Telling the truth about Black History
June 19th, or “Juneteenth” as the African American community has come to call it, is a very special day. As important a day as Memorial Day, Independence Day, or other similar days our country memorializes to remember critical points in the journey of “these United States” since formation. So why is it a day only familiar to and celebrated by the African American community? The answer should be evident, but bears repeating - the narrative of what our education systems have taught us is tied to white dominance. Essentially, black lives haven’t mattered.
From an exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture
The current social uprising that has grown in power daily since the murder of George Floyd, and so many other black bodies before him, has brought to the forefront in glaring and vibrant ways all the various forms of racism that affect people of color - particularly Black men as it relates to police violence against them.
The roots of racism are deep, and baked into the white dominate structures and systems that govern every aspect of our society. White folk of all ages must finally reckon with the conditions that have oppressed so many BIPOC folks for so long, and make it our highest priority to leverage our power and influence to dismantle and rebuild the systems that prevent justice being served. Across every single domain of our existence, from housing and food security, to health and wellness, equity in employment and education, and most importantly - being granted the same recognition of human dignity that all human beings deserve.
Collectivity came into existence with the belief that its possible to transform systems so that they can lead to creating Equity for All. We redouble our efforts and pledge to infuse our daily practice with the acknowledgement that until we have purged all our systems of the influence of white dominance, our work is not yet finished.
- Scott D. Cole, CEO/Co-founder
Links to Readings:
Performing Whiteness - how racism is embedded in us all
