Melanie Bonsu
Updated: July 6, 2020
Viewpoint
Walk the walk against racism
By Melanie Bonsu
Scrolling through social media is always a great way to get a pulse on the times, from official statements, profile filters, and hashtags. You would have to be an ostrich to not see the Black Lives Matter movement is one of the hottest topics right now. It gives me mixed emotions; ones sometimes fraught with despair, sadness and anger, and above all, exhaustion. I’ve seen numerous blacked out pictures, shared articles, and read countless official statements from all types of organizations. Ones you would expect (Cherry Garcia has never tasted better), and others, unexpected. It’s all the same theme, “We believe that black lives matter.” That’s great, but what are you actually doing to ensure that?
As the person responsible for social media for my organization, I stay away from vanity metrics. It’s not about how many likes a post receives, it’s about action. The Black Lives Matter movement isn't a trend. BLACK LIVES MATTER. There are no if, ands, or buts about it. This isn’t about a few weeks of posting; it’s about making a change. Are you walking the walk or just talking the talk?
What organizations do you patronize? Does the company’s leadership accurately represent the community and the values you want to be associated with? Do they act accordingly with their statements against social injustice? If you can’t confidently answer, “Yes!” to those questions, it’s time to find another place to shop.
Ibram X. Kendi, bestselling author and founding director of the Antiracist Research & Policy Center at American University, said, “Being an antiracist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism and regular self-examination.” A great way to do that is by educating yourself on the issues. There are many resources available to help better understand the reason behind the movement; you can start by reading one of Kendi’s books.
Speaking of self-examination – have you considered your own actions? On the same day that George Floyd’s video was released, another video surfaced that morning of a white woman calling the police on a Black man in a New York City park. The woman came under immediate fire and quickly issued the standard “I am not racist” apology. Amy Cooper was the one breaking the rules and called the police not out of fear as she claimed, but because she knew she could use them to her advantage. Her call was dripping in coded language and stereotypes. While not all occurrences are this dramatic, I can say from experience they do happen, even in the workplace. Think about what you say about your colleagues of color, are you perpetuating stereotypes?
Take action in making a change. There are many organizations working on eliminating racism, empowering people of color, educating our youth, and protecting civil rights. You could volunteer, you could donate, or you could do both.
Racial justice is not a trend, and it’s on all of us to keep the momentum going.
Melanie Bonsu is the director of development & marketing/communications for the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts.
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