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WHY I WRITE THIS BLOG

 

As a person of color who hasn’t always known what it means to be a person of color, I feel a deep need to share my experiences with a spectrum of folks because I think that even if you know this shit is going on, until the stupidest among us (that’s me in this example) speaks up, these things stay marginalized. More folks need to say it out loud to help break the spell.  It’s an “Emperor has no clothes” kind of situation- but in this case the emperor is just wearing a business suit but it just so happens that this is also the garb of white supremacy culture so it’s harder to spot because it's everywhere!  ...If that makes sense.

Racial identity shouldn't mean anything.  Those folks who go around saying they are 'color blind' have a tiny part of the idea right, were the idea given no content at all, or were the world an entirely equitable place as it was.  But in context of the world where humans have been sold and beaten and killed based on the color of their skin, racial identity means something.  It shouldn't, but it does. Those people's lives should never have been altered by anti-blackness.  That's the persisting wrong. And those mutherfuckers who try to convince you that it's not happening "anymore" are either white and/or are benefiting from not being the people who are suffering.  People are still dying because of racial identity every single day.  Entire populations across the globe are being treated as cash cows because of racial identity.  Because some fucking arse decided that skin color defined the quality of humanness and then centuries of assholes who looked like him realized they needed to find a way to do the same for their own benefit.  THAT IS RACISM IN A NUTSHELL.

 Brown folks, you might be experiencing some similar things, realizing things are not quite right as I have been.  Maybe you're not seeing this stuff the same way, and you're thinking, Tara you're a leftist radical nutbag.  Fair.  I am leftist, I am more radical than many in that I believe that people need to change things that hurt them in the world around them rather than be hurt by it.  And I LOVE NUTS.  So, touche.

Black folks, you likely already have an understanding that is your personal experience with an anti-black world. I'm hoping that hearing parts from my journey lets you know that there are brown folk (and yes, some Asians – cuz we Asians have a bad rep right now with respect to our participation in upholding anti-blackness for our own benefit, folks) who are also disgusted with the privileged ability to jump back and forth across white lines when it suits them to benefit from white supremacy.  I know I have had privilege.  That's not how I want to walk in this world, at the expense of any one else.

And white folks, you especially, I write this because some of you really need to keep your finger on the pulse of uncovering the mess in Black and Brown lives which is still created daily by toxic  white culture.  Because you benefit from it, because you don’t experience the negative stuff or if you do you think "it's just the way it is" but have no recourse for changing it, because you might not SEE IT YOURSELF, you need to be informed.  And if you're going to be white around me, you need to care about being informed. 

I’m putting myself out there NOT because I think that I’m going to get some crazy number of readers whom I do not know in real life and become a professional blogger/writer.  Being known by many is not what I'm interested in.  My purpose is specific and debatable:  I’m putting myself out there because I’m hoping you’ll know me, that you’ll stay in relationship with me, that you’ll let yourself care because this is happening to someone you know, daily.  If I don’t say it, you can’t know it… and you, white friends, you need to know it.  

I believe in the power of the people to change things that are harmful.  Even the most self sabotaging behavior can be given a powerful and nurturing context.  Will the self sabotaging practices change if they are surrounded by true health and respect for well-being?  I don't know, our world has never truly made an effort to try that path.  

What do you say we try it?  Maybe in Baltimore?  Maybe in theatre?  

Whaddya think?



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