TTIN: Resources (Email 10)

6 minute read

 

Note: This is an archive of an email from the May 2020 launch series of The Time Is Now (Early Adopter Edition).

 

Reminder: The Time Is Now closes for enrollment at 8pm Pacific Time today.

My toe has flicked up that little doorstop and the slow close has begun.

There are many people who advise at this stage in a launch that I offer you a treasure trove of last-minute bonuses to encourage a few more of you to join us.

If you've been reading along since the beginning, you know I'm not going to do that. Instead, I'm going to do exactly the opposite.

Instead of selling you by trying to entice you with bonuses (there aren't any), I'd like to write this email for everyone who is not going to be in this first cohort.

Why?

I deeply appreciate your attention, and I know that this is not the right time for everyone to participate in a course like this for a variety of reasons.

However, the fact that you've stayed with me this long tells me you are interested in the topics I have been sharing with you.

Knowing that, I wanted to share a list of resources that have served as the stone and lumber from which I built a healthy white abolitionist practice.

But before I do that, I want to offer one clarification and one caution.

First to clarify.

This list is not a starter course. If you are new to this journey or new to how I'm framing the idea of a healthy white abolitionist practice then our 101 Cohort is where to begin.

This list is for those of you who have been on an anti-racist journey for a while and who are ready to go deeper, get healthier, and become more effective.

Now the caution.

Did you notice how I conceptualize learning?

I gave you a clue in the metaphor above.

One of the potholes within our white anti-racist subculture is believing that study and intellectualism will create a more just world...

It won’t.

No doubt, learning is an essential piece to a healthy white abolitionist practice.

I consider it to be the materials by which I build.

If I never make a plan...

If I never take those materials and build something with them...

If they get consumed by wind, rain, & pests because I didn't put them to use...

Then what good was the learning in the first place?

Was it just so I could gather the biggest pile of knowledge to show off to my friends?

For years, I felt tremendously behind in the conversation of race.

I remember the first time I was included in a private conversation thread with other committed anti-racist people. They were using words I had never heard. I was constantly googling what they were talking about. My impulse was to google and then pretend I knew what they were talking about. But I didn't.

The learning was swift then.

I was motivated to not be found out.

I became capable of using all of the words.

Sounding the part. Building a tremendous pile of materials.

And I would regularly lift a 2x4 from the pile and whack other white people with it.

I realized at some point that none of what I was doing was effectively changing anyone...myself included.

I keep bringing up effectiveness because I believe it's the thorn in our side.

At that point in my journey, I stood face to face with the fact that all I had gathered was a pile of self-righteousness. I had collected a lot of knowledge but I had no skills to put those materials together into a form that was liberative to anyone.

Today, my goal is to give white people a space to practice. Make mistakes. Process the feedback we've received whether it was direct or indirect. Pivot. Try again. And again. And again.

White people are over-resourced and under-developed.

We need to develop.

So to those of you who will be diving into this list of resources...

Do not waterboard yourself with learning. Rather see your capacity to learn as a cup.

These resources will pour something nourishing into your cup. At some point you will be full up. If you continue to engage more learning, you will make a mess everywhere.

So when your cup is full, here's what you do...

Step one. Process it and seek to embody the learning. What physical and emotional feelings come up for you in the learning? What does it say about who you are and how you've been socially conditioned to show up in the world?

Step two. Share it with others. Write about it. Record video or voice message. This is modeling for others the process of learn, share, repeat. In doing so, you will be learning the most effective ways to gather up your people so that they want to go on this journey with you.

This is how we pour out our cup.

Then, we have room to take in more.

Will you do me a favor?

Over the next five months, the first live cohort for The Time Is Now will be working, week by week, developing our collective skills and building coalition.

The course will be completely over by October 23rd.

During that same period of time, will you make a commitment to work daily on this list? I spend time every day developing my own skill set and it would make me feel better to know that you are out there doing the same.

Put a stake in the ground, and then focus on the practice of this work, day by day. I hold you capable and able to learn, process, and share your development with those around you. I know it will be worth your time.

Here's the list:

I realize this is a long list. Last week, I reminded us that all we need to begin is a tiny amount of time and the will to commit. That commitment might feel like drudgery...but I hope you will allow yourself to feel it as hope.

Thank you so much for joining me for this two-week journey. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to engage with each of you, and honored to have had your attention.

If you believe The Time Is Now - I'd love to have you join the growing group of people who feel the same.

If not, just remember that I believe in you. I believe in us. I love you. I love us.

And I'll most certainly see you out there.