As I sat on my front porch, I watched the kids play in the cul-de-sac. One black kid, two whites and three Latinos — two girls, four boys. They squealed with laughter, ran in circles, kidded each other like typical children enjoying a summer night.
Far away from the murders of young black men and women. Focused only on the fun of being together without barriers.
When I watched George Floyd die on the national news, I cried and forced myself to watch it several times so I would never forget. Then came the reminders of earlier murders, of the taking of life merely because of skin color.
Such a sad scenario for a country that is supposed to stand for equality — all of us created equal by the God who gifted us with different skin tones.
Yet I’ve struggled to find a way, as a writer, to respond. What kind of voice can I add to the discussion as a white woman living in a comfortable cul-de-sac?
My history did not prepare me for the headlines of 2020. No black farmers tended their crops in our community. I didn’t go to school or church with black kids until my college days. Not because I avoided them, but because our community was segregated. Everyone on both sides seemed to accept it as the status quo.
At least, that was the excuse given to us.
The 1960’s opened my eyes to more of the struggles and inequities that needed to be fixed. I succinctly remember standing in a worship circle at a college weekend retreat, grasping the hand next to me and looking to see our white and black fingers intertwined.
“Cool,” I said to nobody in particular.
But that day, my soul opened to more possibilities. Until I experienced racism myself.
As a missionary in Honduras, I was a very white woman in a Latino world. We were not allowed to go downtown alone and never traveled outside our post at night. The culture shock was deep and real. It was a lonely identity thrust on me by location, gender and race.
But when I served as an international minister at the University of Kansas, I learned to appreciate and revel in the beatific richness of diverse cultures. Each week I met with Chinese post-docs, Kenyans, Muslims from the Middle East, Indians from New Delhi, Koreans, Japanese, Nepalese, Germans and other European students.
Although I was the leader of the group, I too learned from my students: about amazing foods, cultural differences, the rhythm of multiple languages and the colorful textures of customized dress.
None of us talked about racial differences. We all gathered together for one purpose — to learn to speak English better and share our lives with each other.
Only the U.S. was behind the curve ball where we couldn’t reconcile just two races as equal partners.
So I wonder what I can do now to help move my country of origin to a better place?
Admit that I don’t truly understand how it feels to be black in America. Until we open the conversation, truly listen to each other, ask the open-ended difficult questions and desire to learn from each other — we’ll be tethered by our history.
Change and social justice only happen as we dare to believe in the need for change and actually work hard to make it happen.
Educate myself. One of my black clients and I are reading How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. Soon, we’ll meet online and discuss it. Hopefully, we’ll both grow and appreciate more fully the challenges our nation faces.
I’m also committed to reading more books written by authors of color, and I want to support the Black Writers Guild.
Recently, I attended a writers conference where I learned tips about writing diverse characters. The workshop was focused on various races and reminded me once again how most of us write from the viewpoint of our comfort zones.
Speak up. Silence is indeed a form of consensus. My voice will be heard at the ballot box as I discover each candidate’s plan for civil rights and racial equality. Which candidates are committed to social justice, mercy and decent human rights for all?
Leadership matters, and change can’t happen when the same people work from the same office with the same mindset while refusing to listen.
God promises that someday people from every tribe and language will stand before his throne (Revelation 7:9, 10). Heaven will be a place where diversity is celebrated and fully accepted.
If we’re going to live eternally with our brothers and sisters from all over the world, we’d better learn how to peacefully live together now.
We have so much work to do and so many prayers to offer. I pray to God with steadfast hope we’ll get it right this time.
Maybe the children will have to show us the way.
©2020 RJ Thesman – All Rights Reserved
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Hi RJ,
Excellent approach to today’s challenge of racial diversity in the US. I think you are right about writing from our ethnicity. I have always loved reading books by authors coming from diverse cultural backgrounds so I will continue doing so. I would love to join a book club with a book club represented by many different cultures. That would help me to take what I have read to another level.
Thank you for sharing your background, and your goals of being part of the solution of racial and cultural diversity in the US.
Amy
Thanks, Amy. If all of us start from where we are and keep learning, maybe this time we can get it right. Appreciate your comment !
I will never forget the day my adopted daughter, whose heritage is from Iberia, was told she would go to hell because she was black.
How terrible, Sally! I’m sorry she had to go through that. People can be so very cruel.
I appreciate this. I thank you. All of this under COVID has been so hard. I lacked clarity and was completely unsure as to what voice I should have. I stayed silent. Only on a few occassions did I speak out. 1. I believe in protesting, not rioting. 2. Privilege isn’t a white thing, but a spirit all of us have operated in from time to time. Just a few things I spoke out about very carefully and in the right communities. The anxiety has been overwhelming, but to know that people who do not look like me can have a voice as yours (so gracious and understanding) is really comforting.
Thank you so much for your comment. I’m so glad you are letting your voice be heard as we can all learn from each other. Here’s hoping for real change for the better !