievement. It is constant work - work we must remain committed to in the coming year. 

In Deepa Iyer's latest article, Saying Goodbye to 2018's Seesaw of Outrage and Numbness, a voice was given to how so many of us felt in the last 375 days. 

She states, "Sustaining high levels of outrage, constant vigilance, and short-term cycles of rapid response is unrealistic and unhealthy for us as individuals and community members, and as organizations and movements. At the same time, becoming numb, accepting what is happening as the new normal or relying on spurts of self-care are not long-term options either."
 

Racism certainly isn't new but for many of us, our efforts to dismantle white supremacy and refusal to be complacent in racism is new. 

How do we find balance in our allyship and advocacy efforts that will allow us to be effective long-term? Iyer's graphic below outlines different roles that contribute to equity, liberation and justice. I want us to each consider how we can remain steady allies in 2019. What different roles can we see ourselves playing? How can we show up, expand our efforts, and stay the course even when feeling overwhelmed or exhausted in our individual lives? 
 

Read the full article here.

I encourage you to read the full article and answer the questions at the bottom. Here are a few of the questions that stood out to me: 

• Who are the people I surround myself with and what roles do they play? How can they hold me accountable in a compassionate way? How can I widen this community?

• When (and not if) I make mistakes, how do I acknowledge them and course correct without feeling like I’ve failed?

• How do I move through different roles without feeling like I have to pick just one in order to be effective? At the same time, how can I make sure that I’m not a wanderer or a short-term amateur? Or positioning myself as an expert within a silo?

That third question I sat with for some time. Is this newsletter centering my white voice too much? Am I positioning myself as an expert? Is this newsletter a silo? 

I think there is potential for the answer to be 'yes' to all three. My ask of all Accessible Allyship subscribers is to continue to provide feedback, tips, revelations, and resources. I do not consider myself an expert, but rather a messenger for expertise and an encourager of accountability. 

Weekly Challenge

Today we kick off days 1 - 7 of Layla Saad's Me and White Supremacy workbook. Please make sure you have downloaded the workbook directly from Layla's site. This is private and individual work but we will use this space to hold ourselves accountable to it. Days 1 - 7 are an excellent foundation and expand on some of the concepts we have already covered like White Privilege, White Fragility, and White Exceptionalism. If you are a new subscriber and/or unfamiliar with these terms don't worry - Layla defines and guides you through each of them. 

I encourage you to find designated time each night or each morning to do this work. The first time I started this challenge was when she ran it on her Instagram. A colleague tagged me in it. I'm embarrassed to say, I did not commit. I half-assed the challenge in true privileged form. This time around I am whole-assing it and I hope you join me. 

We have to remember it is our white privilege that perpetuates racism, and it is up to us to make the time, space, and effort to move beyond our privilege into a space where we can become truly effective allies. 

Next Sunday we will review the prompts and teachings of days 1-7. I'm excited to get started with you all. 

Advocacy Update: Cyntoia Brown Granted Clemency

It was announced this week that Cyntoia Brown will be granted clemency by Governor Haslam. Thank you to everyone who took the time to call. If you see opportunities for us to take action please do not hesitate to reach out so we can incorporate additional real-time advocacy efforts into Accessible Allyship going forward. 

Tip of the Week: 

"I think the biggest thing that I've done is change the media I consume, especially when it comes to books. I realized a few years ago that a huge percentage of the books I read were written by white women. So I started consciously steering myself away from books by white women and focusing on reading authors whose identities differed from mine in some way. I especially read a lot by authors of color, and women of color specifically. And just diversifying the perspectives I was taking in has really changed me."

A few of my favorites:

• "Sing, Unburied, Sing" and "Salvage the Bones" by Jesmyn Ward

• "Invisible Man, Got the Whole World Watching" by Mychal Denzel Smith

• Homegoing" by Yaa Gyasi

-  Lindsay P., Brooklyn, NY 

Colonization and Thanksgiving

A C C E S S I B L E  A L L Y S H I P 

Happy Thanksgiving…I think?
 

Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday for many of us. It often includes gratitude, hearty food, and quality time with loved ones. 

For indigenous people, it is a painful reminder of their family's genocide in America - a racial genocide based off their skin color, language, beliefs and the fact that they had something the white man wanted.

So what do we do? How do we incorporate being active allies with celebrating problematic traditions? How, if we are truly invested in creating a more just world, do we bring that into our homes and to our dinner tables? 

