Listen and Learn
My heart has been burning and broken this week after learning of the ruthless murder of George Floyd by a racist police officer in Minneapolis, MN. There are no words.
What does rise to the surface are tears, and grief, shame and confusion, long looks in the mirror, anxious thoughts and soul-crushing despair. As we witness the dismantling of systems of inequality, injustice and enslavement, I just keep thinking - I need to understand what my friends are experiencing.
I feel lost, but there are two words sounding off like tornado sirens in my head - LISTEN and LEARN. Two words and two ways to show up with honour and humility, two ways to witness and bear the burden, and two ways to find a way toward justice.
LISTEN and LEARN from leaders of the movement. People who are organizing marches, coordinating voting initiatives, writing books, producing podcasts and educating us on how to make meaningful change with real impact.
Authors like Austin Channing Brown author of I’m Still Here: Black Dignity In A World Made For Whiteness or Robin DiAngelo author of White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism.
Or people like activist and rapper, Killer Mike who recently outlined strategies for change in his emotional plea to protestors in Atlanta.
LISTEN and LEARN from people like Keedron Bryant who pour the heart and soul into creative artistic expression that informs and wakes up your soul.
LISTEN and LEARN from allies. People like Peter Wohler, leader of Source Ministries, located South Minnieapolis, in the epi-centre of the recent riots. People like Peter who have devoted 25 years to living in and serving this community and deeply understand the dynamics, challenges and frustrations community members are facing.
LISTEN and LEARN from smart and informed activists, people like Tracy Howe and Seth Wispelwey. Two frontline clergy-leaders who marched against white supremacists in Charlottesville during the 2017 riots, and who continue to inform me today.
LISTEN and LEARN from your own self. Get curious about what happens when you begin to witness the pain of others. Notice as your own pain, stories of abuse, oppression or trauma begin to rise to the surface. If you feel frustrated, overwhelmed, confused or hopeless, don’t turn away, because when you LISTEN and LEARN your own story will want to rise to the surface and be heard. You too will discover anger and tears, fear and hope, and you will become more human.
Then, as you begin to stand up, holding the truth of your story with humble hands, you can LEAN IN. Lean in and listen to your new friends and be guided by their voices and rebuild. Be curious, be gracious, be patient, be slow to speak, and ask questions on how to BE.