[Note: This will not be perfect. I’m not. We’re not. I am ‘humble and ready to fumble’ and open to feedback.]
This has been a significant time of emerging awareness and action around the ugly truth of racism - particularly against Black people - both here in the Twin Cities and throughout our country.
It has been more than three weeks since the killing of George Floyd and we now see the spark of awareness and uprising is more than just a moment - it’s a powerful push in the long-lived movement toward justice and liberation.
We need to be able to talk about how racism and other systemic injustice impacts our health, culture, bodies, values, and behavior. Essential ingredients for healing as individuals and communities include:
Conversations (no matter how uncomfortable),
Commitment toward learning (and unlearning),
Centering the voices, histories, and knowledge of those you have been marginalized, silenced, or erased,
Thoughtful and informed analysis, and
Significant and sustained action.
Before we are really able to talk, we need to listen - with open minds and open hearts. We need to learn to recognize and divest from aspects of white supremacy, including individualism, paternalism, defensiveness, etc. We must move forward with creative, inclusive, and collective ways to solve problems, organize, and care for one another through our systems of support including but not limited to access to meaningfully helpful services such as health care; the growing, distribution and preparation of food; the celebration of diversity, and the sharing of joy.
Our current model of healthcare isn’t working for too many of us and doesn’t consider the social determinants of health. Part of my role as a health care practitioner is to identify where a health problem exists. Here’s a clue - it’s usually not in our miraculous, sweet bodies, be they Black, Brown, fat, trans, GNC, variably abled, or any other representation varying from the dominant culture’s declaration of “ideal”.
The problem actually resides in the systems that create disparities in access to care and choice, sells a hierarchy of worthiness or/and morality based on seen and unseen natural variability, and puts up barriers between people and ease and freedom and what we know (or used to know but has been erased) are ways to best take care of bodies. We need to lighten the heavy burden of shame, remove the blame on individuals for health disparities, and ease the stigma + bias of the beautiful and normal variety of human life.
The veil on the truth that the ‘game is rigged’ is being lifted higher and the banners for liberation and justice hoisted proudly. Perhaps we can’t fix everything immediately, but we can elevate the voices of Black people others who have not been adequately heard nor respected, invest in our communities (over corporations), and continue actions toward a more just and dignified world for everyone. .
Here are some voices that I’ve been listening to: (please find and follow on your social media too!)
Desiree Adaway (currently in her year-long Freedom School and highly recommend all of her trainings!)
Sonya Renee Taylor (Author of one of the books I most commonly recommend: The Body Is Not an Apology)
Resmaa Menakem (local!) Check out his list of resources:
ttps://www.resmaa.com/resources
I have not read all the books in the below picture yet, but each has been recommended and I intend to devour them all over time. (ps - this work is more than book clubs/reading, is no quick fix, and will not be checked off - ever - so pack a snack and nap as needed, but don’t fade back to ambivalence!)
These times are confusing and conflicting and ever evolving. I believe the truest navigational tool we have is LOVE 💛.
If you are looking to donate to those committed to doing this work, please consider:
Locally:
Nationally:
A picture of many book recommendations for social justice reading.