You can listen to a recording of this post below!

I wrote the post below almost a year ago about Pro-Blackness. It is something that is very important to me (for obvious reasons) because I won’t lie - I think there are always 2 sides to the coin. I feel like it is important for oppressive systems to be transformed or torn down, but I also think it is vital to build up those who have been oppressed, and as a Black person, I believe it needs to be done from both outside and within our own communities, and that is the work that I am dedicated to. I am updating the post to include my more recent thoughts on the topic, as well as to add an audio recording which you can listen to above. And I am opening comments. (Don’t make me regret this last one - please be kind and respectful in the comments).

I have been hearing a lot recently about what I call the aunties. And no I am not talking about my lovely aunties - both real and adopted, nor am I talking about my favourite identifier for both my nephew and my Godchildren.

I am talking about anti-racism, anti-capitalism and the other anti’s. The practices that are being adopted to fight against overwhelmingly large systems of oppression which feed into one another. Listening to teachings about these and reading about them - as well as seeing people’s posts on social media and reading some of the (many) emails that arrive in my inbox, it seems that there are many people out there - particularly White people and those from dominant culture who are anti- these systems.

Let me begin by saying - I am in favour of this. It’s good to fight against the systems that oppress large sections of our populations in many countries. Even those of us who don’t live in the USA (or other large countries) still have experiences with these systems of oppression, and it is important to become educated ourselves and look at ways in which we are upholding these systems, how we can fight against them, as well as develop ways of reducing harm in our own personal practices.

And harm reduction is an interesting idea. I first heard about it in the context of addiction, where the conversation was around the fact that reducing the harm caused by drug or alcohol addiction could save lives, and could be done within the context of continuing to use those substances but in a different or restricted way. While this isn’t a conversation about addiction, use of the expression “harm reduction” when it comes to something like anti-capitalism helps because the truth is - it is difficult for people to opt out of capitalism altogether, or successfully fight the entire system as an individual. However harm reduction can be done through the power of our own dollars (how and where we choose to spend our money) and how we run our businesses - if we run them.

However, I also think it is just as important that while we think about what we stand against, we also formulate clear ideas about what we stand for, and what we are working to increase in our own lives. 

I told a friend some time ago that even if every White person in the world divested from White Supremacy, there is still work to do for Black communities to be built up from all angles. I read in the incredible book Impact by Christen Brandt and Tammy Tibbets, that systems of aid look very similar to colonization if you look closely enough. And it struck me - again that it is just as important to look at what we are building when we begin to dismantle systems of oppression, so that we do not just transfer to something where the same positions of power and privilege are held by the people who have always held it.

So before getting to my original post, let us all think about the following.

Are we building systems that return humanity to those who have been dehumanized through oppression? That allow them equitable access to resources so that they have increased chances to flourish?

Are we letting them tell the stories that not only educate about injustice but also that celebrate who they are as people?

Are we reading those stories? Publishing those stories? Sharing those stories?

Are we supporting their businesses?

Do we know what we stand for as intimately as we understand what we are fighting against? Are we putting as much effort into the stand as we are putting into the fight?

I would love your thoughts - so please feel free to leave them in the comments! And enjoy my original post in it’s (mostly) unedited format. Take it away June 2020 Safiya!

I am not sure how I feel about the anti-racism movement I am seeing in North America, and worldwide. There - I said it.

Are you surprised? I mean - I am a Black Woman. I have lived in many places including the UK and Barbados. I am intimately familiar with the ramifications of overt and covert racism. Of systemic racism. Of the legacy of colonization. Of the genetic, social and cultural aftermath for Black people descended from generations of Enslaved Africans.

You would think that I would be excited to support the anti-racism movement. But I am not.

I won’t deny that it is needed. But what is needed more is pro-Blackness.

My concern is that after all of these years of a system that dehumanizes Black people, this movement is not bringing back the humanity. Because anti-racism is a movement that is fighting a system. And it is easy to get on board with a cause that allows you to fight a system. That tells you read this book, and follow these rules and use these expressions. Don’t say Black person, say BIPOC. Read this book list. Reach out to your BIPOC friends and ensure they are ok. Don’t delete comments. Be a good anti-racist.

But at the heart of this movement are people. Who are your neighbors. Whose children sit next to your children in class. Who work with you and study with you. And who you need to embrace and accept as you do the people who look like you. You are posting a black square on social media. But are you supporting businesses owned and run by Black people? You are reading anti-racism books. But are you reading their other stories and seeing how really and truly they are pretty much the same as you? You are shaming other white people into being better anti-racists. But can you look your Black friend in the eye and admit that you too have not done everything you could to fight your own bias?

Make no mistake - there are systems that we need to BURN to the ground. But I do not trust a movement that is built on shame, on dehumanization, and political correctness. When we demolish these institutions, what will rise up in their place if there is still so much anti-Black sentiment in many communities including the communities of other People of Color, and even in our own Black communities.

