Reportback Nextdoor Tuesday August 4th Atlanta Zoom Gathering “What Will White Womyn Do To End Racism?”

We began today’s zoom gathering by introducing ourselves answering the following questions:

1)     One thing you did this week to ensure you will commit to sustaining anti-racism work

2)     The most recent important/successful action you did this week or close to this week that really helped dismantle or end racism

Other topics we discussed:

1)    White ‘identity”: We discussed the biology of race verses the racist box of myths/stereotypes/privileges/supremacy/inferiority of racial ‘identity’. If white people wanted to, can whites step out of white identity, which we can’t – but we can change what it means to be white in this country while at the same time being responsible for acknowledging and addressing white privilege/supremacy. Which led to a discussion of colorism and bi-racial designations impacting Black people – and white people.

2)    What do you love about being Black? Being white? White womyn attempted unsuccessfully to list what is likeable/admirable/loveable about being white and white people. The white womyn tried hard to come up with something/anything that didn’t originate from our racist privilege and supremacy, from our ability to thrive on the genocide and stealing the lands of Native peoples, the enslavement and economic exploitation of Black peoples, and the wars against almost every country of color in the world. Whereas without hesitation, the Black womon with huge smiles and enthusiastic pride were able to catalog a long, almost infinite list of what she loved about being Black and about Black people in general.

3)    What contributed to our choosing an anti-racist path & what made our siblings choose different or similar paths? We shared information about our childhoods and upbringings, and the different experiences that most influenced our present work and lives. And wondered about our siblings and family: some who were on the same path, others were so divergent we questioned how we could be related and have experienced the same upbringing.

4)    Grabbing our privilege like a bat & swinging it at racism: We discussed the unconsciousness of whites daily perpetuation of racism as invisible-to-whites barriers to services, goods, etc.;  to the intentional acts stemming from white privilege, as being able to buy a house in and gentrify any neighborhood, as well as middle class Black people also able to displace poor Black people. We talked about what is white responsibility in gentrification as well as living in an all-white neighborhood; addressing discrimination in housing; reparations.

5)    Important resources impacting our anti-racism work presently and past: we will try to list each week the resources we are learning from. This week’s list:

a)    The History of White People – Nell Irvin Painter

b)   Finding Your Roots – pbs John Lewis and Cory Booker https://www.pbs.org/video/finding-your-roots-john-lewis-and-cory-booker/

c)    White Fragility – Robin Diangelo

d)   Walk With Us – Elizabeth K. Gordon

e)    Seeing White – podcast scene on radio https://www.sceneonradio.org/seeing-white/

f)  Blue eyes/Brown eyes – Jane Elliot

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebPoSMULI5U 

6)    Topics to discuss next week include but not limited to:

·       Where would we like to go from here?

·       How are we going to get there?

Please join us next Tuesday, August 11th, at 6pm as continue to strengthen our neighborhoods and communities through this anti-racism work!