Hi all!
These are great questions. My thoughts:
1)Think of examples of the “pervasive culture of anti-blackness,” systems of oppression and how white supremacy supports both of those.
I see systems of oppression everywhere (schools, banks, retail, criminal justice, employment opportunities, health care, etc.). I believe it's inevitable since we have never confronted or cast off the racist roots of our nation, built on land stolen from Native people and then made economically viable on the backs of slaves. As long ago as that seems, there's just never been a clean break with that history or a fresh start for black Americans. Since we live in a racist culture, racial stereotypes are always running in the background of our minds even if we wish they weren't. I know I have conscious and unconscious biases that affect my behavior in ways I don't fully understand.
Regarding white supremacy and how it overlaps with anti-blackness, I found this article super useful: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/10/the-language-of-white-supremacy/542148/.
2)What do you see as the work required to be anti-racist? How would you define anti-racist and anti-racist policies.
Actually, I wouldn't! I just don't trust myself to know my own blind spots in this area, so I try to seek out black authors who have published on these topics. How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi is next on my reading list!
3)How can we be sure we are listening to and amplifying black voices?
Just reach out directly and asking, "How can we support" seems most efficient. Sometimes the answer is, we've got this, and we need to accept that too.
I do think that some of League's processes and procedures hinder us in this area. Specifically, I am being approached by activists asking for League to sign on to statements that aren't very controversial, are clearly non-partisan, and align with our issues. Problem is, by the time I direct the request to the right person and they respond, the window of opportunity has closed (e.g. the statement has gone out, the goal has been achieved, etc.) Maybe it's okay for the League to pass up these opportunities, but I think it's going to hurt our reputation in the long run.
4)What should we be doing to educate ourselves and our children about ongoing systemic racism?
As the mom of two boys (4 and 7), I just try to model the best I can and be transparent in my own learning process. Our house is pretty full of books by and about people of color. I am trying to approach these important topics in age-appropriate ways, although I do think I've accelerated the curriculum (so to speak) in light of the recent murders and protests.
Finally...to the point below about Terrence Floyd's call for voter turnout. He said, "Vote for everybody. Educate yourself, educate yourself. Don't wait for somebody else to tell you who's who; educate yourself and know who you're voting for. And that's how we're going to hit them, because it's a lot of us. It's a lot of us. And we're still going to do this peacefully."
The idea of a vote as a peaceful form of protest is a powerful one, and one the League should highlight in advance of the upcoming election. I also think that we should reach out to black-led organizations to see if it's appropriate for us to ramp up voter education in black communities, or if we can support in some other way if they are already doing that work. Finally, LWVUS is doing an incredible job staying apprised of racist disenfranchisement practices and fighting those tooth and nail. Maybe LWVWA and county leagues could check in to see if there are ways we can support that effort somehow? Those are the ideas that come to mind!
