I want to push white folks to do… The grieving process is the trigger to healing.
In all of our inner work, research and reflection, let us keep in mind that acknowledging the harm of anti-black racism our actions is the necessary first phase to transform that harm.
By acknowledging the harm we (as white culture) inflict, by understanding the role our ancestors played in history, and by examining the implications of our everyday thoughts, behaviors and actions – we finally can heal.
We can envision a world free of white supremacy and begin to accept how things may differ once our race and culture is no longer in charge of things.
The natural purpose of grief is for an individual to be able to innately find a place of acceptance. The acceptance one must get in order to begin the healing of a particular dis-ease is the acceptance of the dis-ease itself and the acceptance of the “self-adjustments” required to initiate the healing process of the dis-ease.
The first stage of grief and, unfortunately, the stage that most people get stuck in is denial/defensiveness. Other stages include anger, bargaining, and depression. However, many of us remain in the stage of denial/defensiveness, which tends to enable a dis-ease to fester and to destroy our lives.
Acceptance is a stage some people never get to, especially if they don’t allow themselves to experience all the other emotions that come first. By doing the work, we can reach the point of acceptance where we can grow and heal.
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