I wish I had a better answer, and this week's newsletter has been postponed more than once as I searched for a solution that felt even remotely adequate. The truth is, I am at the beginning of this work. This is the first year I am being intentional about how I celebrate Thanksgiving and what discussions are had at my table. In previous years one of two things occurred: 

1.  I lacked knowledge and understanding of what Thanksgiving really meant for Native Americans because what I learned about Pilgrims and Indians in school was both whitewashed and inaccurate.

2.  I fully opted-in to my privilege once I did know better because (a) as a white person unaffected by Native American genocide it is part of my white privilege to be able to opt-out of anti-racist work whenever I please and (b) It is a holiday I deeply love because of the memories, food, quality time, and gratitude associated with it in my own family and I did not want to "ruin" it. 

How very white woman of me. I need to do better, I pledge to do better.
 

This year, instead of taking a holiday from our anti-racist work, let us lean into our understanding of this day, the historical experience of Native Americans in the U.S., and the current perspectives they have generously shared with us. As anti-racist activists it is our responsibility to increase our own understanding, raise awareness in our circles, and take action through influencing those closest to us. 
 

Weekly Definition
Colonization 

It is difficult to find hard numbers on just how many indigenous lives were lost in the European colonization of the Americas. The majority of history textbooks were written by white men, and as many of us would do in our own memoirs, their worst moments were largely omitted. They did not tally the rapes, murders, and deaths by disease. Their documentation of this time was often a gentle version, a story featuring them as the protagonists, fighting for themselves and land they believed they had a right to, with some 'accidental' disease spread sprinkled in. This is not an excuse, but it is how we got here. And the danger of one story. 

Best estimates tell us:

• 10 million Native Americans living in land that is now the United States when European explorers first arrived in the 15th century

• Less than 300,000 Estimated number of Native Americans living in the United States around 1900, after the colonization of the U.S. 

The majority of deaths (90%) were by disease, from the time Columbus arrived in the late 1400's as white Europeans spread measles, influenza, whooping cough, diphtheria, typhus, bubonic plague, cholera and more throughout what is now known as the United States. There was of course rape and violence and intentional destruction during this time as well. Make no mistake - the conquering of the land and the people was always intentional.

In a 1779 letter from President George Washington to General John Sullivan, Washington wrote: “The immediate objectives are the total destruction and devastation of their settlements and the capture of as many prisoners of every age and sex as possible. It will be essential to ruin their crops in the ground and prevent their planting more.”
In 1830, President Andrew Jackson passed the Indian Removal Act. This resulted in what is now known  as the Trail of Tears, in which 4,000 Cherokee people died of cold, hunger, and disease on their way to the western lands. The Cherokees were not allowed time to gather their belongings, and as they left, whites looted their homes. 

Jackson said the following about Native Americans, “They have neither the intelligence, the industry, the moral habits, nor the desire of improvement which are essential to any favorable change in their condition. Established in the midst of another and a superior race…they must necessarily yield to the force of circumstances and [before] long disappear.”

Side note: Donald Trump had a portrait of Andrew Jackson installed in the Oval Office and recently said of him, "He was a very tough person, but he had a big heart." 

In 1924, Native Americans were finally granted U.S. Citizenship allowing them to travel as they pleased and in some states, they were allowed to vote. In many states, however, Native Americans were not allowed to vote until 1957.

The Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 finally granted Native Americans the right to free speech, ability to hire an attorney in a criminal case, right to trial and due process, and more. Before this time Native Americans were heavily fined or imprisoned with no right to trial. 

Since 1970, each year on Thanksgiving, Native Americans in Plymouth, Massachusetts have a National Day of Mourning. As described on their site, "Many Native Americans do not celebrate the arrival of the Pilgrims and other European settlers. Thanksgiving day is a reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the theft of Native lands, and the relentless assault on Native culture. Participants in National Day of Mourning honor Native ancestors and the struggles of Native peoples to survive today. It is a day of remembrance and spiritual connection as well as a protest of the racism and oppression which Native Americans continue to experience"

In 2016, news of the Dakota Access Pipeline swept the nation. Native Americans had been protesting this pipeline since 2014 as this 1,200 mile project destroys the primary drinking water source for the Standing Rock Sioux, a tribe of approximately 10,000. Despite protests which resulted in over 300 injuries and 450 arrests, the pipeline was installed. 

The above information is meant to highlight some of the statistics we commonly overlook, some of the stories we allow to be whitewashed, and some of the history we choose to ignore. A more comprehensive look at Native American history and sources can be found here and here. 

Native Americans are a resilient and resourceful people and have since repopulated to over five million Native Americans in the United States, 78% of whom live outside reservations. Today, the Native American Rights Fund still fights to protect tribal existence, tribal natural resources, Native American human rights, and more. Their fight for fair and equal treatment in the United States is far from over. 

