If we could lift understandingto indigenous teachingsexpand our loveto earth, sky, and seaMake personal gain tabooand Ancients a weigh point If we could witness the mountainsslow floating across the skyand touch the dolphin’s soulanxiously swimmingwhere tuna are netted Would we cower at our insignificanceor move forward, learning to acceptthat all of life is deeply woveninto […]
I know a little girl,whose hair in ringletsfalls, unkempt from lackof brushing; who standswhen she should be sitting;who laughs with defiance whenchallenged, her dark eyes gleamingwith mischief; who holds her chin uphigh and stamps her feet, arms foldedin protest when she does not get her way. I see that little girl,have watched her play,with a […]
Ask me how I’m doingand I’ll say “fine”, notbecause I’m actually fine,but because “fine” is the onlysocially acceptable response. If I said that I have been lyinghere, for three hours now,willing my body to move,that would elicit unsolicitedadvice and tarnish my “fine”. I’d berate myself for breakingmy promise not to moan,knowing that complainingprovokes a compulsive […]
One Woman's Quest II 
It is strange that we took all the wrongdoings for granted for so many years. Acceptance is the first step on the long road of redressal.
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Absolutely! Thanks for reading.
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I think too often racism continues to be systemic because most people do not hear enough of how systemic racism is maintained either purposefully or ignorantly. You were her friend and were unaware of her experience. The changes in education need to begin in preschool. Curriculum is changing and hopefully we will see improvements in the future, but hasn’t this been what we have said for generations. Thanks for sharing this article and raising the awareness.
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Thanks Heather. There is much more to her story, of course, and I feel it as a kick to the gut that I have been ignorant of her experience. White privilege is real.
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Yes, it is real!
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VJ, when I look back and see books or movies that have been presented through the of eyes of white governance or perspective, the racism can be startling and unnerving, even the cartoon movie “Peter Pan.” There are books that shine hard spotlights on racism, that are must reads. “Huckleberry Finn” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” get a lot of questions, but are both instructive books, even with racial epithets. There are legitimate questions should the epithets be replaced, but the overarching messages are important. Yet, there are books that do the opposite, like “Gone with the Wind,” which more than sand away the rough edges of slavery. Keith
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Thanks Keith. I think we are just waking up to the depth of the damage done, and hopefully; will start to make important changes.
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VJ, so true. We need to recognize when we drift into those thoughts and preconceived notions and call others out or stand up for those being ridiculed. For example, in the US, there are is a small percentage that do not believe All Lives Matter includes Black Lives. And, that is unfortunate and extremely shortsighted. Keith
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