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Here’s a list of lessons I’ve Learned:
1. Being a white Jewish/Buddhist and even though I’ve had my own pain with anti-semitism and not being accepted for being different and have deep empathy for what’s happened to people of color, I have not walked in their shoes. I will never know what that’s like.
2. It’s okay if I’m an ally and not friends with people of color. If it happens great, but if not: friendship is not the reason I’m an ally.
3. When friends or family say to me “oh you like those films, those people, those books written by people of color—I say to them “you really don’t have any idea of what they’ve gone through. They aren’t “those people” they are important and vital part of our culture and have brought so much to us and have suffered unimaginable suffering and you would learn something if you read some of their books, films, or just be in the company of people of color.”
4. Speaking up and speaking out more and more when I see someone being unfairly treated in my day to day life.
5. Being supportive of women of color and children of color. Re: The R Kelly documentary and how he’s abused children of color for years and years.
6. Listen. Listen. Listen. To what people of color are saying. I learn many things.
7. Trying to show “sophisticated whites” how they are racist in a most subtle way.
8. Realizing that racism won’t be dissolved in my lifetime but I must be an activist every day of my life to try to improve understanding and situations.
9. Living in Harlem doesn’t mean a thing unless I do things to help and be part of the community.
10. Realizing that people of color have their own prejudices towards one another.
11. Having friendships with people of color but realizing it’s not easy. We do come from different life experiences and respecting that.
12. Realizing how color conscience we are in this country.
13. The understanding I may have my own prejudices against white people.
14. Patriarchy must go down. It will not help any of us to move forward. Men, women, people of different cultures must learn that we need one another. We need to work together.
15. Hating the N-word, but also realizing that many young people of color have made the decision that they can refer to one another using the N-word, but it’s their word, not mine.
16. When my friend of color is stopped by police while driving to just stay calm and hope to hell the cop isn’t trigger happy.
19. Helping in some way to pass legislation for the police to be trained in a more humane way of dealing with people of color.
20. Being inclusive with inviting all cultures on any of the marches or demonstrations I go to.
21. Realizing we are all in this together and we need one another.
22. If I mistakenly make a comment to a person of color that is taken as racist, to listen to what they say to me and how they received what I had to say.
23. The last 2 years the pain and anguish that people of color have suffered in this country has gotten into my bones
and I will do all that I can to help reverse all the wrong that has been done to them.
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