Weekly Challenge

Your Influence Is Greater Than You Think: Use It 

Our greatest teachers in life are the people we surround ourselves with. So much of what we learn from childhood to adulthood is by example: how to walk, what language to speak, how to cook, what a relationship looks like, how to handle conflict, expressions, mannerisms, accents, what to talk about - what not to talk about. Much of what we learn is through osmosis or example, rather than explicitly told to us. 

As we go into the holiday season and many of us increase time spent with loved ones, I want us to remember our influence. I do not suggest anyone go into Thanksgiving dinner looking to argue with or shame relatives at the table who are not well versed in anti-racism. I do suggest we each come to the table prepared to share something we have learned on this journey to allyship.

As one of my favorite leaders in anti-racist work, Rachel Cargle, shares,             

Knowledge + Empathy + Action = Allyship 

I challenge each of us to share just one story, perspective, or fact we have learned through this work at the dinner table this Thanksgiving. There are many resources on our collective resource page found here. I also love this perspective on celebrating Thanksgiving by Native American, Kim TallBear and this very informative, thoughtful piece in Time Magazine on the harmful lie of Thanksgiving and how to honor the day by Native American, Sean Sherman. 

Additionally, I challenge you to study this tool "How to Talk to Your Family About Racism on Thanksgiving" and share it widely. Rachel offers tangible responses to prepare you for conversations that may happen at the dinner table. 

BONUS CHALLENGE: Light a candle and have a moment of silence for the indigenous lives lost through colonization. I know this type of action might not be for everyone, but I believe it is important to honor and respect the lives and actual history of Native Americans on a holiday that systematically ignores these truths. 

I do not believe we need to abandon our Thanksgiving traditions or come to love it less, but I do believe we do need to be intentional as we celebrate. We need to shift and adapt. Now that we know better, we need to do better. If you have ideas on how you plan to use your influence around the dinner table this Thanksgiving please share them with me here. 

Weekly Media:

Watch and learn from 7 young, brave girls as they debunk common myths about Native American people and what they think about the Redskins. 

Weekly Quote: 

“In many historical texts, colonization is referred to as a settling, but it is nothing of the sort. Colonization is deeply unsettling. It disrupts the cultural identity and sense of belonging of those being colonized. It then attempts to separate them from their core values and beliefs, to break them to the will of the colonizer. Then it forcibly imposes its own values and ideologies onto those being colonized. When those subjected to colonization begin to assimilate to the ways of the oppressor they begin to oppress others, both within and outside of their group. This expands the influence of the oppressor and further erodes the will of the people to fight for their own freedom.” ― Sherri Mitchell Weh'na Ha'mu Kwasset

Weekly Reflection: 

When you think about race, how often are you thinking about indigenous peoples? How much do you know about modern-day Native American oppression?

Microaggressions

Weekly Newsletter, November 8, 2018

A C C O U N T A B L E   A L L Y S H I P 

Love that does not satisfy justice is no love at all.

“The White liberal must see that the Negro needs not only love, but justice. It is not enough to say, “We love Negroes, we have many Negro friends.” They must demand justice for Negroes. Love that does not satisfy justice is no love at all. It is merely a sentimental affection."

Martin Luther King. Jr. in his 1967 book Where Do We Go from Here – Chaos or Community?

Last night we saw the values of the United States in action. Although there were some disappointing losses, it is important to take time to recognize the ways our country moved the needle: 

• Voting rights were restored to 1.4 million Floridians

• More than 100 women to the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in history

• Not one, but two Muslim women were elected to Congress for the first time in history

• Not one, but two Latina Congress members from Texas 

• Colorado elected the nation's first openly gay male governor

• The first black Congresswoman in Massachusetts

• Not one, but two Native American women were elected to Congress for the first time in history

• New York’s 14th District elected the youngest woman to Congress in history, a Puerto Rican raised in the Bronx

• Democrats took back the house

Using our whiteness to seek justice on the behalf of those we love who belong to the immigrant community, refugee community and communities of color is our privilege. The good kind of privilege. White voters have a long way to go (more on that later) but there is hope yet. And we have excellent leaders of color (see bottom of newsletter for who to follow) showing us the way.

Democracy is one of the ways we can disrupt racism on a macro-level. This week we are going to celebrate those wins (yay!) and then bring it back to the micro-level and hold ourselves accountable as individuals. Let's get to it.

Weekly Definition
Microaggressions

Microaggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership.

Perpetrators of microaggressions are often unaware that they engage in such communications. 

