Being the change we want to see in the world

“Change begins with honesty” was the heading on an Uplift emaIl sitting in my inbox. I let that phrase continue to wash over me as I reflected on the justifiable pain and anger expressed through the current protests against systemic racism. As I reflected on the phrase “change begins with honesty” I was confronted by the insight that although I do not actively participate in systemic raciscm, I am Australian born of white skin colour, therefore I am inherently part of the problem of systemic racism.

“Change begins with honesty.” Protesting is important because it brings to light issues that had been hidden within the collective awareness. Even so, protesting alone will not be enough when it comes to systemic racism. If real change is to take place, it needs to take place in the insidious and deeply held assumptions of white supremacy which characterize western societies. Therefore, until those of us who are of white skin can recognize that white supremacy is deeply embedded in the societies we have designed, enduring change will flounder.

Ghandi urged us to: “be the change we want to see in the world.” If change begins with honesty, then perhaps we of white skin colour are required to firstly acknowledge the confronting realization of systemic racism. If we were to do so, then real change could emerge; real change in terms of: no matter the skin colour, we all equally participate in and are responsible to the one human community, which in turn, participates in and is responsible to the wider Earth community.