This is the beginning of the end.
As I welcome myself back into my online/social media spaces after weeks of spotlighting exclusively Black voices, I need you to know that I’m not looking away. Never again. The time for change is now.
I feel an unshakeable obligation to support this revolution. The call is coming from deep inside the Earth, from deep inside of me… not from any other person, group, entity, or news source that I follow. Can you feel it?
It’s time to create something different.
The time for change is now.
Its time to correct the mistakes white people made when we busted into this country & claimed it as our own… mistakes we were making long before that. Mistakes we’re still making today.
It’s time for systems that support ALL current & aspiring Americans equally. It’s time to dismantle the systems that don’t.
Guess what – that’s ALL of the systems we have – law enforcement & justice, healthcare (including mental healthcare & social work), welfare, education, etc… ALL of them require deep-down change. It’s time for our systems to serve WE THE PEOPLE more than they serve the powers of patriarchy, white supremacy, capitalism… Capitalism as we know it, the grease that keeps all these old wheels turning… grinding most of us down to nothing to hold up the club at the top.
Change is needed on an individual level inside of ALL of us. Change is needed socially in how we interact with each other & intermingle our cultures.
It’s not just racism or capitalism, it’s sexism, it’s ableism, it’s colonialism, etc…
The time for change is NOW.
It’s time for us to CHOOSE what we want & stand for it, rather than defaulting to the status quo.
Time to dig deep, find our truth & do whatever is needed to support it.
It’s time to reimagine what this world can be like, what we can become when we work together towards a common goal… True FREEDOM for ALL.
We won’t be scared & silenced.
We’ll stand powerfully in the truth of what we’re fighting for. We won’t back down.
What we’re up against is completely devastating, but I’m not looking away anymore.
Time to stay focused & keep momentum.
The time for change is now.
We need to be having these conversations constantly until we’ve accomplished our universal goal of true freedom for all. Isn’t that what America is supposed to be about, anyway?
“O, let America be America again—
The land that never has been yet—
And yet must be—the land where every man is free.” – Langston Hughes
My role here is to inspire you and to provide guidance in moments when you need to dig a little deeper to find the truth inside of yourself. I’m willing to lead, especially in that regard – providing mental, emotional, & spiritual support that is truly available for all. I would love to help you strategize around your projects that are focused on the collective good, in a way that really nurtures who you are & who you want to be.
I’m ready to shine a flashlight on our truths & stand together for our future.
That being said, we all need to explore a wide range of perspectives on a regular basis to find what’s really true & right for us.
I invite you to explore, follow, and support the work of these Black leaders.
Some do what I do or similar, others can guide your more specific actions towards racial/economic equality. There are some amazing Black-owned businesses you can support here & podcasts you can listen to. Check ’em out:
Here’s a directory of Black therapists all over the country.
Nedra Glover Tawwab – owner & therapist at Kaleidoscope Counseling & content creator – @nedratawwab
Aycee Brown – spiritual guide, coach, & entrepreneur, owner at Goodnight Darling Co. – @ayceebrown
Rachel Cargle – academic, activist, and lecturer, founder of The Loveland Foundation & The Great Unlearn – @rachel.cargle @thegreatunlearn
Brandon Kyle Goodman – writer, actor, speaker, and activist who’s videos addressing his white friends (with the added perspective of having a white husband) have gone viral in recent weeks – @brandonkgood
Sonya Renee Taylor – poet, activist, author, and leader, founder of The Body Is Not An Apology – @sonyareneetaylor @thebodyisnotanapology
Layla F. Saad – author, speaker, & teacher at the Good Ancestor Academy – @laylafsaad
No White Saviors – an advocacy campaign to call-out the White Savior Complex (WSC) & create a new normal in Africa that casts Africans as the heroes of their own story – @nowhitesaviors
Brittany Packnett Cunningham – activist, educator, & writer – @mspackyetti
The Conscious Kid – an education, research, and policy organization dedicated to equity and promoting positive racial identity development in youth – @theconsciouskid
Austin Channing Brown – media producer, author, & speaker – @austinchanning
Erica LeShai – musical artist & producer, owner of Jovi Shai beauty – @ericaleshai
Ibram X. Kendi – historian, writer, speaker, and founder of Boston University’s Center for Antiracist Research – @ibramxk
Imani Olear – pastor, speaker, mentor, founder of Yoga 4 a Good Hood – @faithhadahouse @yoga4agoodhood
Akilah Green – lawyer turned comedy writer – @akilahgreen
Black Visions Collective – an organization dedicated to Black liberation and to collective liberation based in Minnesota – @blackvisionscollective
Until Freedom – social justice organization addressing systemic & racial injustice – @untilfreedom
The Black Detour – an independent media outlet that centers the Black community & issues that impact them – @theblackdetour
Evyan Whitney – sex educator & facilitator – @evyan.whitney
Andre Henry – writer, musician – @theandrehenry
Find voices that resonate & challenge you, and lend your support when you’re inspired to. Choose to prioritize economic equality with your dollars.
This list obviously isn’t exhaustive. What Black leaders impact your life? What are your favorite Black-owned organizations, artists, & businesses? Who do we need to be listening to right now? Please share in the comments or email me – in**@br*************.com – & let me know who I need to add to the list.
Let’s all uplift Black people more intentionally moving forward.
And more so, let’s let the Black experience deep into our hearts, in a way that keeps us standing up for what’s right. Standing up for them is standing up for every single one of us.
As always, you can connect with me anytime. Take care. <3