Why we can never go back.

Image Credit - Sarah Dahir

I first began writing this post on May 26th, the same day I saw the video of the tragic murder of George Floyd. The original draft of this article was titled, “Do we really want to go back?”, referencing life before Coronavirus slowed the entire world down. As the week unfolded, I abandoned the original post to stay in tune and educated with what was happening in our country. As we are in our second week of deep unrest in our nation, I’ve titled this article as what you can now see, “We can never go back.”

As the world had come to a virtual halt due to the corona virus outbreak, the forced new rhythm of a slower pace has positioned Americans in the most ideal place to process the events of the last week and months. With many places in our country still closed due to the Covid 19 outbreak, we are home, with our attention on social media. Home and awake to the tragic realities of racial disparity in our country. The murder of Breonna Taylor, the video of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder circulating and resulting in outrage over his murderers not being originally arrested, the Central Park incident with Amy Cooper and Christian Cooper, and last week, the murder of George Floyd. These are just a few of the unjust actions against the black population in our country that must be addressed and eradicated.

As our second week unfolds, fatigue has also crept in with polarizing posts highlighting political narratives on the events taking place in our country. As white Americans learn, listen, and act, and as our BIPOC brothers and sisters share these traumatic stories, we ALL must take care of our mental health and well being. A post from Nedra Glover Tawwab, therapist based out of North Carolina, tells us this:

“A Reminder: Right now, you might be feeling anxious, depressed, angry, or irritable. While you’re processing all of what is, remember to take care of yourself. Stay hydrated. Process your feelings by identifying them and talking through it. Schedule a therapy session. Rest. Take some deep breaths. Even while things are heavy, take care of yourself. We need you, but we need you to be well.”

This is not a sprint, it is a marathon. It is centuries of an oppressed people group shedding the deeply imbedded dehumanization of their people. As a white American, I commit to doing the work of understanding systemic racism. I commit to listening, learning, and acting.

In the last week, I have watched 13th on Netflix, a faith based Instagram live on Race and Restoration with Christine Caine and Dr Anita Philips, and have just started reading “White Fragility” by Robin J. DiAngelo . I know there is much more work to do but this is where I am starting. Drop a comment below on additional resources you’ve been digging into.