Microaggressions occur frequently toward marginalized groups and therefore it is not necessarily about a singular comment, but rather the cumulative effect of these incessant comments.

I have committed microaggressions with no harm intended, but my well meaning intent does not negate the impact. Read through examples of microaggressions and the messages they send below: 

Example: "You speak such good English!"
Message: I see you as a foreigner. I am surprised you can speak my language because I don't think you look like you should be able to. I am wondering where you are really from and not seeing you as an American. 

Example: "When I look at you, I don't see color."
Message: Your racial/ethnic experiences are not valid. 

Example: “I’m not a racist. I have several Black friends.”
Message: I refuse to be challenged or seen as a racist because I have relationships with people of color. I will take no accountability for the systemic racism I contribute to as a white person because I do not feel I am individually racist.

Example: “Everyone can succeed in this society, if they work hard enough.”
Message: I am denying systemic racism and your experiences navigating this world as a person of color. I am implying that people of color are lazy and/or incompetent and simply need to work harder.

Example: "But where are you from originally?" 
Message: I know people from Idaho and they are all white. I don't see you as normal/as someone who belongs to the same place as the white people I know from Idaho. You can't possibly actually identify with or claim that area. Please validate my biases by telling me where you are really from. 

Example: "Wow, you are so articulate.”
Message: I unconsciously believe it is unusual for someone of your race to be intelligent or well-spoken. 

Example: "Omg I love your hair! Can I touch it?!" 
Message: You are a token, I don't see your full humanity, I see one piece of you as desirable/unique and I think I have the right to interact with that piece.  

Example: “As a woman, I know what you go through as a racial minority.”
Message: Your racial oppression is no different than my gender oppression. I'm just like you, I know what you're going through. This response silences the woman of color sharing her experience, and keeps us from continuing to learn about racial oppression and halts our ability to seek to understand the experience of our brothers/sisters/non-binary individuals of color. 

Example: "Do you play football here?" 
Message: The only way you would be here and attending this university is if it is for your athletic talent. Other than that, someone with your skin color doesn't belong. I don't see you as someone who has intellectual value, I see you as someone who will help my college team. I also might be assuming you are here on scholarship, implying that families with your skin color don't have money. 

Example: "I can't even hear your accent!" 
Message: Good job, you have assimilated to my idea of "normal" - I don't believe I have an accent. I believe if you talk like me, you are talking the "right" way. 

According to studies from Harvard, "Research has shown that microaggressions, although they're seemingly small and sometimes innocent offenses, can take a real psychological toll on the mental health of their recipients. This toll can lead to anger and depression and can even lower work productivity and problem-solving abilities."

Weekly Challenge

In this video by Columbia University Professor, Derald Wing Sue, outlines five ways to help prevent yourself from committing microaggressions in the future: 

1. Be constantly vigilant of your own biases and fears.

2. Seek out interaction with people who differ from you (in terms of race, culture, ethnicity, and other qualities).

3. Don't be defensive.

4. Be open to discussing your won attitudes and biases ad how they might have hurt others or in some sense revealed bias on your part.

5. Be an ally, by standing personally against all forms of bias and discrimination.

This week's challenge: 
Reflect on a microaggression you have committed in the past. Instead of feeling shame or guilt, talk yourself through how you would handle that situation with the knowledge you have now.  

Follow: 

Something that has completely shifted my perspective and awareness about my own privilege is changing who I follow on social media. I have learned an unbelievable amount from social justice leaders like Rachel Cargle, Brittany Packnett, and Layla F. Saad. 
 

These women are leading the way by sharing their perspectives, stories, and expertise in anti-racist work. They are champions of justice for everyone - not just for those who look like them. Your eyes will be opened and perspective will be widened simply by adding them to your feed. 
 

Watch: 

I know not everyone is a "movie person" but I am. The theater, the popcorn, the candy, the two hour experience of a life and world different than mine through the screen - I LOVE IT. 

This is another week of encouragement for you to go see The Hate U Give while it's still in theaters. It is an enlightening film and the best movie I have seen all year (yes, I have seen A Star Is Born !!! also very good, but this is better). Take a friend or a loved one and make a night of it. As we have talked about, representation matters. Supporting this film supports people of color and helps ensure we will continue to see diverse stories on the big screen. 
 

Listen:
 

For my fellow faithful podcasters: NPR's Code Switch is always a great listen, but this episode (which was actually about the 2016 elections) is oh so relevant today. Give it a listen here. 

Review The Basics

Monthly Review
 

In the past four weeks we have begun conversations about White Privilege, Systemic Racism, White Fragility, and Representation. This is, of course, only the start but I hope you are beginning to feel empowered to share what you are learning with your friends, family and colleagues. 

