Over the last few months, many examples of overt and covert racism have become increasingly visible. And, as those impacted navigate the mental and physical toll of racism, those who witness often have questions too. How can we use our voices to expose how we, as community, got “here” from “there”? What role can we play to build an anti-racist world?
Getting strategic
At the e(RACE)r Institute, we focus our attention on ways we can be strategic with our advocacy.
In fact, when our eye is on the prize (and the prize is to build an anti-racist world) I will take strategy over being loud without one any day.
Now, where can we learn this strategy that Dr. Lindo speaks of?
Right here, in the e(RACE)r Network™, my friends!
Out Action Plan
Each month, I will share a new example of how I have mobilized three foundational anti-racist pillars:
- Understanding the Social Context.
- Recognizing the Power of my Sphere of Influence.
- Mobilizing My Privilege.
By using concrete examples from my own life my aim is to focus our monthly discussions on ideas that can benefit you most. This approach gives us something concrete to discuss. Most importantly, I hope that it can help you fine-tune your own anti-racist projects, no matter how big or small they might be.
But before we jump in, just one word of caution:
How we approach anti-racist work depends on many factors: who we are, how we identify, what we hope to achieve, our short and long-term plans etc. In fact, as I have gained more experience doing anti-racist work, my approach has shifted and changed over time. With that in mind, the goal is not to try to do exactly what I do, or to approach the work exactly as I have. Rather, it’s to figure out what works for you, how you can grow on your own anti-racist journey, and to build your toolkit for equity.
Helpful Tips
To help guide our discussions, try to hold onto these questions as you watch the videos I share each month below:
- What did resistance to Dr. Lindo’s anti-racist project look like, and how did she navigate the resistance?
- When she pivoted to avoid a pitfall on her project (or when she fell in!), what did that look like (and might that pitfall have been)?
- What aspects of the project and the work was Dr. Lindo tied to 100%, and what aspects were up for negotiation?
And now… let the games begin!
