SARN - Top 10 of 2020

ICYMI catch up on last year’s most popular articles

Hello friends,

I recently got an email from a SARN subscriber and realized that there are pieces some of you haven’t seen. In this case, she hadn’t seen the previous entries in my “Meet an Anti-Racism Writer” series. So I decided to do a quick run down of last year’s top newsletter content so newer subscribers can find them easily.

I’ve included a quote or excerpt from each to give you a flavor of the pieces. Here they are:

Preaching to the Converted as a Starting Point For Anti-Racism Work

"Aren't you preaching to the converted?" It was a genuine question from one of my social media connections. I think he was questioning whether this anti-racism newsletter could really do any good.

My answer: "I'm aiming for the ripple effect." So, what did I mean by that?

When you look at a Black person, what do you really see?

You see me from the outside in

Distracted by the color of my skin

You see me from the outside in

Troubled by the color of my skin

You see me from the outside in

Agitated by the color of my skin

You see me from the outside in

Exasperated by the

Rich, warm, velvety blackness of my skin.

Unlearning some myths about Black people's existence

One of the favorite tactics of the racists and those who aren't real allies is to say "not all white people". Believe me, Black people already know, because if it were all white people, even more of us would probably be dead. But there's a lot white people don't know about Black people - a lot of assumptions they need to unlearn. And so I present: not all Black people…

And learn why she's shining the spotlight on "race abuse" to help end racism

Catherine Pugh Esq. was one of the writers I discovered early in my own journey with anti-racism writing. Her first piece made me rethink the notion of allyship, and every beautifully researched and annotated article since has opened my eyes to another facet of this anti-racism fight. I hope it will be the same for you. Please meet Catherine.

Why this mother of one felt the pros outweighed the cons

When my English husband and I had to decide where to raise her, we decided to go to Barbados, in the Caribbean.

Having talked to Black friends who went to school in England, there was a common theme: it wasn't easy. In fact, sometimes they had awful experiences of racism. I heard the same story from my Black American friends.

True stories of how white employers underestimate Black employees’ education and ability

For Black people, one of the unwelcome realities of living and working in countries where you’re in the minority is that some white people lower their expectations about your education, capability and achievements.

We got the right result, but we anti-racists still have a LOT of work to do!

Many people hoped that the 2020 US election would be a categorical vote against racism, climate change denial, children in cages, dismantling environmental protections, and a mishandled pandemic.

It wasn't.

Not even close.

I say they do, but the system keeps trying to prove me wrong.

Your Black friends and colleagues are hurting because no matter how often we Black people tell ourselves that Black Lives Matter, the system makes it crystal clear that our lives don't matter.

A white person’s need for comfort does not negate my experience as a Black woman

I have to admit I’m tired of the gaslighting. For some white people the fact that they were unaware of racist intentions is absolution in their own eyes. However, that’s not enough for most Black people.

for racism to end

It's been 3 months since George Floyd

and here we are again.

In that time, many others have died

unremarked by the headlines

and therefore by us

That's why I'm still waiting

for Black lives to matter

As always, thanks for reading, and if you like what you see, please consider supporting the newsletter with a paid subscription.

Sharon

© Sharon Hurley Hall, 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Cover photo courtesy of Canva.

If you want to do more work on anti-racism, and hear more of my experiences face to face, check out the anti-racism workshop I’m leading on January 23rd.

I am an anti-racism writer, a professional B2B writer and blogger, and co-host of The Introvert Sisters podcast. If you value my perspective, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription.

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