Last week, there was an outpouring of support for Black Lives Matter. It came from people of all colors, from all around the world, and also from tons of brands and corporations. Some of which have been called out for supporting BLM publicly, while not having the most diverse policies internally. Over the last week, I’ve followed a lot of new Black voices online. They have shaken up my Instagram feed and made me realize what a white space it had been previously. In addition to following activists and educators, I have also followed voices from my own space— mom bloggers.
One of those voices is Karen from The Mom Trotter. Karen lives with her husband and son full time in an RV. She writes about traveling on a budget, homeschooling and the specific issues that parents face while traveling with children of color. This week, like all of us, she has been posting a lot about Black Lives Matter. Yesterday, she posted a message to hold those of us newly educating ourselves on the issues accountable.
I wanted you all to read it.
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You’ve followed me and other black content creators, you’ve bought books for your kids, you’ve bought some for yourself too, you’ve educated yourself, you’ve had the talk with your kids, maybe you’ve even taken them to a protest.
Now what??
What happens next??
What will you do to ensure that you are doing better? What will you do to ensure that you are raising better humans? What will you do to ensure that you hold your family, the people around you, the people you work with etc. accountable?
Please remember that:
1) #BlackLivesMatter is NOT a trend.
2) Racism is NOT a trend.
3) Unjust deaths of Black people is NOT a trend.
4) My trauma is NOT a trend.
5) Fighting for what is right is not a trend.
An article on taking Aiden to a protest was shared on The Today Show and these were some of the ridiculous comments:
”Every culture at one point in history has suffered from poverty, slavery, genocide.”
“We are not helping our children by allowing them to find excuses for themselves. Why poison their young minds.”
“These parents are making these kids weak by making them feel victimized.”
“Didn’t want to hire a sitter.”
“Child Protective Services should be at your door this morning. “
This is my EVERYDAY LIFE. I don’t get to do it one day and then decide to take a break the next day. Although, now it seems to be trending for people and brands. Which is soooo annoying. Don’t follow me or share my page just because. Do it because you mean it!!
Anyways, I’m just letting y’all know right now, I expect more from you. I really do!!
Follow @themomtrotter on Instagram.
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To my readers, this is our challenge. How do we make this more than a trend? What’s your next step? Please let me know in the comments.
I followed several Black mom bloggers as well after reading you did the same. I want to be hearing everyone’s voice and experience in my feed. The Mom Trotter is one of my new friends, I love her account. Thank you for the suggestion to add these voices and a list of your follows.
We are the same age, Ilana. Remember the ‘Cross Colours’ clothing line of the ’90s. I was a rural white girl who saved up and bought myself a shirt. I wonder now if that was an inappropriate thing to do, although I did not buy it to appropriate the rap culture. I did it because I believed in the message as a 17-year-old and wanted everyone around me to know it. Since then I have read books and watched movies and documentaries. I try to do this with every culture and ethnicity. I love history. And there is so many life experiences out there. I want to see and hear and learn about them all. It’s so maddening over the years to watch people react to Black Lives Matter, the confederate statue drama, etc. I want to scream ‘Have you ever read a book???’ and ‘turn off the news and learn some history instead!’ Anyway, all that to say, I will work every day to improve myself and I mean it!
For me I’m continuing to have the hard (very hard) conversations with my white friends and family. It’s worth it to fight for the worth, dignity, and humanity of black people, because they have had to do it every day of their lives. And, they don’t get to just quit like I could.
I’m also sharing a lot of black art and businessesin my stories trying to normalize black faces. I’m still educating myself. And, I’m still using my platforms to shout for black lives. Even when it is hard, I will not give up.
Oh and my Instagram had also grown with black influencers, and several of them are becoming my favorites just like you, Ilana.