If white people can only learn antiracism in siloed experiences, centered in whiteness, that ignore the contributions and ongoing work of people of color and women, we are doomed.
But while that history helps to explain how our racial hierarchy arose, it doesn’t explain why it endures well into the 21st century—much less why we’re not trying very hard to get rid of it.
This project, perfectly encapsulated in the building of a statue, has served to effectively shield white Americans from feelings of guilt or thoughts of reparation—but it has left us woefully unable or unwilling to fix systemically racist systems.
Beyond participating in daily protests, and advocating for local and state legislation, we are working to birth a grassroots movement for a Federal Truth and Conciliation Commission.
Well-meaning Christians will read books and issue public statements against racism without doing much to dismantle the system that allows the violence and discrimination to exist in the first place