We are not safe until we are all safe

Imagine a system of violence that doesn’t just turn white people on Black people, but Black people on Black people, Asian people on Asian people, and white people on white people?

As we find ourselves once again grappling with the reality of yet another brutal murder of a Black man at the hands of police, this time, five Black police officers, we lead our DEI sessions this week making links between Memphis, Monterey Park and Kenosha, all instances of intraracial violence, differing in power dynamics and impact, but outcomes of the same system of white supremacy.

White supremacy is a system of conditional safety for those who conform and are often complicit in perpetuating violence against those they would be better served working in solidarity with.

This system of punishment and reward does not impact us all equally, but it does impact us all. Not only are we not be free until we are all free, but we are not safe until we are all safe. Conditional safety comes at a cost and is not true safety.

May the memory of Tyre Nichols and all victims of police brutality move us to solidarity in our work to shift towards equity, inclusion and collective liberation.

(Note, we will conclude our recent four part series on hiring a DEI consultant and/or internal DEI leader next week.)

Banner photo by Ed Leszczynskl on Unsplash

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