wash your hands and do the work
Returning to this journal today left me surprised to see it has been six months since I made my last entry.
The start of this monumental year feels like the distant past. A weekend long trip to New Orleans with my sister in early January followed by two months of an elimination diet to sort out a decades’ worth of skin and stomach issues and the start of my duties as the manager of Southern Star Studio where I work out of - it all seems foggy and far off.
Those first quarter events were eclipsed in mid-March by coronavirus. At that pivotal moment my efforts were focused on the way out of a paralysis, using pottery as a form of therapy and self-soothing, while sheltering in place with my husband and dog. There were many afternoons and evenings spent sitting around the table wondering what was to become of our health, our businesses and the general future of the world while sharing a meal and a bottle (or two) of wine.
In all of our quarantine conversation we could have never predicted how the first week of June was going to wash a change of awareness over this country. The events of George Floyd’s murder and the resulting national and international reaction to it has been historic and impactful to say the least.
This past week I was scheduled to post a shop update but it was paused and rescheduled for this current week as I have spent much of my time in the past seven days doing other work - the work of educating myself, the work of allyship and anti-racism. For me, as a middle class, liberal, white woman, this starts with acknowledging my privilege as well as my white fragility and guilt. I have also learned and acknowledge that as someone born in the 70’s who grew up in a major U.S. city (Philadelphia) in the 1980’s and 90’s, I am part of a generation and demographic of white people who believed on some level that we were living in a post-racial society. Contrary to my reaction watching covid-19 take hold across the country, I was not paralyzed with fear by this uprising for the rights and lives of black people in America. Instead I am motivated and listening intensely to black voices and leaders and reading everything I can relating to this right now. I am trying to understand what I have done wrong and what I can do better. This will be a life long education that I am sure to stumble through but I am committed. There is privilege being able to educate myself about racism rather than experiencing it.
My first steps in this week of learning how to center myself in anti-racism, were to read, listen and support. I chose to start with the book Stamped From The Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi and very much recommend it. I have spent time researching organizations to support both nationally and locally and will continue to do so. I have donated to four organizations that support BIPOC and plan on using 20% of sales from my shop update to give to more groups. Below I have listed some places that I either have or plan to support. This is obviously by no means an exhausted list - only some organizations that I have found in the past week that interest me personally. I encourage you to find groups that align with your interests or support your local communities. Also, I want to share a master link for more resources here.
I want to make it clear that I am NOT an organizer. I am an artist and designer. I have a LOT of work to do in better showing up for and sharping my anti-racism work. I believe we all do and that this is a lifelong process of being more intentional and dedicated in our work. It is my hope that I can better use my skills to support change while dispersing information. Right now the very least that white people can do is read and listen to black words and voices. It is also time to give either your time or money (or both!) to black folks/funds/organizations.
Now wash your hands and do that work.
The National Bail Fund Network