Language Liberates

Racism and anti-racism are a funny pair of words, both negatively charged for most people. Start bandying the word "racism" or "racist" around in polite society, and in most settings you'll soon find yourself without the polite or the society. It's impossible to say everything that needs to be said about racism (because racism mutates), much less capture it pithily in a single blog post, and yet there are some things that should be said right up front, as simply and clearly as possible. So, I'll do my white-girl best,* with a little help from my friends.**

* Indicative of the fact that the history of white women and racism is long and not always filled with insight from the white side of the story.

** People of color and white folks who've been at this a lot longer than me. I'm lucky to be in very good company.

When I'm in a workshop setting, one of the things I'll say is "This language may be awkward for you to hear. You may feel afraid, or angry, or pained. Just swim in my ocean for a while. Try these ideas on for size. You don't have to accept it all, or all at once." Sometimes that helps. Sometimes nothing helps, right away.

But in my experience, having new language can open a space in my mind for new ideas, new ways of thinking, and sometimes that makes all the difference. Language can liberate, in that way. So, in the new few posts I'll talk about some of the language. Racism. Anti-racism. White. White privilege. Accountability.

Some of the vocabulary won't be new, but the meaning attached might be. It's a simple but important insight that so many of our conversations about race and racism founder in our different understandings of the word. We can't help but have different understandings: our understandings -- indeed, what we can know -- are shaped by our differing experiences. What's important is to realize that's the case, and become deliberate about our vocabulary and what the words mean and how we use them.

One of the best things about having gone through a dismantling racism program that a lot of other people have gone through is that you then have a shared vocabulary. When I say "racism," everyone knows I'm talking about prejudice plus power (the short version). And so the conversation can actually get somewhere. Shared language provides a crucible that helps to contain -- and tools to help work through -- the fear, anxiety, shame, guilt and anger that talk about racism can engender.

So, we'll do a little vocabulary together. And maybe some new spaces will open up, so that language can help liberate us.