black and white

Tales of White Fragility

i have just started reading Robin DiAngelo's 'White Fragility: Why it's so hard for white people to talk about racism' and am already in love. You should basically just go and buy the book. [Got it for R200 on Loot] It is that good. Am only part way in and already feels like such a game changer both in terms of the language it uses [and some helpful analogy already] and the ways in [...]

By |2018-11-13T00:34:30+02:00November 2nd, 2018|race vibes, things to wrestle with, what i am reading|3 Comments

Between Ta-Nihisi Coates and me

It's not a long book and it is not difficult reading [#LoveLanguage] and i am almost halfway through 'Between the World and Me' by Ta-Nehisi Coates, which i already shared one passage from to whet your appetites. But yoh, this book is so so good. Coates writes with such a rough and organic style that tends to draw you along with its poetic feel and then punch you in the stomach with the reality of [...]

By |2017-09-18T12:18:02+02:00September 18th, 2017|race vibes, thorts of other people, what i am reading|0 Comments

Between the world and Ta-Nehisi Coates

i just started reading 'Between the World and Me' by Ta-Nehisi Coates, which has been on my to-read pile for a while now. It is written in the form of a series of letters between him and his son and speaks into race in America and beyond. This is another book well worth reading, especially as someone trying to understand more the race dynamics of our day and age. This extract jumped out at me: [...]

By |2020-10-17T13:13:02+02:00September 15th, 2017|inspire-ations, thorts of other people, what i am reading|1 Comment

Ways in which white people aren’t better than black people [part II]

In Part I titled 'Ways in which white people are better than black people [part I]' i drew up a list of all the ways i think white people are better than black people. Or rather i left a big chunk of empty space. Because we are not better. We are different. Although you wouldn't think so if you read many of the comments in my blog or generally online. There is a fairly significant portion [...]

By |2016-05-19T07:17:54+02:00May 19th, 2016|inspire-ations, shtupidt people, South Africa|15 Comments

Listen hear

i just had a brief conversation with a Facebook friend that began with him writing the words, "Knowing what white privilege is..." and then asking a question. Having learnt from some people who are really good at Questions over the last few years, i responded with one of my own: Well i would need to know what you understand when you say that you get what it means to have white privilege - how would [...]

How about BOTH/AND when it comes to Race?

It begins with a cartoon posted on Facebook: And before long someone jumping on with a "But Zuma orchestrated the Red Wedding, is responsible for ongoing Adam Sandler movies and killed all the unicorns!"  To which I responded with: Racism 101: There is a scenario in which we can comfortably say that Jacob Zuma has not been a great leader in many respects AND also see that there is something in ourselves which needs to [...]

Deep Diving with the African Americans

Wow! What an hour and a half. Just listened to this entertaining conversation on black and white racism in America by Michael Gungor and Science Mike who are in conversation with Propaganda and William Matthews on so many different aspects of race which, while focused specifically on Americaland, have so much to teach us and help open our eyes. It is a lot of fun as well as they banter well so if you have [...]

Breaking Bread [with Linde]: On Allyship, Friendship and Engagement

Hi Linde, thank you so much for agreeing to try this with me. It started with you writing a blog post titled 'For Blacks Only' - https://brettfish.wordpress.com/2016/01/28/for-blacks-only-guest-post-by-linde-ndaba/#comments - although you did tell me that it was also a great post for white people to read and i fully agree with that. Then my friend Megan [who i know is totally genuine in her response and is someone really looking to be a genuine ally to people of [...]

For Blacks Only: Guest post by Linde Ndaba

My name is Linde Ndaba and I’m addicted. My addiction might not have me shacking relentlessly from withdrawal symptoms, as drug dependence often does or leave me broke and destitute, but it may arguably be just as problematic. As a black person raised in a white suburb (Pinelands) in South Africa, my neighbourhood friends rarely made the effort to know my world. In fact I can count the occasions where they correctly pronounced my name [...]

How to be an Ally: #NotOnMyWatch

i want to continue this series on trying to figure out as white people, how we can be better allies to our friends of colour and i guess people of colour in general. i would LOVE to have more of you contributing pieces to this series, so if you have an idea please get hold of me. This is similar to the 'Just say No' post i did a while back, but i also want to [...]

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