Teaser: I have heard it said that if you know something to be true, but act as though it isn’t the case then the next effect is you don’t really understand its truth. For example if you know something but never use, it never take action on it, – if you can fly but never do – does it even matter? Similarly if you know about Racism, Sexism, Classism, Orientation-ism – but don’t do anything against it – do you really know?
Today’s podcast is on Performing Woke but acting like your still asleep – or OK well DO something about it!!!
Today we will talk about:
- Is the notion of being woke and the way it is communicated causes some serious problematics
- How performance of woke-ness seems to matter more than active Anti-Racism
- How we can be active at many levels in our Anti-“ism” and how we all need to truly wake up to the painful reality our systemic “ism” really causes
Welcome back to the podcast!
As far as the podcast goes I have the ability and am awaiting the means to start advertising again a bit more. Which should be interesting, I think this will be the one I push a bit so if you are a new listener welcome. If you have been a longtime loyal listener thank you for your continued support and listens. Please remember you can email me at inclusiveactivism@cox.net or leave me a voicemail at 860-576-9393. I would love to hear your thoughts!
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So checking in on my Activism:
Went to Aire Libre Elementary school to talk about the cost of violence and anger associated with Labels – expound
In talks with North Canyon High school to do some work with Nonviolent Communication as a means to understand with and find new avenues to dialog with others
Was the MC at a screening of More than a Word with Special Guest Amanda Blackhorse and Jacob Meders – got to meet one of my heroes in person
Also got recognized by a few different grad teacher for a good job that night and that felt good.
Closed the Month of gratitude
Saw the effects in my Emerging Leaders Students which was deeply gratifying.
Self Care:
Lift X3 a week which was great considering I have been sick all week!
Got no Cardio done this week which is a concern that is one of the areas that for some reason I am allowing to slack even knowing that I have a bit of high blood pressure already I need to get back on that again soon
And Meditated for 3X for at least 10-15 mins and will need to get another day in
I am well on the road to recovery from what I am guessing was a muted flu this past week so that is postive
So on to the podcast for today! How the white working class just got sacrificed at the altar of the rich.
First thing: The whole idea of woke is a problem for me. I think it is because it seems like a status one can achieve and hold without effort. I am certainly not woke – I understand some things but still when confronted with a bold new prospect – akin to the black men should if you love and care about the true future of black men might need to happen segregated. That thought shocked me – and sadly my first thought was a me based concern. I was thinking about how much I would miss them in my space – BUT the truly more woke thought would be I could always visit them and if that is what they need to be whole and successful so be it.
The other part of being woke which I worry about is especially in young people – but importantly it is not only in the youth – the need to perform being woke in front of and as a way to correct and challenge peers as to who is more woke and who is more prolific in their performance of wokeness.
It is a good thing to learn and I think we all need to constantly be in our process of waking up and trying to stay awake. And when I get called in by someone else I am grateful for that opportunity. But people get really Call out about stuff. Very much oh hell no let me educate your dumb ass in their woke performativity which I feel really turns people off. There is a way to correct with grace which acknowledges we are all in our own learning process.
And also if you are so damn woke maybe you need to spend some time around people much more different than you to learn all over again there is always more to learn and more room to grow with your inclusive activism!
Second: I am starting to very much wonder if the performance of being woke – matter more than a true sense of anti-racism.
I started thinking this when I was watching Dear White People on Netflix, which is a very interesting series if you haven’t had the chance to check it out. There was this part where the main girl on the show is dating a white guy but keeps him a secret because she is seen on her campus as somewhat of a black first type of girl. When if she were truly “woke” to how society divides to conquer us this would be a non-issue.
I see this too in day to day call out culture, there is an expectation of the performance with perfection on being woke. People will call each other out all the time over and over again for the smallest of things – at times jumping all over people without a sense of context over what is being communicated. And while I do agree and understand communicating oppression does in fact come in with the way we speak and the fact that we need to liberate our vocabulary so we can free each other.
That being said still there is a way to submit subtle corrections without Calling someone out. If the goal is to speak in a way which is free from oppression, we cannot choose to berate one another out of trying to get better. That my friends in my opinion is the difference between calling someone out and calling them in to communication of liberation.
I also worry that people are more concerned about doing Woke-ness in from of other woke peers much more than efforts of active Anti-“ism”. The goal is not to show that one understands and is awake to institutional and systemic “ism” – THE goal is to understand it and its effects and to attempt to make change!
Lastly – we need to live like what we know is true and what it does it people every damn day. It is not enough to be woke. It is not enough to only be a part of the awakening of others.
We have to live like what we know is true – is real with real effects. As a man I need to feel the sense of urgency that comes with what the potential violence non-men face on a day to day basis is and work with the same sense of urgency I would if it faced me!
If as a man I am not speaking against sexism, rape and men’s violence I am basically useless. The other day I had a friend who was speaking against a man who was being a male advocate when a story was told about how the Harvey Weinstein stuff was going to effect their work and ability to date as part of the TV film industry. A less woke male was remarking how they were frustrated how this would make it harder to find potential dates. My friends response was too bad they need to keep it professional and they should really re-think attempting to date within the workplace. There was no understanding or sympathy – which I think is accurate the sympathy should be with all the non-men who were bullied, harassed, molested and sexually assaulted. Not with men who will have a harder time asking for dates.
That is active anti-ism being the person to stand up for what is right and to hold normative majority groups accountable for their actions. And while that is good in a conversation – these things need to happen in other spaces and places. For example I need to groom men who are active anti-rape men. I need to help create men who understand the need to police the way non-men are targeted and dehumanized by other men with language, AND action.
In another way you need to be both about dealing with the effects of a problem – for example I did that when I was at Feed My Starving Children, and Andre House. But I need to act and vote like with the reality that we create systems which create these outcomes. I must vote for and advocate for anti-poverty groups, I would need to vote as if we create and maintain systems which keep people poor, hungry, and destitute.
And I need to become more awake personally to this very real and frightening reality that somehow we have talked ourselves into the idea that it is somehow ok – that people die from the cold – that people die of hunger and malnourishment – here all around me and we choose to stay asleep to this cold hard reality. I am not woke about the real truth to poverty – if I truly were I would never sleep…
More so what do I plan on telling God when they ask me how I let this happen all around me and did virtually nothing about it?
Like I said to think a thing is true is not enough – I must live as though these things are true and to act accordingly.
So in review major points of this podcast were:
- Is the notion of being woke and the way it is communicated causes some serious problematics
- How performance of woke-ness seems to matter more than active Anti-Racism
- How we can be active at many levels in our Anti-“ism” and how we all need to truly wake up to the painful reality our systemic “ism” really causes
SO if this made you think something, if you have a question or even more shocking a critique let me know. You can call me at 860-576-9393
This space is a place to talk back ask me questions, hit me with scenarios of how to react to situations real time. Depending on how good your stuff is I will give it my “first take response” or if it’s good it might be a future podcast!
Also as always if you’re interested in booking me to bring the power of inclusive activism to your organization you can always do so at inclusiveactivism@cox.net or you can learn more about this organization at www.inclusiveactivism.com