I knew things were bad, but as I started to read and try to get a better understanding of what's happening, I realised just how shielded I am.
I'm starting to understand that this is white privilege.
Imagine having a gun pulled on you and having to prove you live at an address and the only reason you are being questioned is due to the colour of your skin.
Imagine being sat in your car and 3 officers detain you in relation to a non-violent crime report, one of which puts his body weight across your neck resulting in your death. Your final words are those crying out for your mother.
I can not watch the video and watch this man die but have seen an image which brought me to tears and made my blood boil. Why are so many lives being lost and what can we do to stop this?
I can not remain silent , I will not be silent, we should not remain silent. As a white woman I know I am privileged and I don't think I have truly acknowledge or understood what it truly meant before this week. And why this week? Like one women asked why is it now that we are only truly taking note? Each day i'm learning. I know I will never full understand but I can promise to listen, to learn and to educate myself. These are not going to be empty words. We must questions ourselves and those around us.
To George, Your mother, Father, Family, Friends and loved ones, i'm sorry. #RIPGeorgeFloyd #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd.
*Images provided by Unsplash.com
Suggested Reading: I will be adding to the list as I read. Any recommendations please leave in the comments below. Thank you.
13th Documentary film
My incredible friend Wai Ming Lee Put the below together and has allowed me to share. Thank you x
Clips & Links: * Al Sharpton's Eulogy at George Floyd's Memorial: https://twitter.com/Channel4News/status/1268848925508763650… "Man comes out of a single parent home, educates himself and rises up and becomes the President of the United States, and you ask him for his birth certificate, because you can’t take your knee off our neck."
* Defund the Police: https://twitter.com/Juliannyc901/status/1269106692186427392… * History of Central Park: https://twitter.com/Juliannyc901/status/1269092753847332865… * Powerful Speech about White Privilege: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CBGxD78A9Wv/… * Jane Elliott: All White people are racist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaJD--1aRZQ&feature=youtu.be
* US black-white inequality in 6 stark charts: https://edition.cnn.com/…/black-white-us-financi…/index.html * Example of racism in the media: https://twitter.com/bolaagbaje/status/1267859371737964544… * Thread about HeLa Cells: https://twitter.com/admit_medics/status/1267858773005254657… * So You Don't Like Racism, But You Feel Powerless To Do Anything?: https://twitter.com/ObiomaUgoala/status/1266330305985732609…
* Advice on how to speak to racist family members, history of white supremacy within the police force, how to face your own racism: https://twitter.com/SofieHagen/status/1268121260309053441… * Thread about acknowledging your own white privilege: https://twitter.com/SofieHagen/status/1267863880564461576… * Emmanuel Acho (@thEMANacho) Advice: https://t.co/74SVv8XOqp https://twitter.com/thEMANacho/status/1267609472589090816…
Ways to Help & Resources: * UKBLM Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ukblm-fund * https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ * Anti-Racism resources for white people: https://t.co/zJwC7ixzLS?amp=1
Petitions: Battle racism by updating GCSE reading lists: https://www.change.org/p/department-of-education-battle-rac… Suspend UK export of tear gas, rubber bullets and riot shields to USA: https://www.change.org/p/suspend-uk-export-of-tear-gas-rubb…