Racism: Refusing to Talk About it Won’t Make it Go Away

Racist. Go on, say it. It’s okay. It only burns a little bit when rolling off your tongue the first few times. Trust me, fellow white people. We made it through 2020. We can do hard things. Glennon Doyle said so in her bestselling book “Untamed,” and we totally ate it up. So, it must be true.

Sometimes things are hard. Sometimes things are uncomfortable. For many Americans, the word “racist” carries so much weight beyond its definition that we’ve condemned it to hide in the shadows beneath the dinner table, alongside the likes of politics and religion. Isn’t it time for us to come to terms with the fact that refusing to talk about something won’t make it go away? Shutting down uncomfortable conversations certainly won’t make us any more empathetic or bring us any closer to a collective understanding. Just look at American politics. Woof. 

We recently pitched a story about one of our Little Free Antiracist Libraries to a small publication that calls 3500 affluent households in a predominantly white neighborhood its subscribers. After they expressed interest, we emailed over a feel-good piece about our Little Free Antiracist Library that recently opened in that neighborhood. We highlighted the intent of the library and the books within, as well as all the support we’ve received from neighbors, friends, and key donors in this specific area – even calling them out by name to make it extra neighborly and relevant. Bringing these libraries to life has been a real community-based effort. It has been heartwarming to witness in an otherwise dismal time. It has filled us with hope. It has brought us together to educate ourselves and inspire greater learning and understanding where it’s needed most. It has sparked a light.

But apparently not for all.

The publication turned down our story as written. They cited company policy as the reason. They edited it to meet their editorial standards and shot it back to us for approval with some choice omissions. The editor struck every instance of the words “racist” and “racism”, except in the byline. We declined the whitewashed edit and requested a copy of the publication’s official editorial policy because an erasure of the words “(anti)racist” and “racism” is a denial of the very thing we are fighting. What are we rising up against if racism supposedly doesn’t exist? Here’s that editorial policy verbatim:

"Since 2007, XXXXXXXXXXXX has not taken a stance or printed anything that could be seen as divisive or controversial in nature. This is why we do not allow political ads or articles, or any events that could be seen as XXXXXXXXXXXX favoring one side over another. We want our magazines to be an escape for our readers – to know that they can read a magazine that is not taking a stance on one topic or another, no matter how big or small that topic may be. We want to stay the course that we've always been on, which is staying neutral by staying out of the conversation. XXXXXXXXXXXX magazines do not address anything - including social issues - that could cause any divisiveness or negative conversation between readers in the community. We focus on positive, family-friendly content that brings people together, and we need to keep it that way. This came directly from our CEO, XXXXXXXXXXXX, and the founders."

Are there sides of racism? Are there people over in that nice white neighborhood who are super excited about Black people getting murdered? Is that what these editors think? What course have they always been on? One that concludes that refusing to talk about racism means it doesn’t exist? The publication has featured individuals and nonprofits who are working to solve a variety of social issues, including homelessness, food insecurity, and child abuse. If racism is the most urgent physical, mental, and emotional health crisis of our lifetime, why would the magazine refuse to share information about a local organization working towards eradicating it?

Talking about racism isn’t divisive. Racism is divisive.

The problem isn’t the word. The problem is the reality and if we refuse to talk about it because it makes us uncomfortable, we don’t stand a chance in dismantling the racist systems and policies that are embedded in nearly every aspect of American life. Well-intentioned white Americans can no longer afford to “stay neutral” on racism as if there are considerable pros and cons up for debate. Being an antiracist isn’t controversial and calling out racist systems in our country should bring ALL OF US us closer together, not further apart.

We can do hard things. We owe it to Black Americans to take a serious look at why this word makes us so uncomfortable. Is it shame or fear? Maybe both? 

“Racist” is not...the worst word in the English language; it is not the equivalent of a slur. It is descriptive, and the only way to undo racism is to consistently identify and describe it — and then dismantle it. The attempt to turn this usefully descriptive term into an almost unusable slur, is, of course, designed to do the opposite: to freeze us into inaction.

That quote is pulled from the “How To Be An Antiracist,” by Ibram X. Kendi, author, professor, antiracist activist, and historian of race and discriminatory policy in America. We currently feature four of Kendi’s antiracist books in our libraries, which are intended to open minds, while inspiring lifelong learning and change.

When my fellow co-founders and I conceptualized and created our non-profit organization, we were resolute about intentionally calling our libraries “Little Free Antiracist Libraries.” Friends, neighbors, and businesses often offered feedback suggesting that we avoid using the word “antiracist” - advising that it was too aggressive, too polarizing, and might turn people away from our work. Descriptors like “diverse” or “multicultural” were offered as more welcoming alternatives.

We are proud that we stayed true to the reason why we started Rise Up Against Racism in the first place and did not water down or sugar coat our intent. Keeping the tenets of antiracism at the center of our mission helps us remain focused and purposeful in meeting our objectives.

As a white woman who comes from a long line of know-it-alls, and as a newbie in the work of antiracism, I am often uncomfortable - fearful that I’ll say/do/write the wrong thing; fighting nearly 40 years of comfortably stuck conditioning. The more I remain present in that discomfort, the more comfortable I get with being uncomfortable. 

If our comfort is the only thing holding us back from talking about racism, don’t we have nothing to lose, while America has everything to gain?

With Black and Brown Americans fighting for their lives, we can no longer afford to shun conversations about racism and avoid the hard, self-reflective, lifelong work of antiracism. It’s time for ALL OF US to get more comfortable being uncomfortable. Go on, give it a try. We can do hard things.