In the wake of the senseless and tragic death of George Floyd, our society is forced to wrestle with the long history and ongoing pervasiveness of racism.
Upon learning of the events that led up to George Floyd’s death, my brain seems to continue the mantra, “nine minutes”, over and over. I can’t imagine the physical and emotional suffering that George Floyd experienced during the last nine minutes of his life. I wish the final chapter could be rewritten for George Floyd and his family. Unfortunately, these tragic events can’t be erased. We are left to grieve, heal, listen, and work to write a new path.
While we are awash in anger, shock, and sorrow, many communities have initiated social activism by leading protests and starting difficult conversations. Others have begun to listen, for the first time.
In his book, “Nothing More Dangerous”, Allen Eskens writes that sometimes, when we look into a pond, we look back at our reflection rather than looking deeper beneath the surface. The reprehensible acts that led to the death of George Floyd is forcing us all to look deeper.
Over the last couple of weeks, I would be remiss if I didn’t think, what can I do? I became overwhelmed with thoughts of my inconsequential actions. I have committed at least nine minutes a day to immersing myself in the topics of racism and discrimination. While this may seem trivial, this commitment has opened conversations that delve beneath the surface and allow for self reflection which I regret I did not do regularly.
I hope all of us ask the question, “What can I do?”. Imagine a society in which we all take steps to break down the systemic racism that has plagued our communities. If you are not sure where to start, just listen. The power of listening with an open mind and heart may just help us start looking past our reflections in the pond and see below the surface. Only when we look below the surface, actively listen, keep these conversations going, and commit to a zero tolerance for racism can we begin to heal and move forward.
For those searching for ways to talk and engage your children in discussions about racism, check out some of these resources.
https://childmind.org/article/racism-and-violence-how-to-help-kids-handle-the-news/