I am a white, cis-gender, slim, straight-passing, neurotypical, US citizen, graduate degree holding, Catholic-raised queer woman (among other features associated with privilege). This means that I have certain blind spots—well, many blind spots. I am often aware of the systems of oppression in our society and continue to spend time learning about these systems and where I have and don’t have power. In particular, I push myself on learning about racism - both Institutionalized racism and my own internalized racism.
I am aware that racism plays out daily in the lives of BIPOC folks in a number of hurtful ways. I understand microaggressions and how, compounded, they can take an emotional and physical toll on people. I also understand that I, as a white woman, have perpetrated them and have misunderstood BIPOC people when they have told me about them. I am a work in progress and appreciate feedback to improve.
As a therapist who takes racism very seriously, I am committed to being present to hear the full and true experiences of my clients of color and not to dismiss their concerns. My goal is to create an environment in which all my clients, particularly my clients of color, are free to be their true selves and to address the issues that affect them the most. I’m not always going to get it right when one of my clients discusses their experiences of racism, however, I do understand that racism (and other oppressions) work at systemic levels, not as “individual acts of meanness,” and the impact is real, personal, and emotional. I realize this and commit to continuing to push myself on my own internal racism and other biases in order to create as safe an environment as possible for my clients and to own it when I do get it wrong.
Anti-Racism: Including the Indigenous First Nations Perspective (compiled by Claudia Fox Tree)
Land acknowledgment and actions you can do today to disrupt racism against Indigenous peoples.
Anti-Racism Starter Kit - What can I do? How do I start? (compiled by Debby Irving)
75 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice by Corrine Shutack from medium.com
"White people did not exist before 1681," Birth of a White Nation by Jacqueline Battalora, PhD, JD
Become a penpal to an LGBTQ+ incarcerated person with Black and Pink
AROS (Anti-Racist Organizing in the Suburbs) - email aoarosgg@gmail.com
Watch this video featuring Kimberly Jones by David Jones Media