There is no new content in this week's newsletter. This is a week for you to review what we have covered so far and revisit any weekly challenges you may not have had a chance to implement yet. 

Each of us live full lives but we must stay committed to this work and continue to hold each other accountable. I cannot thank you enough for your support in the first month of Accessible Allyship. There are 74 of us! Continue to spread the word. Imagine a world in which all white people intentionally increase their knowledge, empathy and activism. A world where we do not keep our privilege to ourselves but instead, choose to spend it wisely. 

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” - Martin Luther King Jr.
 

Challenge Review

Take some time to catch up on challenges from previous weeks.

If you have already completed each of these please email me. I am trying to gauge the pacing of this newsletter to maximize its effectiveness. 
 

Week 1:
Share this captivating slam poem by 14 year-old Royce Mann as he talks about his own privilege, share our poignant weekly reading by LaMonica Richard, or share this piece by Brittany Packnett on How to Spend Your Privilege. 

Pick one and share however you choose to whether it be posting links to social media accounts, showing the video to a friend over lunch, leaving a copy of the article in your break room, or discussing over dinner with your family. 

Week 2:
Choose one from the following:
1. Forward this newsletter to a friend or family member and ask them if they would like to join you in your work to become an effective ally to people of color. Going forward, use this person as someone to share your weekly reflections with. Not only will it help you become more comfortable in your ability to talk about race as well as keep you both accountable. 

2. Share this week's media pick, a powerful TEDTalk by Mellody Hobson, Color Blind or Color Brave with a teacher or parent you know.

3. Watch Netflix Documentary 13th with a friend or family member.  

4. Share one of the Week 2 statistics and/or their accompanying article on one of your social media channels to raise awareness about the harsh and present-day realities Systemic Racism. 

Week 3: 
In so many ways, representation matters. "Without proper racial representation, our government risks harming the people it's supposed to serve."

As we saw in last week's newsletter, the make up of current U.S. Government is as follows: 

• U.S. Congress: 90% white

• U.S. Governors: 96% white

• President and Vice President: 100% white

• U.S. House Freedom Caucus: 99% white

• U.S. Presidential Cabinet: 91% white

I challenge you to: 

1. Make sure you are registered to vote 

   • Most voter registration deadlines are in October for this year's midterm elections on November 6, 2018

   • All deadlines can be found here

2. Do your research 

   • 36 out of 50 Governors will be elected on November 6, 2018

   • All 435 House Seats are up for election 

   • 35 Senate Seats are up for election 

3. Raise awareness about voting in your network

   • If just 50% of voters vote on November 6th it will be the highest midterm turnout in a century

   • Being encouraged to vote by someone we care about is extremely effective, check out the spike in voter registration after Taylor Swift posted about the importance of the midterm elections

Week 4:
Head to your local movie theater and see the new release The Hate U Give with a friend or family member. This challenge is two-fold:

1. This enlightening film will help shed light on the reality of navigating life as a young black girl in America. It is based off the #1 New York Times Best Seller The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. I highly recommend the book as well, but for now I encourage you to get to the theater because...

2. We need to support diverse films in the box office. As we heard in last week's media, it is crucial to diversify representation in mainstream media. People of color deserve to see themselves represented widely and frequently. This is the norm for white people, but a rarity for people of color. A huge part of making diverse representation a reality is for us to show our support through consumerism. 

Weekly Media: 

Listen to this enlightening 3 minute video on redefining privilege by activist Janayah Khan. 
 

Weekly Quote:

“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” 
― Elie Wiesel

Weekly Reflection: 
 

What are your values as  you do this work?
For example: I value social justice, empathy, knowledge, action, compassion, and growth. 

White Fragility

A C C E S S I B L E  A L L Y S H I P 

Definition of the Week
White Fragility

We cannot effectively live in white humility without understanding this week's phrase: White Fragility. 

As Robin DiAngelo outlines in her book White Fragility: 

"White people in North America live in a social environment that protects and insulates them from race-based stress. This insulated environment of racial protection builds white expectations for racial comfort while at the same time lowering the ability to tolerate racial stress, leading to what I refer to as White Fragility.

White Fragility is a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves. These moves include the outward display of emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and behaviors such as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress-inducing situation. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium."

When we do not confront our own tendency to become defensive, fearful, angry, guilty, or withdrawn, we perpetuate white power and white supremacy. There is no easy way to say this: our white fragility encourages the continuation of systemic racism. 

