I read Richard Rothstein’s book “The Color of Law” last year. Shocking how blatant and obvious were the policies of discrimination by the Federal, State, and local governments. Even today, in 2020, we can be amazed at how few People of Color grew up in a house owned by their parents, and how many have lived in rented apartments their entire lives.
Great piece, great beginning, Mike. In the mid-1990s, my husband and I bought a home in Castro Valley, California. There was a clause in the old deed that stated no "colored" people were allowed to purchase a home there. There was also an old law that the only "colored" people allowed in the City had to be wearing a uniform and to be out of town by sundown. While we lived there, a new BART station was planned for Castro Valley (an unincorporated city). The uproar was tremendous - that "people from Oakland" would take the train, rob and steal, and easily get away and back to Oakland. The racist knives were out in a big way, but the station was built anyway. Inherent racist bias exists today, and only white people can fix that. We have to understand and acknowledge its existence. Looking at our history is an essential step to doing that. Glad you are keeping the conversation going.
What is no longer the case? The original grant deed for the property did exclude POC. And many people in CV are still prejudiced against Black people living there.
Great read. We have a little grassroots group called "Monroe County Together" on Facebook that addresses these issues. I know you are no longer living here, but if you are interested, and on FB, it would be great if you could join us there!
I've lived in this world for over 65 years. My grandmother and mother were sharecroppers who only had a third-grade education. They did not realize that the property that they were on at the time belonged to my grandmother's father. They were lied to so the property was taken from them. We knew that we had land, but as a child, there is nothing you can do to help out; I have always had the desire to own my own home. I have owned two homes in the city of Rochester. I've owned a home since I was twenty-eight years. I know that I have always paid a higher rate for my home due to my own color of my skin. I have lived in my present home now for twenty-eight years and my mortgage is still high. I know that it is because of the high-interest rate.
This article was very eye-opening and somewhat painful. It makes my heart bleed when I read and see things of this nature. When you have people that were not born in this country; come into this country and they can purchase a home wherever they want to because of the corruptness of our government. As you stated, "This must change." because suburbs should be less racist. Children should be taught to respect all people regardless of the pigmentation of their skin because we all have something wonderful to bring to the table. Racism is an ugly monster and should be put to death.
We know our systems are broken and need to be fixed. If this does not take place we will continue to see this trend for the next century. It's people like yourself that have lived in this environment that can help make this change a reality. To help open the eyes of your white counterpart and alike to understand what they are doing to a people whose people did not ask to be in this condition but was forced to be here.
I would like to say thanks for your insight and understanding that it is time for a change.
Thank you for sharing your story, Ms. Tisdale. You deserved to have inherited that house from your grandmother and mother...intergenerational wealth. Good on you for becoming a homeowner in spite of everything. Yes, it is time for a change.
Thank you so much for this piece. You told the truth and maybe somebody will see for what it is. WRONG THEN AND NOW! The Black People have been treated in America is a shame. And America has set the tone for the world to follow. Again thank you
The D&C wrote this article on the same topic back in February. The more we can document and talk about the ugly history of redlining, the more chance for real change.
Good read with plenty of good information. Lots of this information is known in minority communities but not laid out this well.
Having made the complicated choice on where to raise my family I can tell you that quality of life, safety and cultural understanding (all pertaining to race) played a major roll in why we chose to stay away from certain suburbs.
Great article, and I can say you may have missed some of your own biases but that is only human. As a Latinx who grew up in the city and graduated from Wilson when it was one of the top schools in the nation. To then return to Rochester to raise my Latinx/Caucasian children we went from City Pre-K to Primary, move to Fairport for Secondary to Junior High, then Irondequoit for High School I can attest to much of what you shared here. The education differences and disparities abound even when you’re in the school district paying taxes you’re are still treated as “less than”. As if my $100K a year job wasn’t paying my taxes just like my white counterparts. It became especially apparent when we went out with our realtor to see houses in Irondequoit. The stares, the neighbors coming out to see “who” might be buying the house. The status-quo statements in many of the towns and villages is to ensure we don’t get “those types of people” here. It’s a shame to have seen it and grown up with it. I’m glad to see someone writing about it and exposing it. Please keep writing and studying how systemic racism in Rochester has really affected those non-whites that didn’t have the opportunities you had in Pittsford.
