As a white person, I will never understand:
…the feeling of being singled out because of my race.
…the sense of being watched, monitored, and distrusted by those around me — simply because I look a certain way.
…the pain inflicted by words that are meant to remind me of my “less than human” existence.
…being oppressed, marginalized, and demonized by those who claim they have my best interests at heart.
…what it feels like when my health, comfort, and safety is less important than that of those with lighter skin than me.
…the feeling of having to grip the steering wheel like my life depends on it when an officer — who is sworn to protect and serve — leans over my driver’s side window.
As a white person, I cannot understand:
…why a country that loves to declare that all “men” are created equal, has set up structures, systems, and values to ensure the exact opposite.
…why a country that prides itself on being the land of the free, fights wars overseas, supports violent dictators, carelessly extracts resources that don’t belong to us, and forces other nations to bend to our will.
…why a country that calls itself the home of the brave, is built upon the cowardliness of an entire system rooted in fear of those that don’t look like us.
… how a country that proclaims liberty and justice for all, places more value on incarceration than education.
What I do understand is that as a white person, I have the ability to:
speak up,
sacrifice,
let go of control,
leverage my privilege on behalf of others,
welcome a world in which whiteness no longer forces itself upon others
