Apparently almost 8000 people took part in the challenge! There weren’t any readings today, but I took the exit survey, which asked, amongst other things, how comfortable we were having conversations about racial equity both before and after the challenge. I’m a little more comfortable, but I’m still – and maybe even more – aware that I’m white and it’s not necessarily my place to speak when there’s the option of magnifying a Black voice instead.

I think it has made me, though, more willing to step up when I’m with other white people who are saying questionable things. Actually asking the questions they invite is a pretty good option: sometimes people genuinely suck at communication and don’t realize what they’ve implied. Sometimes they know they’re saying racist shit and now don’t have plausible deniability. Questions let you disambiguate and know more about the people you’re talking to! They’re good. They also seem to work best when you approach it as neutrally as possible, remembering that sometimes people don’t think before they speak. Principle of charity + also not letting things go uninterrogated.

I got to use this approach in a different context earlier, with someone talking about art showing Ronald McDonald kissing the Burger King having ‘ruined’ him. I’m living my best life, or something.

But I’m definitely going to be going forward trying to live a more anti-racist life.