I have lost a lot of customers over the last couple years since I started being more open about my political and social beliefs. I expected it, actually, but I didn’t really think that it would be quite this much. After all, the crafting world is loving and open-minded and inclusive, right? Most definitely not. There have been times when I’m not certain I can stay open and thoughts of going back to school for something has crossed my mind.
Even so, that loss of income is worth the knowledge that I’m being true to myself and doing the right thing.
Most of the time I try to live my life by example and not just spouting off what others have said, even if it resonates with me (and, they are usually much more eloquent than I). That doesn’t always happen, of course, but I try. The recent events surrounding the call-out of racism, though… I realize that I can’t just keep living my life as usual. Yes, I call out racism when I see it in the store. Yes, I check my knee-jerk reactions when people say that I’m wrong about things. Yes, I try to listen to the words and the underlying emotions when people say that I have privilege.
But, I am far from perfect and I have a long way to go. It’s not just listening that we have to do, it’s continuing the right and good actions and intensifying them. Part of that would be to share the words of others, too, so that their voices can be heard.
This isn’t my story, but it’s a story embedded in all of our ancestry, some significantly more than others. Let’s listen, let’s amplify the voices.
Karinda Collins
Layla Saad
Audre Lord
Girlhood Interrupted (please click on the link to the pdf once you get to the page)
Peggy McIntosh (why the heck is this one from 30 years ago and we are still not in a better place‽)
I know there are so many more, but these are good places to start. You can use Google for even more information on the subject of racism, black erasure, and white privilege.
In the meantime, I hope you all have a good week ahead and that winter isn’t kicking your butt too much.
Cauldron's Path 