Nourishing Black Lives Together (vital anti-racism resources within!)
Photo Credit: Jude Beck
“If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.” – Aboriginal activists group, Queensland, 1970s
Dear Friends,
I write after having recently watched Just Mercy, the 2nd of a triad of movies that explores the question: Why “Black Lives?” Don’t all lives matter? If you are asking that question (as many are), click any of the links below to grow your awareness of the real history of Black people in America, not just the textbook version.
The fact is, we all need an education and to take a much closer look at the realities of life in America for Black people specifically – especially if you’re white (like me). These realities are hidden from many as they are part of the dark underbelly of the current social (in)justice system. Here are 3 movies to watch in this order:
My husband Jeffrey also shared this video, Privilege/Class/Social Inequalities Explained in a $100 Race to help our family get a truer sense of white privilege. Please watch if you are wondering what all the fuss is about. This video gave me a visceral and visual sense of how privilege operates in the real world, and how it leads to unfair outcomes.
To help our youngest child (age 6) begin to understand what racism is and how it affects people, we watched this Sesame Street Racism Town Hall.
While at first, I thought that the issues and feelings raised by the murder of George Floyd by police officers on May 25 did not relate to our mission and work here at the Nourishing Life Health Center & Uprooting Lyme, over the course of these days I realized that silence = complicity, and that simply thinking “I’m not racist, I’m not the problem,” is not nearly enough.
Watching the videos and movies listed above will begin to educate you and raise your awareness, as it did mine – it’s a step in the right direction.
For my spiritual friends, visualizing a world free of discrimination from a safe meditation cushion is great (I do that too!) – AND, let’s be as devoted to real-world action even if it leads us to the edge of our comfort zone.
Below I share the current fodder for my action and activism, because none of us are truly free until we all are free, and this work involves every one of us.
INSPIRATION & EDUCATION:
Soul Fire Farm – a farm, organization, and educational center dedicated to uprooting racism in the food system. Uber-inspiring, and many ways to get involved including Uprooting Racism Training, a great curriculum for kids, and volunteering. Leah Penniman, the founding Co-Director recently published Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land.
Anti-Racist Resources – an open-sourced curriculum of resources – videos, books, podcasts, and actionable ideas.
I particularly like some of these thought-provoking questions that beg the question: How solid is my solidarity? Here are just a few:
- Does your solidarity last longer than a news cycle?
- Does your solidarity take away time from other things you could be doing?
- Does your solidarity change the way you spend your money?
- Does your solidarity make you a disruptive presence in white spaces?
- Does your solidarity challenge your country’s values?
- Does your solidarity happen when no one is looking?
- Does your solidarity ever cause you to speak out when no one wants to listen?
- Does your solidarity ever cause you to shut up when you want to say something?
- Does your solidarity change the way you vote?
- Does your solidarity include Black queer and trans folks?
- Does your solidarity make you suspicious of predominantly white institutions?
Nourishing Black Lives:
At Uprooting Lyme & the Nourishing Life Health Center, we welcome Black people as patients, practitioners, and employees.
We also welcome your feedback and input if you have suggestions for how we can support equality in healthcare in our community.
Yours in Health, Justice & Equality,
