EQUITY AWARENESS Blog
by A. Floyd
“People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
https://www.waterford.org/resources/25-martin-luther-king-jr-quotes-to-inspire-greatness-in-your-child/ Hello!
Welcome to the unveiling of my newest blog. The purpose of this blog is to acquire equity awareness. As we read in the opening quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, people do not “get along” because they have not taken the time to get to know each other. With all that is going on in the world, we need to make time to become more aware of the need for equity.
As you interact with the Equity Awareness blogger, please share a little about your experience with equity and inequity. Along with your own personal experience with equity and inequity, share a recent or historic, verifiable account of equity or inequity with our readers. Please cite all sources.
I hope this will be a great way to learn more about equity, share stories, and become more aware about the presence or need for equity in our communities. As you read and contribute to this blog, remember to get and stay regulated. Take deep breaths; enjoy the images of my kayaking outing; and take time to do things that relax you. The topic of Equity Awareness can cause stress, so please remember to remain regulated.
Blog On!
My Story of Equity:
Children are not born with an understanding of equity, bias, privilege, or racism. By the time they reach school age, the process of learning these things has begun. I remember one of my first understandings of equity. This may seem frivolous, but I was in 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade, and all of my friends had stylish “bomber-styled” winter jackets. I had a winter coat, but it wasn’t the “bomber-styled” jacket. I never thought about my single mother’s financial responsibilities to me, herself, or my grandparents with whom we lived. I wanted one of those jackets. I did not get the jacket right away, but I did get it for Christmas. My jacket did not look like the other jackets, but I thought it was better! To me, equity meant not seeming to be the only one without something. I am always mindful of maintaining equity whenever it is in my power to do so.
Privilege was not revealed to me until much later. I grew up knowing that I was loved and supported by my immediate and extended family. I had lots of aunts, uncles and cousins; we congregated at my grandparent’s house (where I lived until I was 9 years old) for most holidays. Our house was a row home on a street in West Philadelphia in a predominately African American neighborhood. All of this was fine with me. I did not associate with anyone who lived differently than I lived until the day we moved to South Jersey. Now, we lived in a single family, stand-alone house with a yard where we were the second African American family on a long street; our house became the place for family gatherings after my grandmother passed away. The schools were better, the retail options were better, and it afforded my mom the ability to stay home while my new dad worked. To the eyes of a property owner, it looked like the “American Dream.” To me, it was a drastic change to my daily socialization which no one prepared me for; children in the suburbs do not play outside like children in the city! My new privilege came at a cost; I am grateful for some of the changes, but others I would have gladly avoided.
Racism is insidious. If you have ever experienced it, you won’t forget it. Before we got settled into our new home, the “welcome wagon” decided to break every window out of our house. My perspective was limited, but I knew we were not wanted. To add to that, one day while I was playing in my new yard, a car full of people drove by and they yelled, “Nigger!” I had never experienced such behavior before; I was an only child about to begin 5th grade in this new place. I do not remember what my parents said to me. I don’t know if I told my extended family about the experience, but it stuck with me. This was not my last experience with racism; I received and delivered racist comments until I realized how hateful it was and decided that I did not want to be involved in such behavior. Now, my mission is to be an ongoing example of an antiracist citizen.
Every person has a story and every story is important. When we take the time to know the stories of others, we can sympathize, empathize, and understand life experiences other than our own. We need to carve out time and make this a priority; this is how we can successfully manage equity, privilege, and racism in our communities and ultimately our world.
Did You Know?
The Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927This natural disaster affected the region from Illinois to Louisiana. People of color experienced a horrible natural disaster as well as horrific inequity. Some flood victims were denied help from people outside of the flood zone as well as the opportunity to leave the affected area. Prior to finding this story, I was unaware of this lack of equity experienced by the citizens of color in the flood zone.
