Meet Rebecca Greenidge

Hello, I'm

REBECCA TRIBBETT burch ahlidobu

My parents gave me my first name. Rebecca means “to tie or join.” Tribbett is my maternal grandmother’s maiden name, meaning “to crush or bruise.” Burch is both as simple as "one who lives beside trees," yet expands to more broadly embrace the nature of trees as a source of "renewal, growth, and protection."

I carry in my name the stories of my people from long ago, today, and tomorrow – stories of being harmed and harming someone else. Separation and connection. Pain, hope, and possibility.

I am she. I live in a white body. I grew up in the ’80s on Whitney Houston and Wham and Spam and played Kick-The-Can with my neighbors until we were called home. My people descend from Poland, the Netherlands, England, Germany, and Ireland. They mistook a fantasy for a dream and were stripped of their customs, languages, recipes, songs, history – and so much more – when we became raced as white.

Hello, I'm

REBECCA TRIBBETT GREENIDGE

My father gave me my name. Rebecca means “to tie or join.” Tribbett is my maternal grandmother’s maiden name, meaning “to crush or bruise.”

I carry in my name the stories of my people from long ago, today, and tomorrow – stories of being harmed and harming someone else. Separation and connection. Pain and hope.

I partnered with Jomo Greenidge from 2007 to 2020, when he transitioned to Ancestor. Jomo gifted me with the last name Greenidge, meaning “green trading place.” Today, I partner with Ken Ahlidobu, who gave me the name Ahlidobu - which is filled with story, wonder, and magic and means "to come out and vanish." I mother M, J, A, S and many young people I’ve had the honor to nurture. I am the sister of Eric, Sarah, and Brian; the daughter of Fran and Bob; the granddaughter of Eunice, Clarence, Berenice, and Hamlin.

I would not be the person I am today without my family – of origin and by love – and the people who have and continue to extend themselves to love, guide, challenge, strengthen, invite, admonish, teach, and lead me on this journey. Specifically, I honor the Black, Indigenous, and Latina leaders who have poured their wisdom into me and the white community that has journeyed shoulder to shoulder with me.

I am she. I live in a white body. I grew up in the ’80s on Whitney Houston and Wham and Spam and played Kick-The-Can with my neighbors until we were called home. My people descend from Poland, the Netherlands, England, Germany, and Ireland. They mistook a fantasy for a dream and were stripped of their customs, languages, recipes, songs, history – and so much more – when we became raced as white.

I partner with Jomo Greenidge, who gifted me with the last name Greenidge, meaning “green trading place,” and who transitioned to Ancestor in December 2020. I mother M, J, A, and many young people I’ve had the honor to nurture. I am the sister of Eric, Sarah, and Brian; the daughter of Fran and Bob; the granddaughter of Eunice, Clarence, Berenice, and Hamlin.

I'm committed

to ending racism in my lifetime

So far, I'm learning that means I have to:

1.

Practice daily to unhook from my racist patterns and strengthen my relationships with all living beings

2.

Gather and stay put with white people long enough to co-create a community no longer attached to racism

“

George Hrbek says,

It's in the context of community that white people find the courage to be who they want to be.

As the non-target of the system of racism, I (and the community of people who have also been raced as white) have the greatest responsibility to end it.

As we journey together, we must rigorously ask: are our efforts bringing about the world we want or reinforcing the one we don’t?

lightning round

About Rebecca

driving without a map preferred method of travel	beetle childhood nickname	learn sign language on my bucket list
sweet pea @ nells-n-out favorite drink	20 states visited	great pottery throw down binge-worthy tv