Uprooting Racism: Allegories of Racism, continued
As we recently posted, our garden members recently came together to watch and discuss Dr. Camara Jones’s TEDxEmory talk “Allegories of Racism.” Dr. Jones has written extensively on this topic, and on disparities in public health. We ended our gathering by reading her advice, for all of us, from the chapter she contributed to the book Racism: Science & Tools for the Health Professional.
“Be courageous: Be unafraid of controversy. Embrace challenge, because this is how you learn your power. Have the courage to burst through your bubble of routine and comfort, understanding that the edge of your comfort is your growing edge.
Be curious: Ask “Why?” and then ask “Why?” again. This is the way of scientists, of children, of all who want to understand and be fully present in their world. When you see a behavior, ask about the context. And when you see a context, ask about the systems of power that determined the range of contexts and who is found in which context. Examine history, understanding that history is a huge part of “Why?” The present is NOT disconnected from the past, and the current distribution of advantage and disadvantage is NOT a happenstance. Finally, be curious about the lives of others. Be interested in the stories of others, believe the stories of others, and join in the stories of others.
Be a citizen: Care about the whole. Engage and contribute your perspectives. Step up and contribute your skills. Stay woke and contribute your vigilance. Be present; be determined; pay attention. And in your citizen role, become highly attuned to using “black holes” in order to see “the absence of,” especially to note who is at the table and who is NOT and what is on the agenda and what is NOT. Look for evidence of two-sided signs. Practice shining the bright light of inquiry to discover differences in opportunities as well as differences in outcomes. And expose inaction in the face of need, because inaction in the face of need is the camouflage mask of racism that often escapes detection.
Build community: Care about the beauty, strength, and vigor of the whole garden. Start conversations with strangers on buses, on airplanes, at work, at school. Venture across town and then stay a while. Break down barriers and build bridges. And remember, keep pushing against the edge of your comfort—when you do this, you will find your growing edge and the glimpse of a bigger, more nourishing, more complete whole."
Text credit: Dr. Camara Phyllis Jones, "Action and Allegories" in Racism: Science and Tools for the Health Professional
Image credit: Lynnette Sauer