Like Dr. King, I advocate for nonviolence and peaceful protest as the most effective tools to bring about systemic change. But in the face of the stories in the news right now - Ahmaud Abery, George Floyd, Regis Korchinski-Paquet, Christian Cooper - how can we blame people for being angry, distraught, and scared? Could you or I stay calm and rational if our sons and daughters were constantly at risk of being stopped, questioned and killed by the police and being murdered with little to no justice ever brought to bear? We would be in the streets, too, wouldn't we? How many hundreds of years should we all have to wait for justice and human dignity to be ensured for everyone?

Of course Black lives matter. Brown lives matter. Indigenous lives matter. I weep for Canada and the USA because things are not getting better. I know that like me, so many people are absolutely tormented by what we're reading in the news. So how can we, as White people, create the change we want to see in the world?

This is what I have learned on my journey thus far.

LEARN. About the history of white supremacy in these colonized countries and how it has been codified - seemingly invisibly for white folks - into our laws and policies, and continues to persist today.

LISTEN. To marginalized voices. You may have to go out of your way to find them, but seek them out. Follow them, add them to your feeds, seek out art, music and books created by people with different lived experience than your own. Cultivate relationships with people who look and live differently than you do.

CONVERSE. With trusted people in your life about your own internalized racism which you learned from being born and raised in this white supremacist society. Appreciate that these conversations can be difficult and triggering - particularly for people of colour - so consider asking if you can broach the topic and set some ground rules so that people (including you) can tap out.

QUESTION. Your thoughts, your reactions, your words. Notice when you have racist thoughts, reactions and words and acknowledge them for what they are. Learn how to apologize sincerely and accept that you have more to learn and need to do better. Your wonderful, caring heart will lead you. But you have to unlearn what you think you know and relearn how to live as an equal. This is difficult work, but so worthwhile.

Then, SPEAK. With your more knowing and understanding voice. Remember that the learning never ends. You may say the wrong thing sometimes - or be afraid that you will. But with humility (and love) in your heart you will be more brave and - importantly - you will be more helpful to the cause.

#nojusticenopeace #blacklivesmatter #dosomething