Hello Neighbor! I’m Carmen and I’m a Racist.

Listen, I get it. It’s hard to examine yourself.
Harder still to own up to that you too may be a Racist.

My awakening came after college at a checkout line in Los Angeles. I asked the cashier what part of Mexico she was from. I thought I was being friendly, making small talk in Spanish. She said, “you Mexicans always assume someone with brown skin speaking Spanish is from the North. I’m Honduran!” and handed me my bags.

I honestly never considered that I, a brown girl from the ‘hood, could be a Racist. That I could take for granted the privilege of being born in Mexico! That other Latinos south of the border (of Guatemala that is) had it way worse than my “poor” family in Mexico City.

But it was, and to some extent still is, TRUE. Racism is a structure built by humans. It is working exactly as it was designed. I like to think I fight against it every day and aim to change, to learn and help others.

I am angry. I am tired of the status quo.
I am frightened for our Democracy.

I am alive and blessed to live in a beautifully sheltered community. I can breath. Because of COVID-19, I am home and not out protesting in the streets. So this is my attempt to do something, anything, to help fix this mess.

You’ve read this far so you may be interested in how you can help use your life force, your BREATH, to fight INJUSTICE. To the left are some resources to begin your journey of self examination.

The most important lesson I learned from the cashier is to LISTEN. Then EDUCATE yourself, then DO SOMETHING. Giving money is a great start.

We can be better, but it will take work. Prove we’re really in it together.

I’ll keep updating this page with more links, resources, thoughts, dialogue over the summer. If you’d like to start a conversation please reach out. But I’m not interested in Trolls, and let’s please respect our physical distance while staying social.

Love, Carmen

Resources

Celebrate Juneteenth with the Northwest African American Museum!

On June 19 at 9am PST, six leading African American museums and historical institutions, including Seattle's own NAAMNW, will join forces to launch a digital commemoration of Juneteenth, the day that the Emancipation Proclamation was officially enforced, ending enslavement of African Americans. Learn more at BLKFREEDOM.org.

Jimmy was called out for wearing blackface on SNL, and he owned it.

Please take the time to watch the whole episode, the interviews are eye-opening.

Full Episode HERE.

Links with Helpful Info

• The Case for Reparations by Ta-Nehisi Coates

  • A history of Redlining that created the gap in income inequality, education, health… life expectancy.

• Anger and Anguish a project by the Obama Foundation

• Register to VOTE in King County

• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

• Southern Poverty Law Center

  • Did you know most of the THUGS are young white men?

  • Oh and SPL had their own internal Racist/Sexist leadership upheaval, so we all have room to grow.

• Guide to Being an Anti-Racism Activist

• More Books about Race & Racism