Happy Black History Month!
Black history is American history, and Black revolutionaries have been successfully organizing for hundreds of years, “Revolution is a serious thing, the most serious thing about a revolutionary’s life. When one commits oneself to the struggle, it must be for a lifetime.” – Angela Davis.
It’s up to all of us to learn from Black history, be actively anti-racist, ensure our organizing is intersectional, and remember that none of us are free until all of us are free.
Recent attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by the Trump administration are just code for anyone who does not conform to their White Christian nationalist agenda in their campaign to destroy Reconstruction, Civil Rights, Women’s Suffrage, Disability Rights, and LGBTQ+ equality. We won’t let them win, and we will not go back.
In the past, we proudly came together across our differences to end enslavement and Jim Crow, to gain voting rights regardless of gender, establish working people’s right to form a union, win the Americans with Disabilities Act, and advance justice for queer folks. When we come together across race, place, and generation, we win.
We have a choice to make. Will we let Trump, billionaires, and corporations roll back our progress, or will we build power with our fellow working class people? We value our freedoms and want to move our country forward, not backward. Will you join us?
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“White progressives can be the most difficult for people of color because, to the degree that we think we have arrived, we will put our energy into making sure that others see us as having arrived… White progressives do indeed uphold and perpetrate racism, but our defensiveness and certitude make it virtually impossible to explain to us how we do so.” – Robin DiAngelo.
Performative activism hurts our movement. Liberation for all requires white folks unlearning racism. It’s up to white folks to dig deep, unpack white culture and how it affects you, your advocacy, and your organizing. Be honest and curious about where your motivation to help comes from. Be courageous and recognize that this is going to require discomfort.
Don’t shy away from it. Be intentional, and really show up for your neighbors of color. Solidarity is not about “being a good white person”. It means working alongside your BIPOC comrades, accepting you’re going to get it wrong at times, but doing it anyway. It’s up to white folks to unlearn racism and white supremacy culture, or they’re doomed to perpetuate and repeat it.
We all deserve to live with safety, dignity, resources, and the respect we deserve regardless of the color of our skin.
In community,
— Edwin, Mary, and Hannah: PA Stands Up Comms Team
P.S. – Governor Shapiro unveiled his proposed 2025 budget to the Commonwealth yesterday. Read our response to Governor Shapiro’s 2025 Budget Address here.