Questioning Our Perceptions

“When we talk about unpacking unconscious bias; it’s not just about hiring practices and “diversity”, but about questioning how do I perceive this person when they are simply existing? How do I perceive this person when they make a mistake? What kind of intensity do I bring to this person when I feel unsafe, and is my own sense of safety rooted in reality or in a perception that I have inherited?

You have to remember that all of the racism and brutality that this world has ever witnessed was justified by perception. Our world is perpetually the outcome of the things we were told, that we believed, that we repeated.

Healing systemic oppression is not simply about memorizing facts and repeating slogans; it’s about questioning our perceptions as they arise. It’s about bringing consciousness to the things that we’ve been taught. Doing so is painful and uncomfortable and scary; because we don’t want to recognize our own worst impulses. We don’t want to be held accountable for what our Ancestors did. Even so, their beliefs created not only our bodies, but our world. If we aren’t accountable for them, then who is?”

You can read the rest of my essay on Formula 1 racing, Lewis Hamilton, and the humanity of Black athletes by clicking here.

All forms of supremacy are rooted in a perceived lack of safety

Image made incorporating photography by Alexander Andrews via Unsplash.