I hope you are taking good care during this potent and difficult time. I’m here to share what’s on my heart in this moment…

Let me begin by saying if your heart is breaking over the recent murder of George Floyd and so many others, and the continued brutal racial violence against our Black community, please know I stand with you.

If you’re looking for ways to put your heartbreak into action, please check out the trusted resources I’ve included at the end of this email. I hope you find them helpful.

A few weeks ago, I wrote these words (for my upcoming book), and they couldn’t feel more true today:

We live in a rapidly changing world, and we are collectively being asked to inhabit this Earth, our communities, and our personal lives in very new and innovative ways. The learning curve is steep, friends, and the pressure is on to find new solutions to the myriad of social, political, racial, and environmental problems we face. Old structures have long been crumbling and are now giving way to fresh opportunities and new ways of being. There is a great rearranging underway, and now more than ever, applying the philosophies of the creative process to our lives and to our world is not only helpful, it’s necessary.

For me, creativity, aliveness, resilience, and our ability to make change, adapt, stay awake and evolve are all very interconnected.

On a personal note…

When it comes to unpacking my own white privilege over the years, I’ve made mistakes, been called out, been called in, and retreated into silence because I didn’t want to say the wrong thing. I’ve also leaned into difficult conversations, read books, taken classes, donated/signed/posted, come out of silence, supported + centered people of color, and come to understand that this is work is a marathon, not a sprint.

What I know for sure is that there are infinite ways the color of my skin benefits me every day and that it is my responsibility as a white woman to do the work to examine my privilege and become part of the solution through action, solidarity, and education. Instead of turning away, I now think of it like this:

“I GET to do this work. I get to dive in, be challenged, be pushed, uncover my blind spots, learn, grow, and become a better ally. This is my responsibility and this is part of what being alive, awake, and connected to my heart looks like.”

Please know I’m here to do this work with you.

Anti-Racism Resources

There are many incredible Black anti-racism educators who offer classes + resources, and I know it can be hard to know where to start. I’m sharing these because I’ve experienced them myself and found them really helpful. If you enter these spaces, please do so with respect, a listening ear, and the readiness to do the work and pay for their efforts.

Rachel Ricketts. I recommend her Spiritual Activism series, which includes video workshops, along with incredible resources to keep you further engaged with the work.

Rachel Cargle. I recommend her Unpacking White Feminism live lecture exploring the history of feminism through the lens of race. Also check out Rachel’s recent Public Address On Revolution.

Layla Saad. I recommend checking out her Good Ancestor Podcast for amazing conversations about what it means to be a good ancestor.

Ijeoma Oluo. I recommend reading her book, So You Want to Talk About Race where she generously and clearly breaks down important aspects of race in America. Also check out her article, Welcome to the Anti-racism Movement — Here’s What You’ve Missed.

Places to Donate

The Minnesota Freedom Fund
Black Visions Collective
Black Lives Matter (local chapters)
#8Can’tWait