Over the last week I’ve been watching world events unfold and sitting with my discomfort of not realising the extent that the black community have been suffering. And not realising how my own white privilege has blinded me to this reality.
I’ve wanted to reach out and connect with you – my community – but needed to pause, go-inwards and reflect. I’ve questioned my right to be speaking on the subject of racism but I know that not speaking out is the wrong thing to do. I also wanted to make sure that whatever I share is from a place of integrity – not just tokenism.
But as Layla Saad, Author of Me and White Supremacy says “ if you’re someone who believes in love, justice and integrity….this is non-negotiable.”
It was when I saw this image that the deepest, wisest part of me called out to push past my fear, discomfort and shame to discuss the issue of racism here within Wisdom For Working Mums:
The thought that, as mothers, every cell of our bodies wants to protect our children in this world. I’m now beginning to realise that black mothers live in a deeper, more toxic, fear of what the world might hold for their children which is almost unbearable to contemplate. But it’s not about me and my feelings. This is about standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the black community and fighting on their behalf, because quite frankly they’ve had to take on this fight on their own for far, far too long. For that I’m sorry and I’m ashamed.
As mothers we give so much to bring our children into this world (and for black women the risk to their lives in birth is five times higher) and raise them into adulthood. I’m now having my eyes opened to how black people’s lives are being taken from them just because of the colour of their skin. And that the colour of my skin protects me and my family from this injustice. This isn’t a world that I want my children to grow up in and it isn’t the world that I want any black child to have to live in. No more mothers should have to experience the unbearable pain of losing a child just because of the colour of their skin.
As mother’s we all hope to raise our children to know that they’re enough in this world. That they can walk in this world with a full heart and know their worth. But realising that black mothers have the unacceptable burden of working that much harder to support their children to know they’re enough just because of the colour of their skin.
If I’m here for all mothers – which I feel passionately about – I can’t just talk about gender I have to talk about all intersections.
And I am realising (with some shame) how white my business is and how much work I’ve got to do to truly be diverse.
So I commit to start with these two things:
- To start educating myself and start challenging my own unconscious bias. I commit to call out racism when I see it and I’m committed to do the work to start to unpick how racism unintentionally shows up in the systems I operate in, so I can see it more and therefore challenge it more.
- To be more inclusive in my business. This involves listening to, encouraging and supporting more diversity.
So my commitment is to continue doing this work, not just now, but when this isn’t front page on the news.
I invite you to reply to this with any comments, suggestions, feedback – I would love to hear from you.
This was so thought provoking to read and I really felt you reaching out to me, as a Black mother, and the Black community, through the words you wrote. Thank you for acknowledging the statistical disadvantages and odds for justice, equality, humanity, which are rarely in our favour. “Privilege” can be such a loaded term, anyone can have privileges in different senses, but thank you for naming White privilege.
I grew up in the 80s in London when we were taught to be “colour blind”, rather than anti-racist. I love this side of the new social media generation we now live in: where we can instead celebrate all colours of the rainbow of different races; and seek to deepen our understanding of difference within an overarching equality.
Thanks for reaching out for me to do a podcast with you at this time. Let’s learn on each other to learn the new anti-racist language of today, so we can form allies across communities, continents, cultures and faiths! Thanks again for all the wisdom and knowledge you’ve shared as my family and business have grown over the years! Dr Esther Cole – Lifespan Psychology – The Diverse Practice http://www.lifespanpsychology.co.uk
Thanks for any other informative website. Where else
may I am getting that kind of information written in such an ideal way?
I have a venture that I am simply now operating on, and I have
been on the glance out for such information.
A motivating discussion is worth comment.
I do think that you ought to publish more on this topic, it might not
be a taboo matter but generally folks don’t talk about such topics.
To the next! Many thanks!!
What i don’t realize is if truth be told how you’re now not actually much more well-liked than you may be now.
You are very intelligent. You already know therefore significantly with regards to this matter, produced me
in my view believe it from so many varied angles.
Its like women and men aren’t fascinated unless it’s one thing to accomplish with Woman gaga!
Your individual stuffs outstanding. At all times care for it up!
Howdy excellent website! Does running a blog similar to this take a large amount of work?
I have absolutely no expertise in programming however I was hoping to start my own blog in the
near future. Anyhow, should you have any ideas or techniques for new
blog owners please share. I understand this is off topic nevertheless I simply
had to ask. Thanks!
Hello, constantly i used to check webpage posts here early in the morning, since i like
to gain knowledge of more and more.
Hi, the whole thing is going fine here and ofcourse every one is sharing
information, that’s actually excellent, keep up writing.
Do you have a spam problem on this blog; I also am a blogger, and I was wanting to
know your situation; many of us have created some nice methods and we are looking to trade techniques with other
folks, be sure to shoot me an e-mail if interested.
Hello, yes this post is actually good and I have learned lot of
things from it on the topic of blogging. thanks.
I blog often and I genuinely thank you for your content.
This great article has really peaked my interest. I’m going
to book mark your website and keep checking for new details about
once per week. I opted in for your RSS feed too.
Hello there, I do think your website could possibly be having web browser
compatibility problems. Whenever I look at
your web site in Safari, it looks fine however when opening in I.E.,
it has some overlapping issues. I just wanted to provide
you with a quick heads up! Besides that, excellent site!
Superb, what a web site it is! This website presents valuable information to us,
keep it up.
Watch the best Xvideos com videos, free movies, mobile xvideos,
and download for on this tube https://t.me/xvideos_xvideo
Watch the best Xvideos com videos, free movies, mobile xvideos,
and download for on this tube https://t.me/xvideos_xvideo
Fastidious replies in return of this matter with real
arguments and describing everything concerning that.
I just could not go away your site before suggesting
that I extremely loved the usual info a person provide
to your guests? Is going to be again often to inspect new posts
I blog quite often and I genuinely appreciate your information. The article has really peaked my interest.
I am going to take a note of your blog and keep checking for new details about once per week.
I subscribed to your RSS feed too.
At this time I am going away to do my breakfast, afterward having my breakfast
coming yet again to read more news.