TO MY FELLOW WHITE PEOPLE

Correspondence To Course Correct

This is an open letter to my fellow white people. As part of my continuing education and re-education as a white American, I have vowed to have difficult conversations when I see or hear racially insensitive content in the virtual and/or real world. This is just one of the ways I am working to do my part to dismantle racism and continue my own journey towards the eradication of white supremacy. - Dr. Jenny Martin

It is a beginning… It is many things, but it is not an arrival.

This week, I came across a theme. I learned that there are many white folks who feel viscerally offended when lumped into racially insensitive, harmfully white categories. These white people feel angered and incensed, as they feel that they, personally, have not contributed to the racist past and present of our country. In contrast, they feel that they have worked to intentionally treat everyone with respect and dignity. They believe that this is enough.

I have noticed that this group tends to feel passionately upset when their missteps are pointed out, or when their lack of awareness is called into question. I notice that they often respond defensively and act out of a sense of woundedness. I find myself responding this way, too, at times. So, I say what I am about to say to myself, as well as to those who may be ready to hear it:

You are part of the problem. I am part of the problem. We spin the wheel of racial injustice. Yes, even the "nice white people.” The blatant, obvious forms of racism, that this group I’m speaking of abhors and rejects, make up just the tip of the evil iceberg. You and I keep it afloat. I know that this truth is painful, and I know it may make no sense. I remember feeling that way when my eyes were pried open to the impact of my whiteness. It is, however, no less true.

There are reasons that academia exists to the highest degree on the oppression of people of color. Unless you are a white person with a PhD in Africana Studies, African American Studies, or something very related, your job is nearly entirely to listen. (And even if you do hold one of these titles, it's still your job to listen and confront the ways your whiteness contributes to problematic systems). You and I do not get to state, “I am not a racist.” That is a goal we must fight for, but it is not a title we can casually claim. It is a beginning, it is a starting point. It is a lifelong process. It is many things, but it is not an arrival.

If a piece of you feels curious reading this, I encourage you to research, ask, and listen. If you aren't ready for taking those steps, I challenge you to reflect non-defensively when feedback is aimed your way. Even - especially- when it comes in the form of anger. You may not see it at this moment, but I promise you, it IS yours to absorb. It IS mine to absorb. If nothing else, try to take a pause the next time your hackles rise. After all, we tend to get most angered when a mirror reflects what we most dislike within.

To the black community and to people of color, I vow to take ownership for any blind spots or approaches that do more harm than good. I vow to keep accepting feedback and I promise to keep learning.

Dr. Jenny Martin is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Chicago, IL. Her private practice, Gemstone Wellness, specializes in working with adolescents and adults touched by depression, anxiety, trauma, loss, purposelessness, and issues related to race, sexuality and gender expression. Jenny possesses an extensive background in the arts, specifically in music, and she enjoys incorporating creative mediums to facilitate emotional expression. Jenny received both her Masters Degree and her Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She completed her Bachelor's Degree in Music and Songwriting at Berklee College of Music. Visit Gemstone Wellness (www.gemstonewellness.com) and follow on Instagram @gemstonewellnessinc