We talked about White Privilege in Week 1, and it is because of our privilegethat we are so fragile about race discussions. As the race in power, we have been able to opt-out for so long that we now feel immense discomfort when we are called in. We feel discomfort when we are held accountable. 

The only way to achieve white humility is to name and acknowledge our tendency toward white fragility so we can move beyond it. 

It is crucial we begin to see that being told we did/said something racist is not a criticism, but rather a helpful call to do better.

As DiAngelo states in her book, "I know that I have blind spots and unconscious investments in racism. My investments are reinforced every day in mainstream society. I did not set this system up, but it does unfairly benefit me, I do use it to my advantage, and I am responsible for interrupting it. I need to work hard to change my role in this system, but I can’t do it alone. This understanding leads me to gratitude when others help me." 

As we all take time to internalize and understand this phrase, remember that discomfort is good, acceptance is the first step to change, and being held accountable is something to be grateful for. 
 

Challenge of the Week

Last week we talked about the importance of representation. This week, I challenge you to head to your local movie theater and see the new release The Hate U Give with a friend or family member. This challenge is two-fold:
 

1. This enlightening film will help shed light on the reality of navigating life as a young black girl in America. It is based off the #1 New York Times Best Seller The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. I highly recommend the book as well, but for now I encourage you to get to the theater because...

2. We need to support diverse films in the box office. As we heard in last week's media, it is crucial to diversify representation in mainstream media. People of color deserve to see themselves represented widely and frequently. This is the norm for white people, but a rarity for people of color. A huge part of making diverse representation a reality is for us to show our support through consumerism. 
    

Weekly Media: 

Hear award-winning actor, activist and author, Gabrielle Union talk about raising her black sons, race in Hollywood and more in this powerful interview with Trevor Noah. 
 

Weekly Quote:

“People are realizing and shouting and marching and demanding. They’re not forgetting. I think that’s the most important part.” - Angie Thomas 

Weekly Reflection: 
 

Do you often buy books, see movies, and watch shows that are created by and starring people of color? What other ways could you support diverse stories?

Representation Matters

Weekly Newsletter, October 11, 2018

A C C E S S I B L E   A L L Y S H I P 

Definition of the Week
Representation
 

As defined by the English Oxford Dictionary, representation is a noun that most commonly means: 

1. The description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way.

2. The action of speaking or acting on behalf of someone or the state of being so represented.

As we have talked about before, representation of white people is abundant. We can watch TV and see ourselves in any story line, any ad, every channel. We can look at the government and see ourselves occupying each position of leadership. We can go to a movie and see ourselves as superheroes, lawyers, teachers, engineers, real estate agents, doctors, and scientists. In real life we see our white skin routinely reflected in each type of celebrity: movie stars, athletes, authors, supermodels, singers of each genre of music. 

We see ourselves so wholly represented we generally don't even consider the positive impact said representation has had on our lives. How empowering has it been to see ourselves portrayed repeatedly and often favorably? 

As stated in this article by Time Magazine  "The way we are represented in entertainment matters. When a girl sees herself as a scientist, or a boy sees someone with his skin color as a law student, it plants a seed that this is possible." 

Below is an 18 minute TED Talk that explores what we lose, and what we enforce, when we tell stories from a singular point of view. 

The Danger of a Single Story by: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

"I loved those American and British books I read. They stirred my imagination. They opened up new worlds for me. But the unintended consequence was that I did not know that people like me could exist in literature." 

Challenge of the Week

In so many ways, representation matters. "Without proper racial representation, our government risks harming the people it's supposed to serve."

As we saw in last week's newsletter, the make up of current U.S. Government is as follows: 

• U.S. Congress: 90% white

• U.S. Governors: 96% white

• President and Vice President: 100% white

• U.S. House Freedom Caucus: 99% white

• U.S. Presidential Cabinet: 91% white

This week I challenge you to: 

1. Make sure you are registered to vote 

   • Most voter registration deadlines are in October for this year's midterm elections on November 6, 2018

   • All deadlines can be found here

2. Do your research 

   • 36 out of 50 Governors will be elected on November 6, 2018

   • All 435 House Seats are up for election 

   • 35 Senate Seats are up for election 

3. Raise awareness about voting in your network

   • If just 50% of voters vote on November 6th it will be the highest midterm turnout in a century

   • Being encouraged to vote by someone we care about is extremely effective, check out the spike in voter registration after Taylor Swift posted about the importance of the midterm elections

Part of dismantling systemic and institutional racism is electing officials into office with diverse backgrounds including race, gender, sexual orientation, age, beliefs and ability. This does not occur magically, it can only occur with the intention to ensure representation of U.S. citizens is reflected in our government. 
 Here is the lowdown on 10 women who could make history in the 2018 midterm elections in Idaho, Kansas, New York, Texas, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Georgia and at the Federal level.  

