OSA APT Newsletter: Art & Action – Vol: 19 No: 5 – May 2021

For White Leaders in These Times

by Morey Riordan (APT Co-President & OSA Parent)

We in the US are in a time of upheaval, and a shifting ground underneath our feet on issues of equity and racial justice. We are in a transformational struggle that is long overdue. I write this a white person, a leader of LGBTQ social justice work, and a parent who wants a more just and equitable world for all our kids. Those of us who want this must recognize that education justice is what we must fight for. Where we see kids of color having less access to schools and services, less culturally welcoming and inclusive environments, less curriculum focused on their own experiences and those of their ancestors, or a general status quo environment that lacks leaders of color, we must speak out.  Our strategy must be grounded in and informed by what BIPOC communities and leaders demand. While their voices inform our work, it is critical that we do not expect or rely on them to constantly educate and provide emotional support to us. We must not add to the cultural and emotional taxation that we as white people often expect people of color to bear.  

Being a white leader in these times requires so many things that have not been required of us until now. I say required, because there are white leaders who have participated in anti-racist learning, both on personal and professional levels and have begun the ongoing personal work that is necessary to evolve over time. Although I hope that I am one of these leaders, I know my learning and making mistakes will be a constant throughout my life. I know that I will doubt myself and worry about saying or doing the wrong thing. There will be times when I feel inadequate and frustrated with myself. As white people committed to racial justice, we must support and push each other forward with a mix of compassion, honesty, and accountability. We must cultivate curiosity in one another – our growth depends on curiosity. Why do I feel defensive at times in conversations about racial justice? What is the history behind this story? Who can I talk to when I need more information? What should I be reading about this topic? Is there a training I can join to learn more? Is there a trusted person I can talk to about how I am struggling in this?

I have been thinking in my head about what it means to be a white leader in any social justice work at this moment. Here is my list of what I need to remember and do as a comrade of Black and Brown communities in these times:

• Be always clear, that our own discomfort is our own problem to deal with. We do not have a right to put our own pain, hurt feelings, or confusion on people of color to sort out and respond to. I am responsible for my own care in these moments.
• No one is above being called out or questioned on issues of equity and race. As white people, we are the ones most often holding power, making it even more challenging for others to question us or challenge our thinking and planning. We must let go of the very often unspoken and assumed power we hold. It is not acceptable to remain clueless to this dynamic and continue to behave ignorantly without consequence.
• This movement is both not about us, and about us. The pain, lack of basic safety and well-being, and continual micro aggressions that communities of color experience every day is fundamentally what this moment is about. The part that is about us, is our responsibility for past complicity and damage done. Our part is listening to Black and Brown leadership and community voices as our cue on why, where, and when to act.
• Sometimes, we need to step down from leadership. This is painful and hard, and true. If we are white leaders in these times who are not able to accept discomfort and extreme accountability, who are not constantly curious about being a better comrade to communities of color, who are thin-skinned in the face of criticism on equity issues, who have not done personal work on race and class and how that plays out in our institutions, who are not focused on transformational change and true equity for all, every moment of every day, who do not seek out the voices of the most marginalized community members in decision-making and true power sharing, it is time for you to begin developing an exit strategy.

I write these thoughts down as an imperfect leader. A leader who can default to wanting everyone to get along and not have conflict. A leader who can feel overwhelmed and inadequate. A leader with so much to learn. The thing I am most sure about is that the time to get off our couches (mine is very cozy) and be a part of a movement for what is just and right and long overdue, is now. Each of us have a different role to play in pushing forward to true equity in our schools and broader institutions. I invite you to join me in what can be a graceless and clumsy journey, but one that we can tell our kids that we took because it was the right thing to do.

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