Calling White Women - Let’s Do The Work!

You may not be intentionally harming people of colour. 

But if you’re not consciously doing something different, then you’re part of perpetuating the systems + structures + culture that does cause harm. 

I know this is confronting. Stay with me 💚

It’s like the sea we’re swimming in, the air we’re breathing.

It’s not realistic to assume that because you’re not overtly racist, you haven’t also imbibed these coded, cultural messages since you were born. Everybody has. 

It’s not your fault. But it is your responsibility to do something about it. 

Still with me?!💚

If you’re asking ‘but what can I do?!’

Here’s some Starter-for-10 Actions that I’ve learned through my journey with this work (and still learning) 

 1. Check your feed. Open up outside of your echo chamber and widen out your feed. Start with the amazing writers and educators listed below and see where it takes you.

2. Listen. Listen. Listen. 

3. Allow yourself to hear the stories. Don’t defend. Don’t judge. Notice all the white fragility coming up as you deeply listen. 

4. Feel the feelings. Yes all the pain, fear, anger and shame. Don’t get stuck or go back into comfort. 

5. Don’t ask people of colour to labour for you. Respect boundaries. Stay out of DMs. Do your own research + reading. Pay the Black women and non-Black people of colour who educate you.

6. Shift to action. Join a march, sign a petition, pray, donate. Buy from women of colour, join programmes, support through Patreon.

7. Follow don’t lead. We may want to take over because now we’re so ‘woke’ but really that’s about centring + control. 

8. Stay ‘humble + ready to fumble’ (thanks Erica Hines for that one!) You’ll make mistakes. Be quick to apologise and stay open to learning.  

9. Be open to seeing how YOU are complicit in the system of white supremacy.  Understand what’s violent in your own behaviour.  

10. Invite other white women in to do the work alongside you …. invite them in to the work, we can journey together. 

 

Here’s the Deal:

As you do this work, you’ll likely feel:  

  • Defensive 

  • Angry 

  • Sad

  • Disappointed 

  • Despairing 

  • Guilty

  • Ashamed

All this (plus any other emotion) is normal and means you’re human. You’ll be confronting the violence of white supremacy and seeing how that violence can be in you.

We can choose to sit with these uncomfortable feelings , feel them, not get stuck in them. 

Up your self care and keep leaning in and learning.

Educators, writers and activists to follow and learn from:

I’m not an anti-racism educator. I’m learning and acting alongside you. Here’s some people to follow, books to read, podcasts to listen to and resources to take you deeper.

If you’re on social media I recommend you follow Nova Reid, Mona Chalabi, Aja Barber, Desiree Adaway, Layla Saad, Rachel Cargle, Kelechi Okafor, Emma Dabiri, Desiree Adaway, Afua Hirsch, Roianne Nedd, Austin Channing, Andrea Renee, Catrice M Jackson, Dr Pragya Agarwal, Everday Feminism, Chiddera Eggerue (aka The Slumflower), Erika Hines, Sonali Fiske on Instagram or Facebook where they’re active on these topics. 

Layla Saad’s book Me and White Supremacy is a must read

Catrice M Jackson’s book, The Becky Code is sobering and essential reading for white women. 

Thais Sky’s podcast Reclaim episode https://www.thaissky.com/podcast/30 waking up to white supremacy 

Kicking the Kyriarchy podcast 

Conversations with Nova Reid podcast

Audre Lorde Sister Outsider,  Your Silence Will Not Protect You

Writing from bell hooks and Ta Nehisi Coates

Trusted Black Girl by Roianne Nedd takes a look at the types of experiences black women have in the UK workplace. 

Slay in Your Lane by Yomi Adegoke Elizabeth Uviebinene 

Taking Up Space Chelsea Kwakye and Ore Ugunbiyi

Austin Channing I’m Still Here – Finding Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness

Ijeoma Olufo We Need To Talk About Race

Afua Hirsch Brit(ish)

Dolly Chugh The Person You Mean to Be - How Good People Fight Bias

Reni Eddo Lodge Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race

Roxane Gay Bad Feminist

Emma Dabiri Don’t Touch My Hair

Candice Brathwaite I Am Not Your Baby Mother

 12 essays about white privilege that every white ally needs to read from Bustle

16 books about race that every white person should read from Huffington Post

 

NOTE on engaging with women of colour on social media: 

Be respectful. Focus on listening and learning rather than commenting. Read the guidelines - most WOC hold clear boundaries about what they will and won’t tolerate in their spaces. Notice what goes on in the comments, you’ll likely see every kind of white fragility show up. Pay the WOC that educate you. Many WOC run a Patreon account or equivalent to support their work. Join their online programmes.

Coming Soon:

“How can we Lead Conversations About Race in the Workplace’ coming soon. Sign up to Catalyst Notes to be the first to receive it.

Go Deeper with Catalyst Collective:

Katy writes bi-monthly to a community of inclusion and divegrsity leaders and change makers, sharing strategies, resources and coaching prompts to resource you to be a change maker. SIGN UP HERE

You can find Katy’s inclusion programmes and organisational consultancy at www.catalyst-collective.com

katy murray