*note this is not a blind endorsement for each of these candidates, but rather an encouragement to consider the ways in which we are still making history and in need of governmental representation* 

Weekly Media: 

Watch this clip of Riz Ahmed speaking to the importance of films like Crazy Rich Asians and Black Panther becoming blockbuster hits - for white people and people of color alike. 

Weekly Quote:

“Unless we start to fight and defeat the enemies in our own country, poverty and racism, and make our talk of equality and opportunity ring true, we are exposed in the eyes of the world as hypocrites when we talk about making people free.” 
― Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to U.S. Congress

Weekly Reflection: 

Who did you look up to when you were young? Did that person look like you? Were they the same gender as you? Did they have the same first language as you? How did that impact your self-image and dreams?

Systemic Racism

Weekly Newsletter, October 4, 2018 

A C C E S S I B L E  A L L Y S H I P 

Definition of the Week
Systemic Racism
 

Systemic Racism, also called Institutional Racism, is a form of racism that is integrated into social and political institutions. It encourages the unconscious adoption of racism into society. Systemic Racism shows up in disparities between white people and POC in wealth, income, criminal justice, employment, education, housing, health care, and politics. This week, we will begin to illustrate this reality through numbers. 

Wealth and Income

According to one study, white families hold 90% of the national wealth, Latino families hold 2.3%, and black families hold 2.6%.

For every $100 white families earn in income, black families earn just $57.30. (source)

A white woman makes 77 cents to every white man's dollar, whereas black women make 64 cents to the dollar and hispanic women make 56 cents to the dollar. 

Out of the ten richest Americans, 100% are white (seven of them are the richest in the world). (source)


Employment

The black unemployment rate has been consistently twice that of whites.

According to the data, blacks with college degrees are twice as likely to be unemployed as all other graduates.

This study found, job applicants with white-sounding names get called back about 50% more of the time than applicants with black-sounding names, even when they have identical resumes.

Education

While black children constitute 18% of preschoolers nationwide, they make up nearly 50% of suspensions.

When all age groups are examined, black students are three times more likely to be suspended than white students, even when their infractions are similar.


Criminal Justice

When black people are convicted, they are about 20% more likely to be sentenced to jail time, and typically see sentences 20% longer than those for whites who were convicted of similar crimes.

Although blacks make up 13% of the population, they represent about 40% of the prison population. If you haven't already seen it, I highly recommend watching 13th on Netflix. 

In most states a felony conviction means you lose your right to vote. Right now in America, more than 7.4% of the adult black population is disenfranchised (compared to 1.8% of the non-black population).

Housing

Redlining started in the 1930's in our government's effort to improve the housing market. Loans were given to white people outside these redlined areas so they could become homeowners - one of the most effective ways to build wealth. Meanwhile people of color were refused loans or given the option of an unrealistically expensive loan. This created a deeper divide in the racial wealth gap, and some say redlining (though banned over 50 years ago) still hasn't left us. 

Additionally, a recent study demonstrated that people of color are told about and shown fewer homes and apartments than whites. Black ownership is now at an all-time low (42%, compared to 72% for whites).

Surveillance and Policing 

Statistics show that black drivers are about 30% more likely than whites to be pulled over by the police. They are also about three times as likely as white drivers to be searched after they were stopped. 

As this article sates, "In 2013, nearly nine out of ten of those stopped were Black or Latinx – and about 90% were innocent.

Innocence makes no difference in these tactics of policing, as Miami resident Earl Sampson can confirm. Sampson was stopped by police a whopping 258 times over the course of four years, most frequently being accused of or arrested for trespassing at the store where he works." 

More than half of all young black Americans know someone, including themselves, who has been harassed by the police.

Black people accounted for 31 percent of police killing victims in 2015, even though they made up just 13 percent of the US population. They are also statistically more often unarmed than their white counterparts. 

Healthcare

Latinos and African-Americans experience 30 to 40 percent poorer health outcomes than white Americans. This disparity leads not only to shortened lives and increased illness. (source) 

In low-income neighborhoods, patients with diabetes are 10 times more likely to undergo limb amputation than those in affluent areas. 

Politics

As Robin DiAngelo outlines in her book White Fragility, the people who controlled our institutions in 2016-2017 were as follows: 

• U.S. Congress: 90% white

• U.S. Governors: 96% white

• President and Vice President: 100% white

• U.S. House Freedom Caucus: 99% white

• U.S. Presidential Cabinet: 91% white 

Additionally, women of color were denied full access to vote until The Voting Rights Act of 1964. When you hear women refer to the 19th Amendment of 1920, that only wholly benefitted white women. Many WOC were still denied the right to vote. This means when Obama was elected President in 2008, women of color had only been voting for 44 years. That's 11 elections.  

