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?