As an aside - I don’t even like the expression BIPOC. Where is the humanity? I am not an acronym. I am not a letter that lumps me in with the entire non-white population of a country, of the world. I don’t know a lot of Black people who like the use of the acronym either, in the US or elsewhere. I think if this movement is going to be effective, and if we will be successful at not only tearing down the current systems, but building new ones that are more just and equitable, then it is not enough to be an Anti-racist. WE need to be pro-Black. All of us.

Black people need to love the skin we are in and support one another. The rest of the world needs to see our humanity, and give us the respect we are due. The systems of oppression need to be dismantled. And the world needs to hear the voices and the stories of Black people told in OUR voices. My friend Angela who is an incredible nurse, and a phenomenal coach posted on social media the other day:

Black women. I know we are tired. Really, I do. But we need to CONTINUE to speak up and educate others. If we don’t, we will only have white women educating us. Yes there are books. Yes there are ways to learn. But currently? There are not any books written FROM THIS time. I do not want to “just” google this stuff. I do not say to my patients, “just google it.” Can you imagine people trying to treat an illness with Dr. Google? Do you know how many false sources are out there?!? The world needs YOUR voice. The world needs YOU to keep writing books unless we want a room full of white women to lecture us and educate us about how it’s going to go. This is NOT THE TIME for us to throw our hands up in the air because it is not our responsibility to educate others.

This is what is missing. The world needs our voices. And OUR children, our communities, our future generations need our voices. I mean - have you READ a history book recently? These books are written from ONE lens. We need to add our voices. We need to be heard. Our words need to be read.

Let me be clear. I think that anti-racism work needs to be done. It definitely needs to be done - not only by White people, but by People of Color, and from all angles. And I love my anti-racist White friends - even when they struggle with imperfect allyship, and how to help in these situations.

But every time a murderous tragedy happens, I am reminded that first and foremostly - my mission is towards the people who look like me. I am open to having philosophical conversations with people of any colour about race relations and the need for systemic change.

AND at times like this - my heart is with people like my nephew, my cousins, my friends and their children.

I trust NO movement that is built on fear. On fear of not being a good enough “anti-racist”. On dehumanization. On shame. It may work but the great divide will still be there and something else will spring up in that space.

 And that is why if I choose to claim ANY label it would be have to be more than anti-racism. I am 100% pro-Blackness. I am 100% dedicated to Black people thriving. I am 100% dedicated to Black women feeling good about being Black women. To Black boys wanting to live in their skin. Loving the skin they are in. To Black people feeling safe in society - NOT just social media groups.

To feeling respected every day - not just when a murder occurs. To feel genuine support from “influencers” and not just an inbox full of emails telling me what book you bought, or what training you took, because it looks bad if you don’t.

We need pro-Blackness. Not just acronyms. Not just good anti-racist behaviour. Not just to have our position defended by White people because it is trending. Not just intentions and optics. I need to feel like you are pro-ME. Pro- my nephew. My cousins, and friends and my Godchildren. Don’t tell me, show me. Show me you are pro-Black. Don’t just fight a system, embrace your fellow people.

We cannot just tear down the systems, and be left staring at barren fields of despair. There will be a generation of young people (who also have the world in their pocket, on their phones) wondering what was the point of it all? Wondering what they have to look forward to. There will be a generation of young people who still feel ashamed to be Black, or believing that there is nothing out there for them.

And my responsibility as a writer and a Black Woman is to write and to show up. Even when it is isn’t comfortable. I think it is definitely as important to do the work of getting visible in our spaces, with the positive work that we are doing, and to talk about what is possible in addition to highlighting what is happening. I believe that our visibility is just as important as fighting the system.

I believe that us telling the stories that celebrate who we are is just as important as educating, and as disclosing the harm and the injustice. The stories of celebration are important for the world. And they are especially important for Black people

They are important for the algorithms, so that when people - both Black and White - search, they see more than murder and despair - stories and reports that even in their honesty still reinforce ideas of us as the victims. This work is for the whole world, and it is also for us. We cannot let others, or the anti-racism movement write the narrative about us for our young Black people. We cannot let them tell the stories that those who look like us will believe. We as Black people need to tell those stories.

And we all need to ask ourselves. Are we simply anti-racist? Or are we Pro-Black? Pro-people?

And I send you big love from a small island.

PS the photo above was taken when I had the privilege of being interviewed for the 40+ and phenomenal radio show with the inimitable Carol Toppin, and with some other Barbadian authors. Please check out our books if you can. From left to right:

Lisa Gale - Drawing Closer to Him

Me!! Safiya Robinson - Everything Is a Thing - my journey to living a truly authentic life or get a physical copy on Amazon.

Keisha Rock - Releasing the past. Building beauty from brokenness

Kim L Ramsay - Barbados most wanted