It's the thing to say and do now. It seems like a lot of people are really intrigued and want to be connected to the words: "Social Justice Warrior or Activist". My really great friend @PresidentPat (on instagram) said "Social Justice Activist/ Warrior is cringeworthy." For me; it is a micro-aggression. In a Facebook post I said:
There is a difference between Racial Justice and Social Justice. If you cannot say Black Lives Matter and understand why that has to be said; you are actually not here for Racial AND Social Justice. You’re just here for Social Justice and that’s not okay. Racial Justice is referring to equal and fair treatment to people of the global majority through systems, practices, attitudes, actions, etc. It’s a micro-aggression to say you’re a Social Justice advocate when you’re actually not even referring to the racial issues in this country but you just want to sound like you’re talking about racial reconciliation. When white people do that; you’re actually at the crux of the problem. So you’re either a Racial AND Social Justice Advocate or you’re not there yet. So I’m telling EVERYONE to adjust our language and say Racial AND Social Justice when we’re talking.
White people have taken the "Social Justice" and turned it into this appearance of advocacy for racial reconciliation. It is disgusting, unproductive and just whack! Intent vs. Impact. The intention is to stand and work in solidarity on the side of those marginalized. I can get with that. What the impact is is maintaining this position of power, safety or control, specifically white power, white safety and white control. Historically speaking; white people have no matter what; tried their very best to be in control of the narrative and the language. The intent is very pure, genuine and seems to be about the work BUT the impact is another.
Social Justice without Racial Justice is just white feminism and I am not here for that. When we are talking about Social Justice; we are talking about topics like: Poverty, Human Trafficking, Religion, LGBTQ+, Feminism, and topics that have absolutely nothing to do with race. Racial Justice is about dismantling any AND every system that oppresses people of the global majority. They indeed go hand in hand. As I said in my Facebook post; you're either a Racial and Social Justice Advocate/Warrior or you are not there yet. If the conversation is about race, racism, oppression or discrimination toward people of color , in that moment...you are about racial and social justice. Language is incredibly important and you cannot pacify the work. When you are simply saying "Social Justice", you are furthering the system of oppression and you are indeed NOT doing "the work". There is intersectionality to be understood here. We cannot have one without the other. Humanity is weaved through them. If you are for Social Justice, it is indeed time to change your language. You are for Racial and Social Justice.
I don't know if we realize the leadership skills we possess. In the teaching world; we always say "MODEL-MODEL-MODEL". For those who are not teachers; when we say that we mean whatever the expectation you have of your students, you need to be that example. Whatever it is you want those babies to do--what you want "it" to look or sound like, you have got to model it. I said that to say; we don't always know who we are modeling for in every aspect of life. For the purpose of this topic on Racial and Social Justice, our co-conspirators(white people)(because "ally" is a micro-aggression) are to be following the lead of people of color in the work of Racial and Social Justice. More than we know; white people and people of color are looking to us for solutions, ideas, articulation of a specific thought or piece, etc. Moving through this Racial and Social Justice work requires great modeling. Otherwise, we WILL indeed further the system of oppression, remain where we are and NOT doing the work. Let's be about the work. The work is:
#RacialAndSocialJustice
#AllDayEVERYDAY
#SmashWhiteSupremacy
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