I grew up in a black household. We talked about race. Mom sued the Detroit PD for Sexual Harassment. We talked about gendered violence. Building on that w/ my kids by adding gender identity, homo/transphobia, rape culture, class & anything else that comes up. When u knw better...
In thinking about my upbringing, my Parents were Black Boomers from Detroit. There was no NOT talking about race. We were very aware we were Black & what that meant. But we didn’t really talk about class. And that was because we were (Black) middle class. You don’t talk...
...about what helps you. Lol. So ofcourse most White parents don’t talk about race. Ofcourse most Cis-Het parents aren’t talking about Lgbtq issues unless it’s shaming. Hell, girls/women are half of the population but I’d bet most households aren’t discussing rape culture. U...
...know better & you do better. I was also born in the 80’s. It was all about doing for yourself & surviving. My dad was a young Dr. I’m sure one of only a few in Medical school. He was going through his own shit. So was my mom. They did the best they could. I’d like to...
...believe all parents are. Folks get paid shit, work long hours while also parenting. We do the best we can. But when you know better...when you learn more...when you’re aware...you have to make the choice to not hurt. To not harm. To not add to harmful structures we all...
...know exist. We all have some kind of privilege. I grew up w/ two Cis-Het, middle class, lightskinned Black parents. 2 parent household. Even how mom was able to say to me, a 14 year old “Hey you wanna go to LA for the summer & see what happens?” THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO DO THAT...
...changed my whole life. And because of that, my kid’s lives. They benefit from a decision their Mimi was able to make before they were even an idea in my head. We had privilege there. And yet & still, ya’ll know how hard this business is. What I still go thru. But I am HERE.
And that is a fact. My 8yr old is on the spectrum. Speech delayed. The city we live in has allowed him to get FREE services since he was 2. Both kids are in great schools. That’s a privilege we have. I will say, our school district is SUPER diverse which you don’t see...
...in most school districts. Lots of Black kids, Muslim & Sikh kids, Latinx kids, disabled kids. Continental Africans, Indigenous kids. It’s kind of wild actually. Lol. My oldest is in middle school so that’s when you start to see LGBTQ kids living their truths. It’s a gr8 time.
I remember when 45 was running, my then 9yr old asked if he was going to bring slavery back. Folks thought I was lying when I tweeted that. But how could ANY Black child look at that man & not think the worst? Kids know what’s going on. They know. They aren’t dumb. Talk to them.
Talk to them before the world gets ahold of them by telling them they’re worse/better than everyone else. That they’re owed/entitled to something. Please understand that I have no idea wtf I’m doing, I’m literally just winging this shit but I DO know, we got this admin bcuz...
...we live in a country that has pacified it’s citizens with a lie. A lie told to it’s people by the Government, by policies enacted into laws and by education. For many, they saw the lie for the 1st time in Nov 2016. You cannot close your eyes to it anymore. As a parent I’d...
...hope you want your kids to be better than you. We were all fed that lie. It might not be white fragility but maybe it’s homophobia. Transphobia. Ableism. Misogyny. I’m rambling. Ya’ll get it. We’re all doing the best we can and we can all do better.
