Cr eat i ng
Consciously courageous
kids
I AM GLUED TO MY SCREEN FOR A 5TH NIGHT IN A ROW. AS I DEEP DIVE INTO THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT AND SYSTEMIC RACISM, I AM AWAKENED TO MY OWN IGNORANCE. IGNORANCE TO THE HISTORY OF BLACK SLAVERY, THE STOLEN GENERATION, THE GROSS PRIVILEGE I HAVE BENEFITED FROM AND MY INCOMPREHENSION OF INDIGENOUS ISSUES IN MY OWN COUNTRY.
T
he outrage, the despair, the fear and emotional exhaustion is palpable. The collective shout of voices across the globe is shaking us all awake!
As a 41 year old, caucasian mother of six caucasian children, I have a lot to learn about the deep prejudices and discrimination experienced by people of colour. While my journey to become better educated is still in its infancy, and I most certainly do not claim to be a thought leader on the topic of the Black Lives Matter movement, I do want to see change in this world! To quote Edmund Burke, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” I have been guilty of putting the responsibility for change on individuals I would consider to be people of importance, influence or authority. The reality is that lasting
change begins with you and I, in our homes, workplaces and schools. If you are a parent, you may be wondering how you can possibly raise your children so that we can see an end to racism in our world. What steps can you take to ensure they are not oblivious to the prejudice and discrimination people of colour have experienced in the past and continue to experience today? Here are a few suggestions.
Get Educated We can’t change what we don’t know. When we take the initiative to educate ourselves we begin being a part of the solution. By listening to the stories of those who are crying out and by asking ourselves if we are, in any way, a part of the problem. Dismissive comments like “All lives matter” or “this issue doesn’t affect me”, show how much room for change is still needed. Diversify your
social media feeds, your reading material and your conversations!
Open Up The Conversation “But these conversations are uncomfortable!” I hear you say. Yes, it can be uncomfortable to open your eyes and learn the truth about the history of your country of origin and countries around the world. It’s uncomfortable to realise the biases you have been conditioned to have. It’s uncomfortable to recognise the ways in which you could have made a difference but didn’t. But on the other side of these uncomfortable conversations lies greater understanding, broader perspectives and more effective actions. Age appropriate conversations can happen at different times and in different places. If you have a child who communicates that they feel uncomfortable, find a suitable time to ask them why this topic is uncomfortable for them. When approached with gentleness and understanding it can be the perfect MUMPRENEUR MOVEMENT |
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