Here’s a book tip for anyone who hasn’t yet read ‘Why I’m no longer talking to white people about race’ by Reni Eddo-Lodge. A book that emerged following a blog post with the same name that went viral when Eddo-Lodge shared experiences and thoughts on her reality as a woman of colour.
A great read and such an important topic. Showing a reality we all need to know about and act upon. And showing the importance of being open to learn and to listen to those who are different or have a different experience than ours.
Taking action
I’m white, straight, middle class, and privileged in many ways so it’s easy to feel guilty. But Eddo-Lodge argues in the book that feeling guilty is a waste of time. Instead, we should get angry when reading her book, and we should use the anger to do good.
However, I’m also feeling that I’m not the one who needs to be heard. I’m not the one to speak up about this. As a white person I can raise the issue but it’s not my voice that needs to be heard on this.
I saw on social media an excellent quote by Suad Abdul Khabeer saying:
“You don’t need to be a voice for the voiceless. Just pass the mic.”
Read the book. Hear the stories of others. Learn more from the likes of Layla F. Saad in her workbook Me and white supremacy. And follow inspiring voices on social media – like Dominique Drakeford, Céline Semaan, and Aja Barber.