So, I’m doing this thing that is pretty far out of my comfort zone, and I want to explain how it came about and how I am approaching it. 1/
It started when I went to the @Indivisible_MDI vigil for #Charlottesville. I didn’t plan to speak, but after hearing two different speakers say something along the lines of “we are a nation of immigrants”, I piped up. 2/
I said statements like that erase the existence and history of Native Americans, as well as African Americans whose ancestors were brought here against their will. That they were said at an Indivisible rally was evidence of the need for decolonization within the #resistance. 3/
I didn’t exempt myself. I explained I had only just begun the work of decolonization myself, and still had a lot to learn, and to do. I invited other members of the (majority white) @Indivisible_MDI community to join me in this work. 4/
Soon after the rally @Indivisible_MDI got in touch and asked if I would speak more about this at one of their meetings. Cue major discomfort. Me? A white woman? A relative social justice noob? 5/
On one hand I thought surely a Native American or other POC in our community would be a far better choice than me to speak about #decolonization. On the other, I didn’t want to put anyone on the spot or ask them to do work for white people. Long story short, I agreed. 6/
My plan is to briefly introduce #decolonization and,
decentering myself as much as possible, challenge members of @Indivisible_MDI to acknowledge the ways in which we consciously and unconsciously maintain colonialist structures, injustices, and mindsets. 7/
decentering myself as much as possible, challenge members of @Indivisible_MDI to acknowledge the ways in which we consciously and unconsciously maintain colonialist structures, injustices, and mindsets. 7/
I acknowledge this is the barest beginning, but it’s a beginning. I’m hoping the @Indivisible_MDI community will want to continue the work of #decolonization. A next step might be to sponsor a workshop by @CCIBoston in our community. 8/
It’s this coming Wednesday, December 13, at 6:30pm in the parish hall of St. Saviour’s Church in Bar Harbor, in case any locals are reading this. @Indivisible_MDI is on Facebook here: facebook.com/groups/3974725… 9/9
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