This Week's Opening Thought: October 3, 2022

Image description: a meme. The following words are at the top of the meme: "There's so much to learn about racism! Where do I start? Oh! I know! I'll ask every person of color I know!' Anti-Starter Kit." Below those words are the Google logo, a library card, a stack of anti-racism books, and the logos for Hulu, Netflix, and Prime Video.

This week's opening thought for white folx who recently "discovered" racism, anti-Blackness, and white supremacy: there are way too many learning tools at your disposal at this point for you to place your "learning needs" on the melanated folx in your life. 

There are thousands of documentaries, films, and literature on the abovementioned subjects. Yet some of y'all act as if you've never heard of Netflix or the library before. And I know y'all have heard of Netflix because some of y'all have some "opinions" about The Sandman that you've shared with myself and other melanated folx that clearly shows you have a lot of learning and unlearning to do.

Life isn't a school group project where somebody else does the heavy lifting, and you get a passing grade. You have to do YOUR part in YOUR unlearning and self-reflection - and that "your" part is, like, 95% of the work you need to do to maintain and sustain being actively anti-racist and anti-oppressive. That part has nothin' to do with my Black ass. People of color, Black people, Black women, do not owe you "free" learning experiences that cost us our energy, dignity, and peace.

You better hit up Google, Hulu, and the library, yo.

[Image description: a meme. The following words are at the top of the meme: "There's so much to learn about racism! Where do I start? Oh! I know! I'll ask every person of color I know!' Anti-Starter Kit." Below those words are the Google logo, a library card, a stack of anti-racism books, and the logos for Hulu, Netflix, and Prime Video.]