A call to raise awareness of anti-racism
"I am not a racist"
In a world that struggles with systemic problems, claiming "I'm not racist" is inappropriate. It is important to understand that recognizing the existence of racism within ourselves does not make us terrible people per se. Instead, recognizing internalized prejudice is the first step to dismantling systemic racism.
"I don't see any color."
The expression "not seeing color" is dangerous in that it denies the diverse experiences of individuals and entire groups of people. These are strongly influenced by skin color. Unless the person is clinically colorblind, there is a call to engage with these differences. It calls for people to engage with these differences, recognize their own privileges and actively work for social change.
"It wasn't my intention to hurt you."
While it is nice when a large part of society is educated to love all people equally, with this article and the tours we show that we all have internalized prejudices that are shaped by colonial ways of thinking. The mere rejection of racism is therefore unfortunately insufficient. In order to deconstruct racism, it is necessary to actively adopt an anti-racist stance.
"If I had said or done something against racism, others might see me as aggressive or mean."
The fear of being perceived as aggressive when addressing racism should be reduced. We encourage you to re-evaluate your relationships and prioritize those who are also committed to justice. We encourage you to surround yourself with people who support you in your anti-racist stance.