Thread by @IEMcElroy

Alright Everyone, Black people collectively have had enough, especially those of us in academia. And honestly, we're TIRED of the "apologies" and the promises to "do better." It has been TOO DAMN LONG for us to still be placated by these lies. So I'm going to spell it out: /1

Disclaimer: this is Twitter, so there will be a certain amount of depth and nuance that I can't reach in 280 characters, and I honestly probably won't try to because more importantly like I said - Black people are tired of explaining this for the umteenth time /2

SO since everyone wants to "talk about race" now and "be better" how about we stop making the same mistakes - when we say "center Black voices" that means - there are Black people that have been doing the work for DECADES, have spent entire careers doing this work /3

so when you set up your diversity panels/commissions/groups how about you BRING IN THOSE BLACK PEOPLE and PAY THEM THEIR WORTH. If you can fork over millions for gender equity/LGBTQIA initiatives then you can fork over millions for racial equity work /4

when you go and call on your token Black faculty/staff/trainees/employees not only are you abusing your POWER (because we know we can't be honest in what we have to say without repercussion) you are also putting significant stress and extra work on said employees /5

although we may all be aware of our Blackness, it does not mean that all of us want to do DEI work nor should we have to. you are using your POWER over our hesitancy to speak up out of self-preservation to ignore us or eventually use it as fuel to get us fired eventually /6

for more on this please reference @IjeomaOluo's "glass cliff" reference in her book "Mediocre" -

another aspect of centering us is DECENTERING white people - so what does that look like? Here is an example: /7

when you have your DEI workshop and a Black person speaks up and a white person gets uncomfortable and everyone rushes to comfort them and explain away how their actions were "misinterpreted" this is centering white people /8

the white people are back in the center having their emotions/actions justified while the black person is now
A) wishing they hadn't spoken
B) wondering when the retaliation starts
C) retraumatized
D) All of the above
/9

oh and when this happens it also reinforces the societal and structural beliefs that white people's feelings matter more than anyone else's, even when they are in the wrong

this is one of the ways bias training fails to make any significant change
/10

so now you may be asking about situations where white people "want to center Black voices" but we decline to participate (especially when it's unpaid) - short answer? we're tired. long answer? keep reading /11

reliving, talking about, and having "academic debates" about racism/discrimination is emotionally taxing, like, legitimately has proven biological stress on our bodies, this need for trauma porn is incongruent with our mental and physical health /12

but more importantly - this lift cannot be done ONLY by Black people, part of doing the work is going out and educating others AND looking at who you hire AND looking at whose articles you publish in your journals AND using your platform to amplify others /13

Black people (and pretty much every other minority) do not hold enough positions of power to push these changes nor should we be tasked with overhauling a system we didn't create that directly oppresses. again you are being lazy and hiding behind your own discomfort /14

Many of us are willing to assist with your organizing and work but the expectation that we will do everything is beyond played out and frankly just disrespectful.

if you have TRULY done the work then you should be able to be an accomplice in this process /15

We don't need committees, excuses, half-assed apologies, and town halls to discuss racism.

We need accountability, restorative justice, truth, honesty, and EFFORT. Change can be slow but it is extra slow when you hide behind "I didn't know any betters" and "I'm sorry /16

We don't need white guilt and apologies on behalf of your people.

We need you to put your money where your mouth is and support policy change, housing equity, educational equity, investment in low-income communities. /17

If you don't "know any better" in 2021 then it is a choice of willful ignorance. And personally, I am no longer accepting apologies or placating proclamations.

I've had enough. Pay me my worth. Embrace my humanity. And put some respect on my name when I've earned it. /x