PHASES OF THE MOVEMENT: Representative Phases to Combat Systemic Racism

There has been a major shift as we move through the year 2020. From the global pandemic of COVID-19, to the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. But that latter is not new at all, it is something that black people have been fighting, suffering from, and experiencing the hardships and repercussions of for a very long time.

Bottom line: Systemic racism has become a norm. Our education, healthcare, and legal systems are riddled with systemic racism, backed by ingrained mindsets that take hold of conversations in our personal and professional lives that have a major and dangerous effect on the decisions that build this country.

 “People should be judged upon the merit of what they know and how they can improve”- Patsy Price

As our government officials scramble to create phases on reopening our city as a result of COVID-19, I began thinking of another pandemic for which phases have been long overdue. We need to be addressing racism in phases as well. To cultivate the consistency, knowledge and openness that is so essential toward this mission.

Mayer Walsh has finally declared racism a “public health crisis” and has proposed reallocating the about $4 million from the BPD overtime budget to home security, mental health, and criminal justice reform. Plans would include a new task force to review and improve the work of the Community Ombudsman Oversight.

I have never witnessed white people be as open as they are about these topics, I have been struggling with navigating this influx of information. Partly because I am impatient to why this is still happening, but I am nervous that this shift will become another trend., where people spend a couple of weeks posting #blacklivesmatter and then we don’t a word until (perish the thought) another innocent black human is murdered due to racism.

I remember in 2014 marching in New York for Mike Brown. I was uplifted by the diversified presence, people from many different racial, economic, and social backgrounds showing up to support. In my family, and those I know in the black community spoke often about those we unjustly lost, but nationally it seems the conversations around Mike Brown’s murder, seemed to fizzle out after a short time.

But this time feel different. Anti-racism resources are being shared and black-owned businesses being patronized.

But how do we keep this work, this fight, these conversations, consistent to accelerate the fight in order to combat against systemic racism.

Here are a few phases: I would consider:

Personal life: Taking on systemic racism internally. Take on the mental health industry, create and identify safe spaces and ensure the availability of resources to address systemic racism issues on an individual level.

If we address these individual issues community-wide, we can begin to shift how people operate in their daily lives. We must hold people accountable, if you are a racist, you will be punished.

Education: People need to know about our true history as a nation. In depth black history needs to be taught in schools. As it stands now, students from predominantly white schools and predominantly black schools are being taught history very differently. My white colleagues rarely saw black educators throughout their school years, if any at all. Oftentimes they wouldn’t come into contact with a single black educator until they went to college and they weren’t taught black history.  Educators need to have specialized trainings on how to communicate and teach history, opportunity, and skill for the improvement and development of all students equally. We need standardized widespread education that is not centered on whiteness in order to truly give students the powerful education intended for them to succeed, mentally, emotionally, and physically, personally and professionally.

Legal: If it’s the law, the law is for everybody. There is not one law for black people and one law for white. We need to ensure that laws are applied equitably. People of Color need to know their rights, that the same laws for white people are the same laws for them too.  Systems of accountability in the police force and in the courtroom need to be created. There needs to a sort of social program, a place where people can go and submit legal complaints, that will be dealt with at the highest extent to the law. There should also been forums available for people to come and ask questions about discrimination and obtain legal guidance and support for their intended safety and wellbeing in their every environment.

Work: In professional settings, work to have these conversations and resources present as frequently as a staff meeting. Anti-racism resources need to be accessible and systemic racism addressed in our professional settings. Updated in application processes, policies, HR handbooks, mission statements. companies and organizations need to be having these conversations and search for and have easy access to solutions as one of the forefronts of their models and work.

What is prominent in these phases is ACCOUNTABILITY. Systemic racism will not be tolerated, and there needs to repercussions in place to dismantle it before it can continue to weave into our everyday systems, and put the citizens of this country is severe danger.

This work is vulnerable- intimate. it builds character, it creates liberation. There was a time in my life when I would have deemed this phases inappropriate, or excessive, especially in the eyes of my daily environments. This is why the accessibility of correct education, mental health and social justice mentors, and community engagement are crucial to help us navigate how we continue this work for the sake of our country, for the sake of the global.

I won’t be ignorant and deny my thoughts of the retaliation against this, as I may be seen to deem a historical culture incorrect. It is. This is a crucial opportunity now in 2020 to work towards strengthen it in correctness.

To say this is too much being to believe the murder of innocent lives is not only accepted but encouraged.

To message to us:

It’s hard to think in phases when this very important issue feels like it should’ve been solved long ago (if not ever created), because all aspects are long overdue.

I wish I could press a button and this is solved, a distant combated memory in the rear view of the strong country this was meant to be.

We are tired. We have been fighting this fight and it is the fight that we will persevere in, for each of our lifetimes until one day it is solved, I believe that the solution is inevitable. But the timeline is not what I expected, and the increased fatal, and unjustifiable outcomes are not what I expected to the point that I feel tore down. But with that feeling of being torn down, only strengthens and builds me up for this cause of wellbeing for us evermore and for always.

But look at us, look at yourself, this experience of strength, resilience, and courage pulsates in your blood, we do not fall. We cannot fall. From the experience our wisdom blossoms, and love expands. Our creativity flourishes, and our power is unbeatable.

Editor: Tess Kursel

Editor and reference: Patsy Price