Deep Dive Event, day 1:
Key points
Just breathe to relax and keep your heart open. If you notice you’ve closed yourself, know that we are holding open hearts to help you find your way back.
Essence: Accept the part of yourself that has unconscious bias as you work to change it.
OWN it for yourself. How can this help you do what the rules are engagement and commitments are in this work, so you can discover yourself and who you are being when you think you are being you.
There’s no wrong way. We all have unconscious bias
We’re all at different stages of awareness. Don’t judge self or others.
This is long term work. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
This is a marathon and not a sprint.
What did you notice about the doctrine of White Supremacy? What did you find that indicates this is an undercurrent or substructure of what you’ve been living in?
“Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.”
Arthur Ashe
Noticing what’s going on inside.
Model minority is the name given to Asians.
Get to know that this stuff is rolling around underneath the surface. There’s nothing wrong.
It starts with: I will hold you.
Let your friends of color know that you are in it with them.
Say something. When you don’t it raises questions.
The entry point for this work is: Whenever.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PFpK7V2DFTB2E9m6pRVvqndhfzJ5mHJT9Di-138ytDA/edit#gid=0
https://ebcouncil.com/race-resources-bipoc-action-committee-for-diversity-equity-and-inclusion/
Unconscious incompetence – I don’t know what I don’t know.
Conscious incompetence – I know what I don’t know.
Moving into the step of conscious incompetence opens space to be curious
And it’s embarrassing to be in front of BIPOC and not know
And how is it possible that after all that’s happened, there are some that still don’t understand and even deny it! 🙁
Frustration and anger are appropriate as part of the perturbation process. We are being respectful, and not necessarily “nice”.
Whatever we choose to be and do is evolving.
Just keep going.
Understand that we have bias and always bring them into our interactions.
White Supremacy was created for financial gain through enslaving people based on skin color to support Westward Expansion.
“The second bullet is why I use White and not Caucasian to identify. Caucasian originated from the separation of Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid – Caucasoid were considered the ‘angelic’ race that was ‘allowed to procreate’” Megan Fuciarelli to Everyone (10:13 AM)
If you look up the definition of “white” and “black” in the dictionary, you may also find those definitions support this definition that Valerie is sharing.
TEAM – Kerri Hummingbird to Everyone (10:19 AM)
“Caste: The Origins of our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson
What angers me is that I did know everything that was in in the video. I’ve read. “Learning from the Germans” “Caste” Warmth of Other Suns, Just Mercy, etc. I took Black Studies courses in college and grad. school. I’ve gone to gatherings of the Freedom Riders. And yet it doesn’t seem to change anything. There are still stories that I didn’t know, and all the knowledge in the world doesn’t seem to change the situation. My mother used Jane Elliott’s experiments in her teaching and as guidance counselor. My deepest frustration are the dog whistles and the police shootings. It seems hopeless and frustrating and angering. And I am a white woman.” Laura B
So that my last sentence is not misunderstood, I meant as a white woman, I am not directly affected. How must it be for our brothers and sisters who have suffered under this and dealt with it for over 400 years? Also, how can we make it end? When will it end?
Most of the people in the structure do not know.
They are bound, living it, and perpetuating it.
Racial Creed of the Southern People – Thomas Pearce Bailey.
Thomas Pearce Bailey born 1867 died 1949 (after the Civil War)
It started as an economic engine. It is now a psychological system.
One of takeaways from Caste was how Germans made reparations to Jews in post-Nazi Germany
We break the hierarchy by making a commitment to keep striving for equity, no matter the cost.
Dr. Wini I hear what you are saying. Also as a born and raised proud southerner, it is time for people to stop relegating racism to the south. It is present ALL over.
Difference between being not-racist and being anti-racist
Trying to disown it is what keeps it perpetuating.
Demolition of the architectures of privilege.
Understanding this topic is not a bystander role. It’s immersion.
Just a reminder: It’s good to make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout these conversations.
If you keep people apart, then there is no unity.
Intent is not what it’s about, it’s about the effect of your behaviour on the person
Skeleton dance
Put blocks of color on a page that are like an emotional landscape that we’re feeling.
What is the name of your landscape?
What most surprised you as you were drawing?
What was the hardest part of doing this?
Look at your landscape again, hold it away from you and really look, what do you notice?
We’re anchored and rooted in some not so pretty things that have happened, and yet here we are ascending. – Valerie
Ganz – There’s richness in the experience, even if isolation is hard.
“They tried to bury us, but they didn’t know that our blood was seed.” Annonymous
Our biases are as different as our perspectives.
Need to “get it right” and not offend anyone
Be courageous enough to stumble – Dr Ganz
Valerie on Optimal vs Right… “Is it serving me at an optimal level?”
The concept of “right” is dictated by “being white”. SO the more you can let go of that concept and go to what’s optimal in this moment given all the things presenting, the more you’re moving to the unconscious competence.
Maybe the pause will give us the insight of what’s next to do.
Love is omnipresent. It’s everywhere.
We are all love. It’s like a light. When you turn it off, electricity is still there. They are just disconnected.
We must connect our light.
We are free to create new. We honor by listening to our ancestors. We have lots of help to change, especially butterflies. Choose to see compassion and love in the trees. There has always been love. Rainbow children are here to demonstrate all colors of the rainbow are beautiful.
Were I to release myself from judgment about how I do it and how the other person might feel…and just do it… and just step in… what might I learn? What might I find?
https://ebcouncil.com/race-resources-bipoc-action-group-for-diversity-equity-and-inclusion/
Black exhaustion also shows up as silence. Too tired to keep talking about racism.
The trap is “you’re out of love.”
When you’re in the place, you’re not focused on the harm that the other person is experiencing.
One of the ways you notice is if the person whose harmed, told you that you hurt them and then you are offended. It is a way of saying “sitting down and shut up.” Ask “why.”
Accepting the other’s position and emotions instead of telling them how they should handle themselves, think or deal with what’s going on with them
Seek to understand instead of judge
Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
The fight/flight behavior… the ignoring behavior is keeping us anchored in the very thing that we want to stop.
We need to be more robust if we want to be partners in healing.
“I get to decide what you need and when you need it” A way white supremacy reveals itself.
Make sure that you are in lock-step about how they want that allyship to unfold.
Movie The Best of Enemies”
We need to be aware of other people’s experiences, and that does color the conversation. See who others are as fellow humans.
Watch your assumptions based on how things are portrayed in the media.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/what-happened-99-years-ago-in-the-tulsa-race-massacre
If you want to know more about the Tulsa massacre that was mentioned in the video, view the above link.
It’s in the discussion that you get a chance to see what’s so and what’s not so.
Book “White Fragility”
Book “They were her property”
https://www.amazon.com/They-Were-Her-Property-American/dp/0300251831/
Deep breaths and lots of water!
I will not allow someone else to change who I am. You are responsible for whether you choose to pick up the mantle and stay in the race.
Perturbate on this for the rest of your life.
OWN Work: Practice Self Care, Do not numb out
Movies to keep you stimulated on this topic ok
Take a long warm bath with Epsom salt and baking soda
Think about these questions and be ready to come back tomorrow for part two.
CHAT: