Wherein I stan Ibram X. Kendi …
I’m a huge fan of Ibram X. Kendi, and not just his books (e.g. How to be an Antiracist, Stamped from the Beginning, Antiracist Baby… all amazing, go read them. Seriously.)
Over the last 20 years, I’ve often remarked that when the world gets serious about ending racism, there will be movements and institutions conducting rigorous (funded) inquiries into what needs to be done to end it. Taking the problem on, head on (as opposed obliquely, or from the sidelines) has always seemed to be conspicuously missing, until very recently, and thanks in large part to Dr. Kendi.
It’s not that folks haven’t tried, but Ibram X. Kendi is the first person I’ve seen step up, and propose whole cloth to invent what I’ve always felt was missing: a national multi-disciplinary antiracist community and movement, with funding, discipline, and data.
…And then create, authentic platforms that have the potential to shift the conversation.
He has now started not one, but two centers for antiracist research and policy: one at American University and another one at Boston University.
I stan both of them.
Boston University is leveraging Dr. Kendi’s star power to attract resources and attention and build a national network.
American University is digging deep locally, and putting their policy insight into action right here in my hometown of the District of Columbia. (Not the part you see on C-Span, but focusing on the neighborhoods East of the River, where the technology of racism, including the policies that govern us are killing my neighbors).
Anyway, I got invited to listen in on a zoom call with Dr. Kendi regarding the creation of the Center for Antiracist Reseach at BU a few days ago and he powered through a whole series of questions from the audience, leaving me scrambling to take notes.
Here’s what moved me the most, pretty much unfiltered. I hope it inspires you like it inspired me.
Solve for policies not people
A main thesis of “How to Be an Antiracist” is that historically the American conversation about race has been dominated by behavioral formulations to problems of racial inequity and injustice. We’ve lived like there must be something wrong with people that is causing racist outcomes (e.g. High rates of mortality, incarceration, and risk of violence rates among young Black and Brown people.)
Dr. Kendi contradicts this notion. He proposes that to be antiracist is to stop focusing on what (we have made up) that is wrong with PEOPLE, (as informed by the racist ideas that shape the conversation) but rather on focusing on the POLICIES that cause racist outcomes.
He observes that whenever anybody has a conversation about how to change the behavior of Black and Brown people, it automatically expresses the racist idea that there is something wrong or inferior about Black and Brown people.
I was already familiar with this idea from “How to be an Antiracist” but hearing it boiled down to its essence really struck a chord with me.
How can we convince closed minded people to change their minds about racism?
Dr Kendi: Spend your time with open minded people!
I loved the answer here because this is my philosophy too. Life is too short and and your antiracist attention is too important to squander on people who aren’t open to it.
What are the top things antiracist people can do to dismantle racism?
1.) Encourage folks to define terms.
What is a racist? What is an antiracist? It is no accident that How to Be an Antiracist starts with these definitions and introduces more definitions each chapter.
2.) Ask “Why do racial disparities exist?”
Solve for policy not for people. (hint from me: If the answer you come up with is “black-on-black crime” you’re on the wrong track.)
3.) Ask “What policies cause these disparities?”
What are the policies that create the environment where police murder Black people with impunity? That cause Black and Brown folks to die at twice the rate of white folks from before birth? and so on…
4. Finally ask how do we end those policies?
And then do that….
I loved that the to do list was expressed as an inquiry, not as a command script. Dr. Kendi lives in a world where we’re all capable of doing the work to liberate ourselves, and every word he writes is an invitation to participate
What is the biggest barrier to ending racism?
Cynicism: the belief that racism can never be ended.
Dr. Kendi points out that 200 years ago people believed that chattel slavery couldn’t be never be ended.
We need to dare to dream of a better world.
I’m of the opinion, that the ground we’ve taken in the discourse, the conversation, and the culture of America over the last several months in the wake of the George Floyd and Breonna Taylor murders is important and real and positive. I believe in the power of the tipping points of culture, in large seismic shifts that are powered by millions or billions of conversations and interactions and the consensus reality they propel.
It’s really important to the future of the world that white folks throw off the chains of our own cynicism and resignation. I know my writings here can seem theoretical and abstract sometimes but keep this very important truth in mind.
All technologies sunset in the end.
Racism/Whiteness will disappear and be replaced by something.
It’s completely up to humankind whether its replaced by something better, or whether its replaced by something worse. Your voice matters as much as anybody else’s, so learn to lay your resignation down.
You’ll never regret it.
In solidarity,
Jamey
P.S. I guess I’m not the only huge fan of Dr. Kendi! Jack Dorsey from Twitter and Square just gave $10M to the center. You go Jack! Embrace your inner fanboy! Let your billions undo some of the damage your technologies have wrought!