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DAYS OF THINGS
People of Color Need You To Do:
by Summer Nettles
DAY 1:
STOP SAYING YOU DON’T SEE COLOR
We know, Janet Jackson and En Vogue told you to be color blind in the 90s, but we’ve learned that assimilation requires homogeny. We don’t want to assimilate. People of Color want to be seen, heard and celebrated for who we are.
THANK YOU FOR DAY 3: ACKNOWLEDGING SYSTEMIC RACISM.
Please recognize YOU are: A: Part of the system, B: benefiting from it, and C: may have contributed to it via silence.
STOP SAYING, DAY 2: “I’M NOT RACIST. I HAVE
BLACK FRIENDS/ FAMILY.
Although friendships with people of color can be magical, they do not make racism disappear. Your “black” friends are probably tolerating your racism.
STOP MAXIMIZING DAY 4: OUR TRANSGRESSIONS WHILE MINIMIZING OUR
CONTRIBUTIONS & YOUR AGGRESSIONS. Looting and murder are NOT equivalent. (Also, the assumption that POC are the only folks looting is problematic).
YOUR KNEES OFF DAY 5: TAKE OUR NECKS. Kneel beside us in sincere solidarity. There is no room for bystanders or backstabbers.
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Summer 2020 | www.CultursMag.com
