Some friends may feel I share too much.
I’m not shy about sharing my opinions on important matters.
Recently, some friends have said it’s important to speak up about racial injustice.
This is one way I can share my voice - through these strangers. Wonderful, friendly and beautiful people who I met while doing my 100 Strangers project. When I talked with them we did not talk about their personal experiences in this racially biased world - I didn’t think about it as we talked about a variety of other topics. Did we treat each other differently because of the difference in our skin colour? I'd like to think not, but maybe. I look into their faces now and wonder about how different their lives must be and suspect they have all faced racial prejudice. I can try and relate but my white privilege is a barrier to truly understanding. I hope these words do not offend anyone who is black, I’m not pretending to know what your life is like. Actually Newt Gingrich says it clearly in Ava DuVernay’s 13th “ virtually no one who is white understands the challenge of being black in America”. But I am on your side and I believe #BlackLivesMatter.
All I know is that these strangers, these people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting matter to me. Friends here in Toronto, acquaintances I’ve made south of the border and the stories that sadden me dearly like George Floyd - they all matter to me. I truly hope there’s a way forward that makes their lives and their families lives safer and fairer.
There’s another part in 13th where Cory Greene says “...we don’t need to see pictures to understand what’s going on”. But Van Jones says “you have to shock people into paying attention”. I do pay attention and I’m paying attention now.
But just this week, I caught myself being racist. When I was talking with a work friend about another person in our company, I said a “black guy” in the East. Why did I have to say he was black. I’d say that is an example of racism, of being racist.
I called the man in question and apologized. We had a long chat about racism as well as work. He was hesitant to say that what I said was racist but did say that people don’t realize the impact of their words.
I also apologized to my friend and they reflected on the fact that they heard me say it and didn't say something. They said they are working on speaking up more often.
I think that’s what we can all do. In addition to making sure we are accountable for our own words, we need to be responsible for speaking out when others are racist.
I apologize. As it’s said with many problems, the first step is recognizing the problem.
