Sustained Change to Support Black Lives Matter

It’s 2014, and everywhere you turn there are videos and photos of people dumping ice on their head. A trend ensues and suddenly, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) was front and center. We would band together and raise awareness of the disease and financial support to research it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, but how many of us that donated in 2014 have continued to stay in tune with ALS research needs, trends, breakthroughs?

This example is one of many that highlight how we can come together as a nation and lock arms to accomplish necessary change. When catastrophe strikes from a natural disaster there is immediate support. We hover like seagulls for a bit, providing what we can by way of material and monetary donation. We empathetically support strangers without blinking an eye.

But the ice bucket challenge is also a highlight of the fact that we tend to lose steam, fast. The need for major change can be daunting and the intimidation of how to approach it long-term tends to trigger disengagement. We go back to our daily lives and hear murmurs of how storm-riddled areas are still underwater. We may not be okay with it, but we also aren’t sure how to continue helping. The ‘hype’ has fizzled.

For this reason, I am asking you to approach Black Lives Matter differently. We simply cannot get uncomfortable for a moment and then trust that others will continue carrying the torch. This isn’t a short-term discomfort like wearing a mask for covid. This isn’t a one-time blood donation. This initiative requires all of us, notably those with privilege, to get uncomfortable until black lives are valued like white lives.

I was impressed to scroll Instagram last night and see countless blacked-out squares. But please, remember that this isn’t a fad. This isn’t about something “going viral”. This isn’t just saying “I’m not okay with racism”. If this is going to change, we must press on every single day without blinking from this crisis. We must not lose an ounce of the momentum we have right now, with white individuals listening, learning, and supporting. If you clicked online and donated money to a cause, that’s great – but it’s negated if you tolerated a racial slur a friend used.

You must get out of your comfort zone. Because while this feels uncomfortable, there are way too many names that can be cited even before George Floyd that died in a traumatically uncomfortable manner that spurred from the color of their skin.

Please link over to this exceptional article on how you can take a stance and support long-term. https://uucsj.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/How-White-People-Can-Support-the-Movement-for-Black-Lives.pdf

This isn’t going away and we must hold each other to keeping our foot on the gas pedal.

Be Well,

Nicole