So this week, I took a risk by giving advice on how to speak out about race even though I feel incredibly unqualified. But, I wanted to share an email I got in response to help encourage you to take the same types of risk. I applaud you for writing your last message. I'm a black woman married to a black man and we have an almost 2 year old black son. I say that to note how deeply I am entrenched in the safety of my family, of my men. That awkwardness you are feeling is a great thing! We learn so much in places of discomfort. To back up your stats, teaching children to "not see race" is ineffectual at best, dangerous at worst. I am a pediatrician and I tell my families that it is imperative to not just see race, but be open and loving to all races. Celebrate what makes us unique: learn about Juneteenth in the American Black communities, celebrate Lunar New Year with the Chinese community, learn the real story of indigenous peoples in this country and not the cowboys and Indians narrative that's been perpetuated. As one mother to another, thank you for being an ally. Here are some great resources she shared:
The physician version of “the talk” which she images every African-American parent in this country has with their children, particularly their boys.
The AAP policy statement on racism (co-authored by the immediate past president of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, Maria Trent, who just penned a post on our SAHM website that moved her to tears).
And finally, a whimsical, but gut-wrenching two-minute youtube video on microaggressions.
It’s not about getting things right; it’s about trying.
