Letter: The Elephant in the Room/This is a Message for White People

In the past few weeks there have been many disturbing events targeting POC and their allies. I am overwhelmed/disturbed. I can no longer dismiss the history unfolding before my eyes. I can no longer sit back and ignore the atrocities that have been perpetrated now and over the last four hundred years. We may not see how we have any responsibility for this. But we do. We are complicit by the very fact that we are in a world where systems of civilization are inherently biased toward white people. We are safe in a world where we have the privilege of our skin tone. What can we do? Listen, listen, listen and learn. Have conversations with other white people who are on the same journey. Address racist comments. Commit to increasing diversity in our community, our friends. Read one piece on white privilege/systemic oppression. The opportunity is open now. It may be uncomfortable. But we cannot turn away.