Late October

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Chaffee Mutual Aid

Six Ways to Spot White Supremacy This Fall

White Supremacy Culture is not just extremists in hoods. It's a system that puts whiteness at the center of everything. Our default, norm, & standard. It shapes laws, media, Schools, leadership, beauty, safety, & more. You don't have to be racist to participate in it.

1) PERFECTIONISM: Do you treat mistakes equal to failure? Does feedback feel like attack? White Supremacy values being “right” more than being real. It kills growth, collaboration, & self-awareness. EXAMPLE: We go on the defensive when a harmful habit is identified by others, vs. listening & learning. PRO-TIP: Critique is uncomfortable for everyone. REFLECTION: When was the last time I reacted defensively to feedback? What might change if I saw critique as care?

2) SENSE OF URGENCY! Do you value speed over including everyone? White Supremacy Culture pushes speed at the cost of equity. It values quick fixes over long-term solutions. EXAMPLE: We see a problem & rush to solve it without asking the impacted people because there is no time. REFLECTION: Where do I rush decisions in my work or relationships instead of making space for all voices?

3) DEFENSIVENESS: Do you feel weak when questioned? White Supremacy Culture defends the status quo. “We’ve always done it this way.” Centering comfort over uncomfortable Black & Brown truths is White Supremacy Culture. EXAMPLE: Hearing "that’s racist" & responding with denial or "I didn't mean it like that.” PRO-TIP: Let your ego die, otherwise, justice dies. REFLECTION: When have I prioritized my comfort over someone else’s truth?

4) EITHER OR THINKING: Do you believe in all or nothing, good vs bad, us vs them? That avoids nuance & makes it hard to see complexity. EXAMPLE: If I don’t hate brown people, then I am not supporting White Supremacy Culture. REFLECTION: What might I learn from the gray areas?

5) WORD WORSHIP: Do you only believe in the written word? White Supremacy Culture dismisses oral knowledge, emotional truth, & embodied experiences. EXAMPLE: Sure, an ICE officer pointed a gun at an unarmed woman & her baby, but that family wasn’t here legally. PRO-TIP: Laws can be immoral. REFLECTION: When have I dismissed someone’s lived experience because it didn’t fit my idea of “evidence”?

6) POWER HOARDING: Do you fight to keep control & not share credit? White Supremacy Culture keeps white people in charge & resists redistributing power. EXAMPLE: White leaders do not step aside or share leadership when a marginalized person has experience & wisdom. PRO-TIP: Feedback is not disloyalty. REFLECTION: Where do I hold onto control or authority instead of making room for others to lead?

RESOURCES:

White Supremacy Culture by Tema Okun whitesupremacyculture.info
Me & White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad @laylafsaad
My Grandmother's Hands by Resmaa Menakem
Podcasts: Code Switch (NPR), Intersectionality Matters by Kimberlé Crenshaw, Seeing White
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
An all-volunteer white space to unlearn racism by discussing race, social justice, identity, & personal transformation in awarela.org/saturday-dialogue
This guide supports organizers w/ practices that strengthen our movements collectiveliberation.org/a-trouble-makers-guide
Large portions of text were reformatted from decolonizationcoven.com and edited by Locals for Chaffee County

Individual Action

Anti-racism isn't an identity. It’s a practice.

Read/listen to the resources above.
We can’t defect from White Supremacy alone. Get accountability partners.
Seek BIPOC-led orgs, teachers, & activists. Support & follow their lead.
Intervene when it matters
Above all, be teachable!

Collective Action

Join an anti-racism group
Central Colorado Showing Up for Racial Justice CCSURJ@gmail.com & surj.org
Doing the Work Anti-Racist Community marenjmiller.com
Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition coloradoimmigrant.org

CHECK YOUR CONDITIONING:

White Supremacy Culture socializes all of us. Which of these patterns sound familiar?

You’ve said or thought, “But I'm a good person!” when confronted with racial feedback.
You feel awkward naming race in a room.
You don’t like talking about racism because it's too negative or divisive.
You’ve thought, I don't benefit from racism.
You call the police on others for non-emergency purposes.
You’ve countered anti-racist criticism with, “Not all white people…”
You say "we're all human" or “I don’t see color” to avoid talking about racism.

White Supremacy Culture teaches disconnection, scarcity, control, & fear of vulnerability. That keeps us from deeper relationships, honest community, collective liberation, & our full humanity.