How I'm Approaching Allyship

Photo via Julia Corbett

Photo via Julia Corbett

Hi everyone! I think it goes without saying, but I need to acknowledge it… the last couple of weeks have been heavy. The murder of George Floyd seems to have been the straw that broke the camel’s back and we’re waking up to the reality of the racism in America… and we’re finally speaking up, using our voices, and taking to the streets to demand change.

Personally, I was not shocked to learn about the murder of George Floyd at the hands of those 4 police officers. Unfortunately, we hear these stories all the time… police offers using excessive force in situations where it was not necessary… and that force results in death. I distinctly remember when I heard the verdict of the Treyvon Martin case, confused as to how this could happen… how someone could murder another human being and just get away with it? In the years since, these types of events are commonplace… it doesn’t seem to matter what the circumstances are… if you’re a cop, there are no consequences for your actions. Period.

Of course, the list of names goes on… and on… and on. Over and over again we see people of color being murdered at the hands of the police… with little to no consequences (getting fired doesn’t really count as “justice being served” in my book).

As a white woman, I recognize the privilege I have. I don’t leave my apartment and worry that I might be shot by police if I get into a car accident, get pulled over for speeding, or any of the other day to day things black people have died over at the hands of law enforcement. I have many friends that are black or other minorities and I have always been accepting of everyone, regardless of the color of their skin. But, we live in a racist world. The systems in place are inherently racist. The foundation of this country is racist. And whether I consider myself racist or not is no longer the point.

After watching the protesting, rioting and looting that took place in the days following George Floyd’s murder, what I have learned is that I can… and I have to do better. That I need to be actively anti-racist if I want to be an ally (which I do). I realize that there is so much for me to learn about the history of systemic racism in this country… things we weren’t taught in school… things I was just blissfully unaware of until now. And there are also things I need to further understand about my white privilege.

So with that being said, I’ve started with self-education. I’ve been doing my research and compiling a list of resources to help educate myself so that I can become an ally, and I thought that you might be interested in some of these resources, too. I know there are lots of lists going around, and it can be overwhelming. I only consider this a start… but that’s the thing… we all have to start somewhere.

The list below includes a little bit of everything… podcasts, articles, books, TV shows… even some more spiritual resources. Please note that I haven’t had a chance to read all of the books or watch all of the shows yet (I’ve placed an * by what I haven’t gotten to) but they have all been recommended to me by people/sources who I deeply trust, so I feel confident including them here.

COURSES:

SUPPORT:

PODCASTS:

BOOKS:

(It seems like a lot of these are sold out on Amazon, but check your local black-owned bookstore or you can do the audiobook!)

DOCUMENTARIES/TV SHOWS:

VIDEOS:

HISTORY:

ARTICLES:

I also have made donations to Black Lives Matter and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and this weekend, my friend Natalie and I are hosting a virtual yoga and soundbath event which will benefit Black Lives Matter. All donations we receive will be donated to this organization, and will be matched via a friend’s company’s corporate matching program. You can find all the info and sign up here.

I hope that you find these resources helpful. As I said, this is only a start… and I would love for you to share anything you have found helpful in the comments so we can all learn, grow and dismantle systemic racism together.

xo,
Kelsey

Kelsey CookComment