Much Needed Change Is Happening...How To Be A Positive Force of Change
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Coming Together
I’ve been quiet for some time now. Not knowing what to say. In some ways not even feeling I had the right to speak out for awhile because I know for a fact…that I have grown up myself with white privilege. Mostly, I wanted to allow the space that has been so needed for my brothers and sisters of color to be heard.
I’m ready to speak and my hope and intention is that this will help to move all of us forward. I was also inspired to develop a 5 Day Wellness Challenge to help you reconnect if you’re feeling depleted or out of touch with yourself, free of charge, as I know this is a trying time for us all.
Many years ago I had the incredible honor of performing at Obama’s SC/NC Inaugural Ball in Washington, DC for his first term as President. Recognizing that I was going to be able to be so close to this life changing time for all of us…this breakthrough of equality in our society of the first president of color of the United States…I felt an almost guilty sense of pride (since I’m white). Driving up on the bus with the rest of the jazz and blues musicians and singers, I realized that perhaps for the first time in my life, I was a minority. I was one of maybe three white people, everyone else was black. I remember feeling a little out of place but mostly so touched to be a part of this incredible group of musicians…of PEOPLE. I’d worked with many of the musicians before, and Skipp Pearson, our beloved legendary band leader had always been incredibly supportive of my vocal career and encouraged me to join in and perform with him and his band whenever I could. Everyone on that bus welcomed us all with open arms and the trip up was filled with laughter and riffing and sharing insights and music. And so much excitement.
To be honest, the actual performance at the Inaugural Ball was a bit of a blur. I was nervous and thought I was going to faint when I heard that Obama would be dropping in. As a lead jazz singer, I was used to being center stage, though I also love and know the importance of stepping back so our incredible musicians can shine. What I realized in a big way during a cover of R-E-S-P-E-C-T I sang with two other *phenomenal* black ladies (we joked that I was the white in the Oreo), was that A) holy Shnit, I had so much to learn from these ladies and mainly B) this was not about me. This was about all of these incredible black people here being a part of this historical event…a person of color in the highest office of the US. It was about us coming together as a group, riding this wave of energy together and being in the moment, creating and being in the flow.
That sense of togetherness continued as we all sat in the Green Room watching the inauguration on a wide screen television, holding hands. Watching, tears in our eyes, as the first black president of the United States was sworn in. And I thought “This is it. We have reached a place where black and white and all colors of skin are equal in this nation, perhaps even in this world.” I think that’s what most of us thought at that point.
What I didn’t realize at the time is that it’s not that simple.
We are in the process now, more than ever before, of becoming more aware of, educated about, in tune with, and changing the underlying systematic ROOTS of racism and prejudice. The seemingly subtle differences in the opportunities available to and treatment of white people and black, indigenous, asian, all other people of color…however you want to say it…and how these opportunities and treatment differs.
This is a journey, a trek, a marathon, not a sprint, so allow yourself the time and space to take care of yourself. Get yourself educated on what has been happening. Allow yourself to be with any guilt or shame or anger or anything else that comes up for you whatever the color of your skin. There are so many options out there of how to take action, I’m sure you’ve run across many many of them…choose two or three actions to take each week. I, myself will continue to educate and find ways that I can release white privilege and lift up my BIPOC brothers and sisters. I’m listing several resources below. Oprah is hosting several talks this week. You can also keep up with our educational offerings at BE YOGA in Charlotte, NC (online, so you can be anywhere), starting with delving into White Fragility by Dr. Robin DiAngelo. Another easy way to support is to frequent Black Owned Businesses (resources linked).
PS. Don’t let being afraid of making mistakes keep you from taking action to move forward. It’s gonna happen;)