As I'm sure you noticed while reading, each of these statistics and figures produce a domino effect and/or are closely intertwined. Which is precisely what Systemic Racism is - these racially unjust systems feed into one another and uphold each other. 

Challenge of the Week

Pick one or more of the following challenges.

1. Forward this newsletter to a friend or family member and ask them if they would like to join you in your work to become an effective ally to people of color. Going forward, use this person as someone to share your weekly reflections with. Not only will it help you become more comfortable in your ability to talk about race as well as keep you both accountable. 

2. Share this week's media pick, a powerful TEDTalk by Mellody Hobson, Color Blind or Color Brave with a teacher or parent you know.

3. Watch Netflix Documentary 13th with a friend or family member.  

4. Share one of the above statistics and/or their accompanying article on one of your social media channels to raise awareness about the harsh and present-day realities Systemic Racism. 
 

Weekly Media: 

Take 15 minutes to watch this powerful TEDTalk Color Blind or Color Braveby Mellody Hobson about the importance of having conversations about race.
 

Weekly Quote:

“I tell my students all the time, when you learn something, you have to teach someone else what you learn — you have to always pay it forward because that’s what’s going to propel this world to evolve.” - Famatta Massalay

Weekly Reflection: 

Last week we considered our own White Privilege. What was the most impactful realization for you? How often do you consider your own race? Have you considered your race more frequently since?

White Privilege

A C C E S S I B L E   A L L Y S H I P 

Definition of the Week
White Privilege 

“White privilege is not a curse word. It is not a way to blame or shame anyone. It is a lens to understand how race works in this country.” 
- Brittany Packnett, Activist, Educator, Writer

We can't talk about systemic racism without talking about white privilege. They are two sides of the same coin. Throughout most of our life, we have never had to be conscious of our own race. In fact, to this day when someone says the word "race" often times a person of color pops into our minds, rather than a fellow white person. White people are not forced to confront their race because they belong to the race that society has normalized as the "default" person. 

White privilege is a set of unearned benefits given to white people from birth in multiple areas including housing, education, safety, employment, and wealth. We will dive deeper into statistics and figures that show the contrast between white people and people of color in each of these areas in coming weeks. But for now, this week is about acknowledging our own white privilege. 

• Acknowledgement of one's white privilege is not the denial that white people have hardships in life.

• Acknowledgement of one's white privilege is not the minimization of a white person's accomplishments.

• Acknowledgement of one's white privilege is not to guilt or shame a white person.

It is recognizing that your whiteness has allowed you resources and opportunities that are not provided to people of color.

It is recognizing that your whiteness has provided vast and positive representation in media, in government, in every space imaginable. 

It is recognizing that your whiteness has not been an added weight to the hardships you have endured in life. 

It is recognizing that your whiteness has provided and a sense of safety and comfort throughout your life. 

We can book a hotel room or walk into any drugstore knowing that the shampoo and conditioner that works for our hair will be inside. We can watch TV and see ourselves in any story line, any ad, every channel. We can look at the government and see ourselves occupying each position of leadership. We can get pulled over by the police for speeding and know that the worst that could happen is we do in fact get a ticket for speeding.

This is not the reality for people of color. 

I know these are uncomfortable realizations. Sit with them this week. Read this section again later if you need to. Internalize it. Let it be uncomfortable. Once again, acknowledging white privilege is not to make anyone feel guilty or ashamed. Growth is uncomfortable so take your discomfort as a sign that you are already leaning in toward becoming a more effective ally and repeat after me, "My white skin comes with privilege I did not earn." 

Challenge of the Week

Share this captivating slam poem by 14 year-old Royce Mann as he talks about his own privilege, share our poignant weekly reading by LaMonica Richard, or share this piece by Brittany Packnett on How to Spend Your Privilege. 

Pick one and share however you choose to whether it be posting links to social media accounts, showing the video to a friend over lunch, leaving a copy of the article in your break room, or discussing over dinner with your family. 

Awareness is the greatest agent for change. Let us start raising it in our own circles today. 

Weekly Reading: 

Read this powerful piece that will enlighten you on the experience of a black woman in America. 
 

Weekly Quote:

“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.” 
― Ida B. Wells-Barnett

Weekly Reflection: 

What is one thing you learned about a black woman's experience in America from this week's reading?