I shared the post below with my wellthier wednesday audience, yesterday, and wasn’t “surprised” to see several unsubscribe after reading the following post as I second guessed writing it in the first place (or at least parts of it) - but ultimately felt that I needed to write from the heart.
This'll Be Brief...
I refuse to be another white-privileged voice distracting you, so...
If you haven't already, please take a moment to read this short note from former President Obama who's far more impactful + well-written than I'll ever be.
I'd written a piece for today but it felt frivolous + unimportant when I stared at it yesterday morning.
Just like you, I can't ignore nor do I want to ignore what's happening in our communities. Riots, racism, looting, the unsafe + uneasy feeling we're all feeling.
I know it's not new, racism; it's certainly louder + more visual than ever before. And to only exacerbate the crisis of racism, police brutality, looting and white supremacy, we're in the middle of a compounding global pandemic, keeping us "stuck" and in a swirl of not knowing when there will ever be a "normal" day again.
I laid in bed the other night so sad, holding my belly - thinking of this little unborn baby + the world I'm about to bring him into...thinking about how lucky he'll be in so many ways (all for things he has nothing to do with), but among such unfair disgusting hate - "what could I do?" "How can I make a difference?"
...Thinking about the last time I felt this way; November 2016, watching the final votes being counted... I realized it was going to be an incredibly challenging four years ahead. I just didn't know what that would mean for each of us.
I felt hopeless that night + this week I felt hopeless again.
Until...
Ryan reminded me that my most powerful tool... YOUR most powerful tool... is to vote + help others become educated about their candidates to make the right vote for them, too.
I'm not just talking about the presidential election - although yes, please make sure you vote for every political position.
I'm talking about your local police chief, district attorney, your mayor, city council, your politicians that take care of your city + ultimately you.
I implore you to please take the time to get to know who they really are.
Here's a simple 3 step process to make sure you're doing your part.
Step 1: Make sure you're registered to vote.
If you think voting is NOT the way to make a difference I beg you to read this. Don't let anyone tell you your vote doesn't count. It does.
Step 2: Learn about your local leaders as it gets closer to elections. Find out who's running for office. What do they stand for? What's their history/track record? Do they align with your values? Are they for or against body cameras for police officers?
You can use sites like: https://www.vote411.org/
or https://www.usa.gov/election-office
Step 3: Help the politicians + leaders in your city who do have a moral compass + stand up for equality by supporting them.
Email or call them. Find out what YOU can do. They don't just need callers + canvassers - although that's important. They need skilled professionals in their community who can help get the word out by leveraging your unique skills + network.
There's more...
If you're like me and so many others who want to educate yourself on the global issue of racism here's a link to Antiracist Resources.
Don't be afraid to offend or ask a question that makes you feel totally ignorant. Instead, use your voice, ask questions + get educated on the topic to be able to speak about it to others.
A good friend of mine (thank you Sam) shared a local resource of black owned businesses to support.
If you're in the Tampa/St. Pete area, check it out here.
I'm sure your city has a similar guide. If you can't find it, let me know! Maybe it's time to get creative + resourceful.
Thank you for taking a moment to read these tips on how to leverage your unique skills, beautiful brain-power + critical vote so it makes a difference.
With love + gratitude,
Laura
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