i would like to invite you to Race with Me. i am on a journey of anti-racism which begins in the mirror. Working on myself, checking for blind spots, looking to make sure that i am doing better at this than i was doing yesterday. Before moving on to my community and the systems and structures around me and seeing what differences can be made there. It always begins with me. i have not [...]
People seem to be jumping into race conversations more than ever. Which is great. With that comes a phrase that has the power to kickstart defensiveness for so many people: White Privilege "How dare you say I have white privilege? My family grew up poor!" "White Privilege? I had to work three jobs to get to where I am today!" "Maybe in the past that was a thing, but these days with BEE..." Are [...]
What is the problem with #AllLivesMatter? This past week, we have seen the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag and movement on the rise again. A lot of people have been responding with tags like #WhiteLivesMatter or #AllLivesMatter as if this is an important and necessary counter to #BlackLivesMatter. i would love to try and explain to anyone who feels like this, why i think differently on the matter. i think it is also important to say at [...]
My name is Brett "Fish" Anderson and i am 46 years and for the last 6 years i have been actively fighting against racism. Although people at times accuse me - and people like me - of being smug or self-righteous or feeling superior - i don't think i am any of those things. To be honest, i feel shame and embarrassment. i have for the longest time been someone who has challenged the [...]
My friend Terence is so negative: Seriously though, on a day when white people were showing solidarity with their one black friend, Terence had to go and make them feel bad. And they did - read the comments. There must be discomfort when confronting injustice Let me just be clear here - Terence is not negative. i agree with his status completely. But it led to one interaction with an old friend of mine [...]
i started this as a thread on the Twitterer but thought it might be good to stick it here as well. If you're a white person reading this, i want to encourage you to answer a couple of questions honestly. Then, when you get to the end, read the instruction and work through them one more time. White friends: i'm not sure enough of us get how different our lived experiences are simply because [...]
The Colourblind argument seems to be a confusing one for many people. White people, trying to do the right thing, often hold on to the statement: I don't see colour. While completely believing it. i would like to approach that from a different direction than i have before, which might make it easier for some of you to get. Many of my best friends are black, coloured and indian people. And no, that's not [...]
Black Face in a White Man's mouth Pissed Off Set off Fists raised Pushed in Distrust Dissed Trust Missed Trust Missed us Pushed off Knees dropped Set upon Pissed on White Face in a Black Man's moan = = = = = = = = = = [For another poem by Brett Fish called 'Whiteness', click here!]
i attended a 50th birthday party last night. Of someone i have met twice... i was in the minority [as a white person] and one of the youngest people in the room [which doesn't happen a lot for me] and it was such a complete vibe. In fact, as tbV will attest, being in a space with fifteen to twenty people where i only know two of them [the hosts] is traditionally one of my [...]
If the only black and brown people you interact with in your life are those who are in positions of service to you, you have work to do. [Not to say that if you have black and brown people in leadership over you or as equals in the spaces you inhabit that you are not racist - just like being married to a black or brown person or having children who are not the [...]
