Behind the scenes

I wanted to pass along 2 articles that relate to recent questions and comments you've shared.  (I so appreciate hearing your successes, questions, and challenges.  Please keep 'em coming!)  

Before that, here's a quick "behind the scenes" -

Late last night I made my first attempt at creating a Facebook ad, very reluctantly. 

This was done at the strong encouragement of many people who have seen my outline for a "Strong Foundations of Ally-ship" program... and they knew there were other people who would want to know about it who and aren't here yet.  So...

Long story short (skipping the details of how slowly I learn technology!) - the ad was rejected by Facebook almost immediately. 

The reason they gave? 

"... Your ad may have been rejected if it mentions politicians, topics that could influence the outcome of an election, or existing or proposed legislation."

Nothing I was saying was directed toward any politician, elections or legislation.  In fact, the wording was minimal.  (You can see it here).  

However, these "social issues" have certainly become politicized.  Tonight's presidential debate shows it clearly.

And that is highly alarming.

We cannot accept these as merely political issues.  We cannot afford for allyship or anti-racism (or anti-racism training, or basic human rights) to belong only to one party. 

There is no perfect person.  There is no perfect political party.  

We are a reflection of our politics, and our politics are a reflection of us.  Just as we, in this community, are pursuing growth and hoping to be better today than we were yesterday, and better tomorrow than today, we need to pursue the same in our organizations, our communities, and, yes, in our politics. 

Otherwise, we risk falling into the same us-them thinking patterns that we are trying to overcome.

It's not easy.  Tonight makes that reality unavoidable.  However, we cannot afford to give up on nearly half of the population.  

The good news?  We can take the next step and the next opportunity to support these "social issues" from wherever we are.  The most important thing is just to keep moving forward.

Here are those articles I mentioned...

1.  In response to some of the questions and comments about how aware we are (or are not) of our biases, this article, Look Twice by Susan T. Fiske, is a very clear and insightful look - it shows some of the neuroscience (how our brain reacts instantaneously) and sheds a lot of light on how this shows up in our lives and society.  Although a bit older, it really is such a great article; I highly recommend you check it out - even if you just skim! 

2.  Click here for a prime example of how important it is to be actively pursuing allyship and anti-racism, regardless of the types of diversity in your area. Rather than homogenous areas being irrelevant to social progress and systemic changes, they are an essential part of it. In fact, in a homogenous area, as this article reflects, the dangers of implicit bias (or explicit racism) are likely to show up in damaging ways and may be left unchecked by the majority in the community. Look at these harmful reactions to individuals who were perceived as different (even if just passing through or trying to provide a service!) and, ultimately, damage to the system itself (in this case, public health).  Keep up the good work in your personal conversations and responsiveness to prejudice you observe - wherever you are! It's all needed!

You matter. You can make a difference. I'm so thankful you're here!