Long Overdue
It's not often that you find a small, otherwise mundane moment in your daily life that hits on something bigger. But every once in a while, a moment will strike that perfectly encapsulates what is going on in a world. A microcosm of something larger, something beyond our control. When these moments do arise, it's important to recognize them and to reflect on how and why we arrived at such a critical point.
The phrase above came from a peer of mine on a call this morning with service providers in our region. There were roughly 20 people on the call, the majority of whom were white. This particular phrase was part of a simple small-group icebreaker on how we were doing and had nothing to do with the eventual presentation. But there it was, stated from a dedicated white woman with over a decade of experience working in substance abuse, a field that disproportionately affects low-income communities. Having worked with this woman over the past year, I was well aware of her dedication to her profession and also her ability to be supportive of us in our work, especially as we advocate for communities of color. She has always been keenly aware of our work to make sure our most vulnerable populations have a seat at the table.
So when she said the aforementioned phrase, I was a bit taken aback. Yet as she got into a further explanation as to how and why she was feeling that way, it hit me: this moment, this very moment, we're witnessing a transformation in American history. It is something that goes well beyond politics and dinner table conversation. What we're witnessing is a fundamental change at how we look at ourselves and those around us. There is often talk in American history about our two previous Great Awakenings, yet even during these periods of historic transition, there was never any talk of the ruling class questioning its own position in society. What we're seeing today is something unparalleled in our nation's history.
Privilege has been white people's binky for 400 years. It has been that unspoken advantage given to each and every white person at birth. Many of us graduate high school without ever giving it a second thought. Some go through college, the workplace, and retirement without it ever crossing their mind. There still exists a large audience and an entire cable news network dedicated to declaring that it simply doesn't exist. There are those still who consider themselves as strong liberals who when confronted with the idea of privilege will nervously laugh it off or attempt to dismiss it. There will be those who will hear about it, think about it, but ultimately refuse to believe it. That is the power of 400 years worth of privilege; its so ingrained in our lives, in our culture, that for many it is simply impossible to see.
Yet, I can't help but observe that something remarkable is happening. Yes, I work in social justice circles. Yes, I work among people who recognize the importance of lifting up the voices and lived experiences of people of color. These are what people would refer to as "woke" white people. But they are also privileged. They know they are privileged. And for the first time, they are relating that privilege to the lives of others. There is an internal sense of guilt and deep, deep discussions about what it means to be an ally. There is no self-loathing but there is some serious reflection about what it means to live in a country that lets you start on third base with home base in view. There are talented white community leaders who are taking a critical look at their work and asking if they are properly centering voices of color. And they are having difficult conversations with their peers as to whether or not this is the case.
Geroge Floyd's daughter was right: her daddy did change the world. He has changed it and in just over 3 weeks those changes are setting rippling waves up and down America and the world. These changes have impacted all segments of society and the conversations that are occurring in social justice circles have been unlike I have previously witnessed. Those of us in the field are not perfect. We are not all "woke" nor do we pretend to be. But we are consummate learners and consumers of information. It is our job to be aware of systemic injustices and racial inequality. Ultimately, it is our job to be critical of our practice and of ourselves. What George Floyd's death has shown us is that there is a lot to unpack in terms of how and why we do the work and how our own life experience reflects how we do that. It will undoubtedly be a difficult conversation to be had but it is one we all need to engage it if we are truly going to be allies in this fight.
And it is a conversation we all should have had a long time ago.