Co-Conspirators of Equity (Throwback)

Greetings Beautiful Beings,

I hope these words find you at peace, staying hydrated, and attuned to the needs of your body.

Nearly five years ago, I penned a call to action for individuals who identify as white and/or white passing. It was an invitation to embark on a self-reflective journey—one that encouraged people to look inward and then share their insights with others who also identified as white and had the privilege of whiteness.

This call to action laid the foundation for what became the learning experience, "How to Leverage White Privilege." This space was intentionally created for individuals with the artificial construct of white privilege to examine whiteness as something they can choose to engage with in a consensual, non-harmful relationship—a relationship that fosters healing rather than harm, for both themselves and others. Over time, this experience evolved into five powerful iterations of self-reflection and growth.

The sessions were intentionally crafted to bridge the connection between the head and the heart. The goal was to inspire individuals with white privilege to not only examine what they think but also why they think it, providing space to unlearn, heal, and connect with others who share similar experiences.

The initial spark for this work came from a sobering realization: many people who identify as white were not actively listening to the stories and wisdom of those who do not share that identity. Historically, there has been a pervasive dismissal of the knowledge and lived experiences of non-white groups.

This prompted me to extend an invitation—a call for those with white privilege to create messages that could be shared with other white people. These messages honored the truth that self-reflection is not only a personal journey but also a vital step in implementing meaningful change.

As I revisit this work, I am updating this original prompt to reflect the focus of my upcoming initiative, Equity in Practice: Co-Conspiring for Social Justice and Healing. My hope is that those afforded the artificial construct of privilege will seek spaces where they can unlearn harmful practices, embrace the principles of Love and Healing, and transform how they engage with themselves and others.

Below is the original 2020 prompt that started it all. May it inspire you as we collectively step into spaces of deeper accountability, healing, and love.

Let us commit to listening, reflecting, and acting in ways that honor our shared humanity.

With love and healing,

Fatima Mann, J.D.

Dear Fellow White People Invitation

Greetings beautiful being,

I hope this finds you with peace of mind, you’re drinking water and taking care of yourself. You are receiving this because you embody being a co-conspirator of social equity. This is an invitation for people that have realized they were afforded a privilege because of your skin complexion.? This is for those that have been on a journey of healing and learning how white privilege shows up and can be leveraged to assist people of the African Diaspora and other systematically oppressed groups.?

This practice is for those that identify as white or white presenting, have unapologetically taken a journey that honors their white privilege.? You are someone that is constantly researching, learning, asking questions, and self-reflecting on what you can do to assist in the liberation of those suffering from the impacts of institutional racism.? The interpersonal work you do manifests in the work you do in the world; and I am grateful for your work.

In the wake of what’s happening in the world.? People of the African Diaspora are dying at a higher rate from COVID-19 and suffering from modern day lynching.? In an effort to provide rest, opportunities to pause, and heal while forced to fight for justice, here lies an invitation.? An invitation for people that identify as white or white presenting to be a cultivator of social equity.

What is a co-conspirator of social equity?

A co-conspirator of social equity is someone that acknowledges and comprehends the impact of slavery and racism and how it manifests in institutional racism. ? A co-conspirator of social equity is a person that conspires with people systematically oppressed by institutional racism to transform systems for the future generations of survivors of institutional racism. This person willingly participates in an act, while intentionally acknowledging their white privilege, and utilizes their white privilege to create sustainable impacts within communities historically subjected to institutional racism.??

Get involved:

Being a co-conspirator of social equity can manifest through various actions.? In effort to cultivate a cohort of people willing to invest time and energy into learning how to be a cultivator of social equity you’re invited to engage in this experience.? You are also invited to participate in efforts to educate and engage white bodied people.? You are invited to write a Dear Fellow White ______ Letter. You are invited to write a letter to your fellow white neighbors, your fellow white coworkers, your fellow white teachers, your fellow white parents, your fellow white members of the LGBTQIAA community. However, you identify, you are invited to write to your fellow white members of your community.

Prior to writing your letter, I invite you to read this Dear White People PDF, it has great practices and examples that we will be incorporating into our engagements with people that benefit from white privilege.? If you are a leader of a business, an organization, and/or corporation.? We invite?

you to write this letter as the C-Suite leader acknowledging how your organization leverages its privilege and access to resources to assist others.?

Here are some suggestive reflective questions to place in your letter to fellow white people in your life:

• What does white privilege mean to you, and when and how were you awakened to your own white privilege?
• Once you realized you were afforded white privilege, what discomforts did you experience and how did you lean into and/or try to escape this discomfort?
• What harms do you feel you may have caused prior to acknowledging and accepting your white fragility?
• How have you committed to utilizing your privilege to assist people not afforded white privilege?
• What advice would you give your younger self that did not intentionally invest in utilizing your white privilege to help others?
• What do you wish you knew more about, and what preferred method would you like to learn?? (i.e. zoom calls, articles, in person group discussion, videos)
• What biases do you have/or have you had that you're willing to reflect on and have insight??

Co-conspirators of social equity act in a manner illustrative of knowing that mere empathy is not enough. Co-conspirators of social equity are able to identify their systemically granted privilege and collaborate with people that endure institutionalized racism in ending the oppression caused by those institutions.? Ending institutional racism must be grounded in cultural mindfulness, healing and human centered language, actions, trainings, policy, culture, practices, and planning.

You are invited to help end institutional racism so that people of the African Diaspora can stop being killed, mistreated, denied access, and ignored because of the color of their skin.? Writing a “Dear Fellow White” person is the beginning. After you write your letter, be prepared to discuss it with other people that identify as white within your collectives.?