2021 is off to a great start. Just kidding.
After the not so shocking events in America this week, and revelations about white supremacy groups in Canada, it’s been a non-stop emotional roller coaster of bad news, shocking mob scenes and traumatic evidence of deep-seated racism.
Just because the BLM marches of the summer have died down does not mean that racism has been fixed or that it disappeared. 2021 is here to remind us that it is going to take a lot more than that for things to change.
Here’s how you can start. Ashtin Berry (@thecollectress) has been posting a number of talks on her IG feed and Stories. One of her suggestions was that each of us should reach out to at least three people, in the wake of the horror in the Capitol and see if they’re okay. While the events of the past week happened in a different country they still played out across our news feeds, and knowing that one of the most prominent white supremacy groups began in our country, and had a presence in the insurrection all means that we are not immune to these events.
Think about your Black friends, your Indigenous friends, and the people you know who’ve fled war or insurrection to the safety of Canada. Get in touch. You don’t need to prepare a speech – just check-in, offer some kind words. It will help them and it will help you.
It might not seem like it right at this moment. But is going to get better. Just hold on and be as kind as you can.