This is not Ideal.

-
Photo by Steve Leisher on Unsplash


I have struggled for several days to write this blog. 

I have written many drafts and deleted many pages because while it's my turn to speak, it also isn't. 

What I will say is that I'm a brown body. I have been harassed by cops when I've been pulled over for a speeding ticket (once), or when a tail-light was out (that I was unaware of) - but even in those instances I never thought I would die. I have been told by various White people what I should and shouldn't wear, what I should and shouldn't say, and how I should and shouldn't behave, as a person of color. 

I have been called "dirty" by the elementary school children that I shared a classroom with, been referred to as a "maid," asked to translate a language I don't even speak - based upon my looks - and have been referred to as "less than human" by a phrase I'll never forget: "I didn't know that your kind could afford education." I've gotten the "do you even belong in this country? question by an officer in uniform, and the "go back to your country" statement, from a random racist, for just walking down the street. 

I understand racism because I have experienced it and I have been a target to racist folks. But this moment isn't necessarily about me. It's about amplifying black voices and understanding that racism for black people runs incredibly deep in America - all the way back to 1619 - when slaves first arrived to America - and then some. 

The entire time that black people have lived in America, their lives and their livelihoods have been devalued, or they've been physically told that they were less-than. While the Emancipation Proclamation went into "effect" in 1865, black people did not really begin to "feel free" until 1964 when Jim Crow laws were abolished and segregation was "dismantled". (I use quotations here, because some of these things could still be seen as debatable given the treatment of black people, today). In 1965, laws were lifted to allow minorities to vote. That was 55 years ago. That was within a lot of people's current lifetimes. 

55 years ago. 
Take a moment and let that sink in. 

White America has had rights - their right to vote - their right to healthcare - their right to freedom of speech, amongst others, since America was born 244 years ago. Black people got their "freedoms" 55 years ago and they STILL are being mistreated. Yes, they are allowed to vote, but states have made that difficult for them. Yes, they have access to health care - but there are a ton of black women who have complications or have died while giving birth. (This is not to say that white women don't have issues too - but we're talking about black Americans here, at the moment). Yes, they have "freedom of speech" but their social media accounts are being silenced - or are being targeted for racial hate. 

This is not ideal for a supposed "free world."
This is not ideal for adequate living. 

So what can be done about it? Or what can YOU do about it? Well, one of the biggest flaws we have, is failure to listen to black voices. Often what is said is ignored, belittled, or silenced. We don't listen to those who freely educate on a daily basis, nor do we listen during peaceful protests (hence the riots). 

I, personally, don't have all the answers. I'm not black. But I am a person of color and I believe that we can all do a little better. 

With that said, here are a few good books you could pick up to read: 


Some voices/groups that I believe you should follow - Twitter / Instagram*: 

- Instagram Only: @thelovelandfoundation

*This list was put together by both Jane and Josefina.

Things to Watch on Netflix: 

- Explained: The Racial Wealth Gap
- When They See Us
- Who Killed Malcolm X

For more to watch, there's a list put out by DigitalSpy that you can find here. 

Other sources: 

- A video on some cool projects and spotlights on Five Emerging Queer Leaders by BETNetworks. 

Now is more a time than ever to support black people, listen to their stories, read what they have written and more. 


******

Disclaimer: Please remember that these are real stories as we remember them. We are not therapists and are NOT qualified to diagnose, treat, or provide counseling. The coping strategies shared in our stories are what we found to be useful and may not work for everyone. Some of the content, as mentioned above, may be triggering. If you need to reach out, please call 911, or go to your local hospital or stress center. Additional resources include the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-(800)-273-TALK (8255); the National Hopline Network: 1-(800)-442-HOPE (4673); the Crisis Test Line - Text "HOME" to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor; and the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-(800)-799-SAFE (7233). 

******

About the Author: Josefina is a recent graduate of Penn State University and is a holder of two degrees - Psychology and Vocal Performance. She is also a mezzo-soprano, an on again-off again blogger, a certified social media manager, and a sometimes celebrity, fashion and portrait photographer. When she's not writing, she can probably be found drinking far too much coffee, hanging out with her seven pets, or behind the lens on a photoshoot. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fitting In

-
Image
Photo by   Kristina Tripkovic   on   Unsplash TRIGGER WARNING: Bullying, mild racism, and brief mention of sexual assault.  ***** I remember not fitting "in" with the "cool kids" from a very young age. I can't remember as far back as preschool, but I'm pretty sure no one really cared what I looked like or how I acted, then. Young children are the best teachers in that way - for they aren't concerned with looks nor are they set out to become the "most popular kid of all." They are far more concerned if you have the wrong sandbox toy and who to share (or not share) their chocolate chip cookie with. But elementary school was a completely different story.  I was adopted from South America when I was a baby, into a well-to-do white family. This meant that I lived in a nice neighborhood, with plenty of other children, and grew up in a very white-dominated community. Which, for the most part, was fine. But started to pose an issue when I arrived on t
Read more

An Introduction.

-
Image
Our Purpose:  Over the course of our lifetimes, whenever we have shared our life's story with someone, the response has generally been the same - "You could write a book!" "You could use your story to help people!" "Wow, you've been through a lot - you should write about it!" etc., which eventually prompted us to team up together to write what you're reading now. We both are finally at a place where we can talk about our trauma, our stories, and how we've overcome all of life's curveballs thus far. Though we've not forgotten the things that happened to us and our experiences have previously been shared in private settings, we think discussing them on a more public platform could have a greater impact. We don't have identical stories, and they won't be the same as yours. But our hope is that sharing them will encourage others to speak up because your voices and your stories matter too. There will be some topics that are
Read more

From a Negative to a Positive

-
Image
Photo by   Katrina Wright   on   Unsplash Grief can mean something different for each person. What one person may grieve about, another person may not.  As noted by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross (Kübler-Ross E & Kessler D, 2014) the five stages of grief are: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. This does not mean that the grieving must go in this order. Just like how everyone grieves about different things, the grief process can look different for one person versus another.  So, why am I talking to you about grief? Since I started my undergrad program, I knew that I wanted to help people. At first, I thought I wanted to become an elementary school teacher, but my path went in a different way when I decided that teaching was not for me. Little did I know, at the time, that I was in a grieving process of my own from having to extend time at school.  After changing majors, I continued on in the field of Human Development and Family Studies. I did not know what I wanted to do
Read more