I want us to not get caught up in the satisfaction of spontaneous and temporary outrage. I want us to take a vow, and get to work. If you're eager to get out of the self-replicating loop that is systemic racism, start learning 'til you know.
I'm tired. I'm tired of seeing how the world desperately continues to counter a belief I fought hard to wrap my head around: that black people are worth just as much as anybody else. I'm tired of watching black people do not a single thing and get destroyed over it. I'm tired of living in a world that doesn't call that behaviour animalistic, but rather the people it's aimed at. As an Afropean living in the realm of influence of American culture, I'm tired of hearing about American ideals. I'm tired of explaining the inner workings of racist constructs. I imagine I'm about 5% of how tired Black Americans must be right now. They must be the kind of tired that you are at the end of a weeklong dance festival, if the festival is racism, the week lasted 400 years, and you are the ground it was held on.
At Vine & Fig, we're spending Pride Month this year looking outside of our queer pride bubble. We're proud of those of us who dare display their anger, especially those who are told they're not allowed that emotion. We're proud of those of us who understand that what we're doing right now, today, should be all about tomorrow. I want us to do the right things this year, so that we'll have an extra good reason to be proud next year. I don't want to see cisgendered white men and women beg to be affirmed in their queerness while they refuse to look critically at their whiteness. I want us to see the marshmallow that is a better world. I want us to realise that wanting it so badly that we eat it right away defeats its entire purpose. Simply put: I want us to not get caught up in the satisfaction of spontaneous and temporary outrage. I want us to take a vow, and get to work.
If you're eager to get out of the self-replicating loop that is systemic racism, start learning 'til you know. If you know how to use the Internet, you'll know where to find what you need. But, if you're really struggling to find your way, you should commence your journey by reading How To Be An Antiracist. If you do one thing, do this.
Do it for Jesus.