Saying NO to white supremacy culture and The Power of AND
This year has been one of tremendous growth AND loss. Many of the losses have led to growth and some of the growth has led to loss. My father, who I was very very close with, passed away this month. He took his last breath with my sister and I laying next to him and holding each of his hands.
His transition was both beautiful AND painful. I feel so blessed that we were able to surround him with love and comfort throughout his decline from Alzheimers. He didn’t want a funeral service so we did as he asked: we invited people to come celebrate his life. Being part of this process has been profoundly spiritual AND as the days continue, the reality of his passing is beginning to set in. I miss him AND I also know that he is free. I smile when I imagine him catching up with his parents and sister while getting tons of licks from his three beloved dogs.
In the past few weeks, I chose to continue to work when it felt right - which it often did.
I was able to do this because I made a conscious decision to release myself from the “rules” of white supremacy around grieving and sharing. I made the choice to be more transparent with clients and not to compartmentalize. What a relief to not have to pretend or hide parts of myself. How wonderful it is to allow myself to feel grief AND groundedness when I carry my work forward as I continue to engage with others on this anti-racist journey.
My wish for each and every one of us is that we ALL get to live lives that allow us to be seen and honored for our full humanity. That is what a world without racism would look like to me. This is one personal way that I can say NO to white supremacy culture. I can see and feel the shift in myself. I feel lucky to be able to continue this exploration into the New Year and beyond.
In solidarity and connection.
See you on the journey,
Robin
Special thanks to Sophie Sagan-Gutherz for their creativity and hard work on redesigning my website!
Check out these books:
Deconstructing Racism: A Path toward Lasting Change | Fortress Pressby Barbara Major (Author), Joseph Barndt (Author)
Amira Martin, LCSW’s first children's book has been completed!!!! "The Prettiest Girl" is an ideal book for young girls! Please get your copy for the little girl you love! This book will be available on amazon and will be available as a traditional book and a kindle book. Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/1278532104/posts/pfbid02Y6zppchGqbKUxdDgMMHdCqtPHaK4AwaN9Q2m8G3fhm5xTXyKfkPohp9gpGqgSitWl/?sfnsn=mo&mibextid=6aamW6
Video + Book: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jessiedaniels_im-speaking-with-erin-heaney-about-calling-activity-6980184352697548800-i3Ou/ Jesse Daniels talks about her book “nice white ladies" with Erin Heaney of SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice).
In her book, on page 243, Jesse mentions the shame resilience and transformation skills for white people work that I do with Dr. Alana Tappin.
The Eikenberg Academy for Social Justice presents “The Saturday Series on Race": Exploring the Enduring, Invisible and Ubiquitous Centrality of Whiteness. Discussions hosted by Dr. Kenneth V. Hardy.
I had the honor of being asked to be be on a panel: May 6, 2023: On the Frontline and the Faultline: Antiracism Work in Black and White
Clinical Responsibility in Racial Equity and Cultural Inclusivity | Bryn Mawr College
The Center for the Study of White American Culture: https://cswac.org/.
People’s Institute of Survival and Beyond: Undoing Racism and Community Organizing workshop: https://pisab.org/.
The People’s Institute believes that effective community, systems and institutional change happens when those who serve as agents of transformation understand the foundations of race and racism and how they continually function as a barrier to community self-determination, self-sufficiency, and interdependency. Undoing Racism®/Community Organizing is our signature workshop. Participants will experience a humanistic process for laying a foundation to explore how we have been racialized, socialized, and conditioned to think about race and racism. We first analyze class, power and institutional/individual relationships to and within communities. As power is analyzed, we will explore how people play a role in maintaining the current disparate racial outcomes that every system and institution produces. This intensive, interactive process challenges participants to analyze themselves first, then the structures of power and privilege that hinder social equity and prepares them to be effective organizers for justice.
Why Do You Make Everything About Race: https://medium.com/@jessicakiragu/why-do-you-make-everything-about-race-237e3121ed66
I was interviewed by Amira Martin, LCSW-R, and I shared more about my private practice, training, and leadership work. Throughout the interview, I talked about my approach to my work as a white therapist using an anti-racist perspective.
Click the video to watch, like, and subscribe! Full link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TpYUPL2bKg