Dear White Allies
Dear White Allies:
We need your help!
We need our white allies to join us in the fight against injustice, prejudice and racism!
We are not asking for you to “rescue” us. We are asking for you to JOIN US!
This abridged version of Martin Niemöller’s poem, explains why joining together in this fight is so very important for ALL of us!
“First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me.”
Why do we need your help?
Because…
We are being KILLED by those who have sworn to protect us!
We are being KILLED by those who fear us!
We are being KILLED by a virus that disproportionately infects us.
We are exhausted!
We are traumatized!
We are angry!
We are devastated!
Many of us are living with some form of PTSD!
And we can’t fight this fight ALONE ANYMORE!
Every time we watch the news, see another incident, and then have to speak about said incident, we are re-traumatized by having to relive the horror over and over and over again. And then… we SCREAM for CHANGE! But… those RACISTS who need to hear our screams, CAN’T HEAR US - they WON’T HEAR US - and most importantly... they WON’T BE CHANGED BY US! Why would they listen to someone they hate (for no reason other than the color of our skin)?
A black person trying to beg a white supremacist to SEE US, to HEAR US, to SYMPATHIZE WITH US, is like screaming at an inanimate, unfeeling object. And this is why we need you to join us, my dear white friends!
How Can You Help?
You, my white friends, are like our Obi-Wan Kenobi. Your superpower is your white skin that can infiltrate the dark force that is white supremacy.
We need you to join us in speaking out because we can no longer be the only ones screaming about the injustices facing the black communities in our world. And honestly… in order for us to truly prosper, we cannot continue this fight alone! Having to relive the trauma day in and day out, takes a tangible toll on our daily lives - our work, our psyche and ultimately, our prosperity. We physically cannot fight this fight on our own any longer, because it will be our demise! We need you to fight with us … so we can have SOME REPRIEVE!
Dear White People: They might not listen to me, but they will at least open the door to a conversation with you. We need your help!
What can you do to help?
SPEAK OR WRITE… I see you, I hear you!
CALL IT OUT… When you see a racist act!
CALL IT OUT… When you see a racist comment!
CALL IT OUT… When you see a need for change!
LISTEN… when we are asking for help!
LISTEN… when we are telling you what we need!
LISTEN… when we are expressing our truth (for far too long, our cries have been ignored)
JOIN US… when we are calling for action - petitions to be signed, laws to be voted on!
JOIN US… when there are peaceful and safe protests!
PLEASE encourage your white friends to do the following whenever they come in contact with us:
DO Smile
DO Say "HELLO"
DO Practice "THE GOLDEN RULE" - Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
DO NOT make assumptions based purely on the color of our skin!
DO Take account there is content to our character!
DO Lead with LOVE and UNDERSTANDING!
When you do join in this fight, you will get resistance, but...
DO NOT BE AFRAID OF … Peaceful confrontation (there will always be trolls).
DO NOT BE AFRAID OF … Losing a racist “friend” (being blocked by a racist is okay!)
DO NOT BE AFRAID OF … Speaking out (just say SOMETHING!)
DO NOT BE AFRAID OF … Saying the “wrong” thing (just say SOMETHING!)
DO NOT BE AFRAID OF … Making a “mistake” (it’s okay to not understand exactly what to say. Just say SOMETHING!)
Thank you to our dear white friends who have and will join us in this fight. We need you more than you will ever know and we are grateful from the bottom of our hearts because together we are stronger! Together we can make a difference! TOGETHER UNITED AGAINST ALL INJUSTICE EVERYWHERE!
#JusticeForAll #BlackLivesMatter
Sincerely,
Nicole Pryor Dernersesian
Director, Inclusion Media Group