Telling kids to "be kind to everyone" doesn't help solve racism--but there are things that we can do. An interview with anti-racism educator and podcaster Jasmine Bradshaw.
The other day I told my 5 yo that the most important thing she needed to do was be kind to other people. Now I can't stop thinking today about what Bradshaw says about kindness: "The thing I want people to understand is that voting for policies that are antiracist and inclusive is kind. Understanding anti-racism and your role in it is kind. Working toward justice is kind. Voting for people and policies that oppress us and separate families, that’s the opposite of kindness. So if kindness is your goal, you need to sit down and think about how my actions work on a systemic level, and then ask if that aligns with your values." This is SO potent and so powerful. Kind to who? Being kind to people who engage in racist speech and actions? How about being kind to the people who have endured this speech and actions? I'm also thinking of her white church friends going to address the Confederate flag that her neighbor hung up. If white people hide behind "being kind," it gives us cover when we DON'T break our white silence and our white solidarity. Thank you for this!
Oh, man, Lane. I say this about everything you write but this one is SO important. Grateful for your introduction of Jasmine and her bravery and grace in doing her work. It gave me a lot to think about and I’ll be utilizing her podcast and resources to talk with my own kids about race. I think one of the trickiest things about whiteness is that we’ve sacrificed our cultural identities and those of our ancestors at the altar of privilege. I think about this a lot and am still struggling with raising white kids with some type of identity that’s not just. . .white. My ancestors came to this country hundreds of years ago and the cultural identity I grew up with certainly hews to whiteness. I want to give my kids something better but it’s hard to know what that is? (Besides, obviously anti/racism).
Jun 19, 2021Liked by Allison Lichter, Lane Anderson
Thank you Jasmine for sharing direct advice and your experience- and Lane for using your platform and talents for discussion around such important topics.
The other day I told my 5 yo that the most important thing she needed to do was be kind to other people. Now I can't stop thinking today about what Bradshaw says about kindness: "The thing I want people to understand is that voting for policies that are antiracist and inclusive is kind. Understanding anti-racism and your role in it is kind. Working toward justice is kind. Voting for people and policies that oppress us and separate families, that’s the opposite of kindness. So if kindness is your goal, you need to sit down and think about how my actions work on a systemic level, and then ask if that aligns with your values." This is SO potent and so powerful. Kind to who? Being kind to people who engage in racist speech and actions? How about being kind to the people who have endured this speech and actions? I'm also thinking of her white church friends going to address the Confederate flag that her neighbor hung up. If white people hide behind "being kind," it gives us cover when we DON'T break our white silence and our white solidarity. Thank you for this!
Oh, man, Lane. I say this about everything you write but this one is SO important. Grateful for your introduction of Jasmine and her bravery and grace in doing her work. It gave me a lot to think about and I’ll be utilizing her podcast and resources to talk with my own kids about race. I think one of the trickiest things about whiteness is that we’ve sacrificed our cultural identities and those of our ancestors at the altar of privilege. I think about this a lot and am still struggling with raising white kids with some type of identity that’s not just. . .white. My ancestors came to this country hundreds of years ago and the cultural identity I grew up with certainly hews to whiteness. I want to give my kids something better but it’s hard to know what that is? (Besides, obviously anti/racism).
Thank you Jasmine for sharing direct advice and your experience- and Lane for using your platform and talents for discussion around such important topics.