This week I shared what I’ve been learning about racism and white supremacy in an Instagram post.

You can see it the full post here. Over the next four weeks, I’d like to share more with you about what I’ve learned and who I’m learning from. It’ll look like this:

Part 1: Learning to plug back in (That first step is a doozie)
Part 2: Learning to apologize (Am I safe here?)
Part 3: Learning to listen (A lesson from my mother)
Part 4: Learning to change (They’re called blind spots for a reason)

What you’re getting today is kind of the story behind the story behind the story. 

I mentioned last week that I'd started to do some research about racism. That research carried on into this week as I read more articles, watched videos, and scrolled through countless social media posts. Since it was the first time I'd truly stopped to listen, the amount of information quickly became overwhelming. I was struggling to find a way forward, to figure out how to help without causing more hurt.

Then finally, I was able to connect a couple of dots.

I started to understand that in addition to being a systemic problem, racism is also an individual problem. Part of the work that has to be done is self-reflection, admitting our mistakes, and unlearning a language that we don’t even realize we’re speaking.  

The thing that really ran this point home for me was a town hall for small business owners who want their businesses to be equitable and antiracist. One of the speakers was a DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) consultant named Ericka Hines. She explained that we can’t just stop at awareness and that action is important, but jumping to action without doing the work is like throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks. 

She emphasized the need for analysis, for educating ourselves and identifying the factors that are perpetuating this kind of inequity so we can figure out what do to about it. But here’s where it really came together for me. Ericka said: 

“I want to dispel the myth that you can just do this by learning the tips, tricks and tools… Part of this is behavioural, and behavioural is individual and it’s organizational... [Working on] the internalized piece, the interpersonal piece, is pivotal to being inclusive and equitable.”

Well, I thought. I know how to do that.

Self-reflection, looking at the big picture, talking about what I’ve screwed up and what I’ve learned, and sharing things that people don’t typically admit (to others, to themselves), is a constant theme in my work. It's as natural to me as breathing.

So looking inward became my starting point. Sharing that process and what I’ve learned with you feels like a logical next step. 

And here we are. 

I hope over the next few weeks you find it helpful to hear about where I went and how I got there.

C.