Systemic Racism. You can know what those words mean because a 22-year old woman raised her voice.
Systemic Racism. You can know exactly what those words mean because a 22-year old woman raised her voice.
Women have always been at the forefront of change and progress. And we are again!
“Black lives matter”. “I can’t breathe”. “Systemic Racism”. Those words evoke responses and emotions ranging from indifference to sympathetic grief to outrage. But what do these words really mean?
Last month Kennedy Mitchum, a young 22-year old Black woman, raised her voice and asked Merriam- Webster if their definition of the word “racism” captured the full meaning of the word. On June 10th, a short three weeks after receiving her question , Merriam-Webster changed their definition. The dictionary now defines systematic racism as ”a doctrine or political program based on the assumption of racism and designed to execute its principles“.
Watch https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YrHIQIO_bdQ for a great example of how systemic racism works.
Most of us think we are not part of the problem because we are not contributing to systemic racism. However many are unwittingly benefiting from it. Merriam Webster acknowledged that they would never have changed their dictionary without hearing that young woman’s voice.
Right now, all across the nation coalitions and thousands of individuals are raising their voices in a multiethnic-multigenerational cry as against systematic racism and injustice. exclaiming “Black lives matter”. Its transformational. These voices are focusing the attention of the nation. Conversations are taking place. Earthquake size changes in laws and culture are taking place and new rules are being written.
We all grew up hearing the old rules. “if you just work hard, if you speak a certain way, if you get the right degree, if you love everybody but distance yourself from some Black Americans, you will be fine. You will be safe. “ We believed that if we follow those “rules” we will be immune from America’s anti blackness. And we were silent because the “rules” told us to stay silent. Reality shows us that Silence is not golden. Silence is an act of complicity.
Each of us has probably witnessed or know at least one story of unjust violence or systematic racism against Black people. It’s time to re-examine that story in light of the ideal that we all have innate value as human beings, and no person’s value is more or less than anyone else’s. It’s time to raise your voice against racism and for the truth that all humans should have the same rights and opportunities for access to healthcare, education, and safe spaces to live and work. We can raise our voice to level the playing field and eliminate discrimination.
Let’s keep women at the forefront of change and progress. Raise your voice in your own best way, and within your own available time to dismantle systemic racism. It’s right, it’s urgent, and it’s worth it.
WASH YOUR HANDS | WEAR A MASK | TAKE YOUR TEMPERATURE | KEEP YOUR DISTANCE | BE SAFE