Interrupting Business as Usual
How Are You Doing?
This week, I had planned to share my thoughts about the cold-blooded murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and way to many other Black people. As always, I have a lot to say. But like many White women, I can sometimes love the sound of my own voice so much that I forget to listen.
I have been doing some soul searching about how and why I use my voice to promote racial justice, and the difference between engaging in anti-racism work as a personal growth project and optical exercise on social media vs. risky, embodied action. There is a lot to unpack here, and I will do it on my own time.
The reality is that there is nothing I have to say that a Black or Brown person has not said better and more eloquently than I ever could.
So, instead I am taking a break from promoting my work this week to ask you to take the time right now to dive into some of the the incredible resources and content being created by Black people everyday.
I ask one more thing: pay them.
Show gratitude for the immense emotional labor it takes to create this content. Pay for programs and meditations, join Patreons and click fundraising links.
If you want to throw some money at the cause right now, I highly recommend ActBlue's current fundraiser that will split your donation among 11 amazing organizations fighting for racial justice and against police brutality.
Furthermore, we know that social media can be used for good.
Can you follow each of the accounts below on Instagram so collectively we can raise their followers by 50 each?
Start here:
Amplify Tenacious U, an organization that empowers Communities of Color to develop conscious relationships with themselves and with technology through wellness workshops and unplugged experiences. As far as I know, this is the only Black-led Digital Wellness organization in the US. Follow then on social media (@tenaciousu_), and look for their upcoming events.
Download these beautiful Black Lives Matter meditations from Dr. Candice Nicole Hargons. Dr. Hargons is a counseling psychologist specializing in sex, race, intersectionality, and social justice engagement. She offers two meditations: one for People of Color called Black Lives Matter Meditation for Healing Racial Trauma and one for White people called The Ally + Accomplice Meditation for Cultivating an Anti-Racist Mindset. I listened to the latter all weekend and am incredibly grateful to Dr. Hargons for her loving and challenging call-in to embodied anti-racist action. Join me in supporting her work and following her on social media (@dr.candicenicole)
Watch and Follow Halisha Anderson’s powerful videos on Facebook and Instagram (@halishaanderson). Halisha is a brilliant New Orleans-based psychotherapist who pulls no punches, affirming and empowering Black experiences and challenging White people to do better. Oh yeah, and she somehow manages to make us laugh in the process.
Support Holistic Resistance , contribute to their Reach Fund, and yes, follow them on social media (@holistic_resistance). Working with Aaron Johnson (@turnitupnow1982) and the rest of the Holistic Resistance team has changed my life and given me a home for the lifelong work of unpacking Whiteness and reaching for Blackness. Check out their many offerings including powerful singing circles, workshops and one-on-one mentoring. Words cannot describe the beauty of this work.
Of course, the work does not stop here. Let’s roll up our sleeves and dive in.
And by dive in, I mean actually DO something. You can donate your money, participate in a protest, take an anti-racism course, start or join an anti-racist book club, volunteer for a local organization or any of these 75 things.
We can't do everything, but we can do something and we can do it right now.
Much love,
Christina
P.S. If you’ve read this far, thank you! I invite you to join my mailing list for occasional musings and updates on retreats and events. I won't spam you, or share your data. Let's start supporting small businesses on platforms they own!