Racism
Today I want to talk about racism, anger, hate, assault.
When I deliver a version of content on social media, my aim is to connect, to encourage thought, to uplift. I make a conscious choice to pivot towards light.
One reason for this is because I know so many people who already carry so much emotional weight. Both at a personal level, and because of our shared societal realities. These are complex times for most of us.
The second reason is that, despite being carved deep by challenging experiences in my personal life, when I sit back and ask myself what I want to bring into the world, I often land on a desire to share something positive, something that moves towards hope and beauty. Creating is a way of processing, whereas output is a way to gift back to our world.
That being said, today I want to use this platform to say a few things:
Please take a look at me, I am a person of mixed descent.
Please remember that when you discriminate against Asians, you target me, and you target my family, you target our shared community.
Most people perceive me in a way that is convenient to them. What you have assumed, or believe you see, does not actually erase my complex background, history, lived experiences, cultural experiences, or experiences with racism.
Let this be a reminder, that I am the friend you project hate towards if you are racist, my family member is the elderly person you are considering perpetrating violence against.
We live in challenging times, but even if you do believe “someone else” or “some other group” is to blame for your circumstances, the only person you can hold accountable for your actions is yourself. When you verbally target, physically assault, or sexually assault, harass, and objectify others, know that your character is defined by your actions.
I encourage you to pivot towards kindness.
x Clea