RSE on the Buffalo White Supremacist Mass Murder

Monday, I couldn’t.?

Tuesday, I couldn’t.

Wednesday, I couldn’t.?

Today, I barely can.?

However, I recognize that many look to RSE for guidance in moments like this. I understand that is a responsibility and obligation that comes with leading this work. Even when you’re hurt.?

So, I talked to two of my team members yesterday, who just so happen to be white and they said, “WE will write it and we will say it. Go be.”?

I am very proud of what they wrote, how they’ve utilized what we teach to be of service in this moment, the ownership in their allyship, and the helpful direction they provide. Thank you, team.?

-raven

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Hello LinkedIn Family,

As the RSE Team, we feel it’s important to speak up about the white supremacist attack in Buffalo. We also feel our Leader and Founder needs to be protected and given the space to grieve and process in quiet & solitude until she feels prepared to return to the conversation.

As so many have eloquently stated on multiple platforms, this act of terror was heinous and despicable. We honor and elevate in prayer/ intercession with a higher power, and are holding in our hearts the families, the community, and all Black folks across the country.?

We know that attacks on marginalized people groups have ripple effects. They create and cause harm and trauma to the folks involved, which is unspeakable, and also to folks who look like the victims. We honor their pain and suffering. We hold space for them today and every day.

To White Folks and Non-Black Folks:

This is an example of how important a concept like an emotional bank account is. To summarize, the emotional bank account is a concept demonstrating interpersonal relations between people. You make ‘deposits’ or ‘withdrawals’ in and out of your relationships with the people you become acquainted with, lead, befriend, and so on. You cannot make big withdrawals if there is no investment within the relationship. Asking someone to share their pain with you or teach you are sizeable withdrawals.?

Here is what compassion, care, and concern may look like:

• Taking a meal to someone you care about
• Sending flowers to your loved ones who may be experiencing trauma
• Giving Black colleagues a mental health day
• Asking “How can I support you today?”
• Calling the attack in Buffalo a “white supremacist attack” rather than “a racially-motivated incident”
• Dialoguing with white folks and non-black folks in your community about how you can better show up as an ally

Here is what compassion, care, and concern doesn’t look like:

• Asking Black colleagues to share about how they feel about the white supremacist attack in Buffalo
• Discussing how your political party feels about guns
• Ignoring other’s pain and suffering
• Asking Black people how “you as a white person can be anti-racist today” (especially to a barista before 8 am in the morning. Definitely, don’t do that.)
• Talking about how you took a course on Unconscious Bias once on LinkedIn

Today and every day, we honor and recognize the lives lost to this white supremacist attack and all the lives lost to white supremacy - may we uplift the voices of the families of those we have lost, and let us center and amplify Black voices in all of our efforts.?

In all of our work, and in all that we do, we must remember and shout, for all to hear, that Black Lives Matter.

-RSE Team