Seeing Color

“And the powers that be don’t care if they die.”  That was a doctor speaking at a recent medical trade event I helped manage. His topic was heart health. He was referring to those without access to care- primarily black and brown lower income people- who are needlessly dying. Not because the science doesn’t exist to help them. But because healthcare has become out of reach for large swaths of Americans. 

The trade event was produced by the National Medical Association, an organization of African American physicians working toward justice and parity in healthcare. It’s good work. Important work. And I felt proud to play a small role in bringing their community together. What an incredible and truly beautiful group of humans. 

Amongst the 3,500 mostly black people participating in the event, I only saw a handful of pale faces like mine. I kinda loved that. And I loved how welcoming and kind and wonderful everyone was. I’ve done hundreds of events and I can say these were probably the most joyful, genuine, and intelligent exhibitors and attendees I’ve ever encountered. 

As a middle age woman who did not grow up in a diverse community- like at all- I have been trying to continually grow in understanding those whose backgrounds and ethnicities are different than mine. For many years, I truly thought the key was not to see color. I learned recently that the better approach is to acknowledge and celebrate differences in color and culture. Because we should be honoring what's unique and special about each person, what's woven into their ancestry, and what their culture lends to humanity's tapestry. I’ve been reading and uncovering new resources for this (some listed at the bottom of this post). Because I want to be a good human. A safe human. And I get that the only way to do that is through curiosity and connection. 

I learned a lot during my week with the black medical community. I won’t ever understand what it’s like to be one of them. But I can become better just by being among them. I learned that so many of them have had to work so much harder than their white counterparts to get the education they needed to become physicians. I learned that so many of them are driven because they have seen first hand how much people suffer because of lack of care. I learned that they work tirelessly because they sometimes feel like they’re losing ground. But they don't feel helpless or hopeless. A subcurrent of “our people are dying and those in power are allowing it to happen” flowed underneath a surface of gorgeous tropical outfits (we were In Puerto Rico) and beautiful smiles and genuine embraces with their counterparts. These people were stepping into their own power, fighting the good fight, and looking good doing it.

I don’t know what it's like to live a life with the odds stacked against me. To have people judge and hate me because of the color of my skin. To feel unsafe in many places in our country. I also don’t know what I can do to fix it. But my heart and mind are open. 

Conversations about race are critical. Whether or not people are willing to admit it, our country is steeped in racism down to its very roots. Despite the fact that our Declaration of Independence states "all men are created equal," and the Bible reminds us of that over and again, our collective actions scream otherwise. We could study endlessly about the racism suffered by First Americans. The racism exacted upon Asian Americans. The abhorrent stain on our history that was slavery and the continued racism endured by Black Americans. The ongoing victimization of Latin Americans. And the current resurgence of racism against Muslim Americans.

We don't like to talk about racism because it's uncomfortable. It's like discussing the worst parts of ourselves in therapy. Sticking our head in the sand is easier. But that's not the way forward. Like it or not, racism exists. And its voice is getting louder. We cannot fix it until we are willing to admit it's a problem. And it is. It's one of the worst problems our country faces. And we are so reticent to address racism that we are starting to erase its evidence from museums and public landmarks and books and policies. We've gone so far as to label the study of racism "woke" (which kills me, like why would a term synonymous with awareness ever be a bad thing). We have to do better. Whoever is willing needs to start passionately fighting for the "United" in United States and the "liberty and justice for all" that should be what makes our country great.

I want to share a few resources that have helped me gain a better understanding of what it means to be black in America. I don't have it all figured out. Not by a long shot. But I suspect there are a lot of people out there like me who would like to be more informed and empathetic.

At the end of the day, we're all just walking each other home. Let's get there safely... together.

Xoxo, B

Resources

blackpast.org

bethebridge.com

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

https://linktr.ee/Ashleytheebarroness

If you have your own resources to share, please comment. Thank you!