Thanks for the article. I also grew up in Pittsford and while I do think the issue is more complicated, you've hit on some great points. One important correction: your calculations re: affordability do not take into account the exceptionally-high property taxes in Pittsford. The calculator you used assumed a 1.2% rate, whereas the effective rate in Pittsford is more like 4% (see here for an example: $8,545 on a home assessed at $210,000 https://www.propertyshark.com/mason/info/Property-Taxes/NY/Monroe-County/#Info). When you account for a 4% tax rate, the income required to "afford" a $296K home rises from $68K to $91K.
This is a fundamental feature of many affluent communities in Western NY, part of the reason we never saw a property boom, and also why it will forever be harder to build equity in homes as compared to other major metro areas, regardless of prosperity. As such, there are legitimate reasons why a first-time home owner with low household wealth (more likely to describe black families in the region than white) might choose a slightly worse school district with lower taxes: to grow wealth more efficiently.
Thanks for pointing that out, Chris! Living in California now, it's hard for me to imagine 4% property tax rates. Instead, property taxes here are capped at 1% of a property's assessed value, and property assessments are only allowed to increase a maximum of 2% per year. CA's system is biased towards households who were able to buy homes decades ago, before the huge run-up in prices, and lets them pay a tiny fraction of the property taxes a new homeowner pays, thanks to that 2% increase per year limit. It also forces the state to balance its books with higher income and sales taxes than it otherwise would.
It's interesting how both property tax schemes end up favoring the rich, albeit in different ways. I'll make a note in the main post and link to your comment.
Thank you for writing on this important topic. In terms of Pittsford Village, the Village Zoning Code was updated late last year and in those updates there are some allowances for accessory dwellings, and more mixed-use areas.
One thing that I noticed in the article that could possibly be clarified is that racist, restrictive covenants on properties are not part of Town/Village municipal law - they are (now illegal and unenforceable) parts of some private property deeds, which are recorded by the County Clerk. The WHAM article linked above is unfortunately unclear on this point as it seems to imply that property deeds are somehow within the jurisdiction of the Town.
The tool that we do have available to work with to make communities more equitable at the very local level is zoning law, including targeted changes such as those mentioned by Councilmember Townsend in her comment above. There is a lot of work to be done. Thanks again for posting and I’d look forward to discussing with anyone who is interested.
Fair point on the racial covenants. I was aware of the difference, but since this might be the first time others are hearing about them, I rewrote that sentence as: "Though a high-opportunity suburb like my hometown of Pittsford is now looking at ways to formally remove now-unenforceable racial covenants from property deeds..."
Thank you for your work on reforming zoning. I hope finding ways to build income-restricted affordable housing are also a part of the conversation. Even if Pittsford can manage to build less expensive housing types, at market rates, they will still probably be out of reach of most Rochester residents, where the median income is only $35,000. Subsidized units would go a long way towards making a difference there.
Thank you for this thoughtful piece. By the way, the mixed-use zoning you mentioned is already in the works. It was put in the Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2019 and will be part of the zoning code revisions that are getting underway.
Additional options that I will be bringing to the discussions include:
• Expanding B-Residential Zones to allow for more two-family housing and apartments
• Modifying the types of houses allowed in RN-Residential Zones, possibly to include bungalow courts or townhomes
• Including price-point requirements in Incentive Zoning and Planned Unit Development approvals
• Allowing accessory dwelling units on sufficiently sized lots
We are also working on a demolition code so that the more reasonably priced homes in Pittsford cannot be easily torn down to build a much larger, more expensive home.
The zoning code revision process will involve extensive community input. I encourage Pittsford residents to participate in the workshops so your ideas and values are fully represented.
I'm glad there is movement on zoning reform! Thank you for making that a priority. On the Peninsula of the San Francisco Bay Area where I live now, most cities are not willingly making these changes. Thankfully, the California state legislature is forcing progress that our suburbs are not willing to contemplate.
I'm not familiar with the mechanisms for funding subsidized housing in New York State, but I'd also suggest looking for ways to raise money to construct new units locally at the deepest affordability levels. The income gap between Pittsford and the City of Rochester is so stark (median of $117k to $35k) that even a family making the City of Rochester median wage would need deeply discounted rents to afford Pittsford. Allowing more of those families to send their children to Pittsford schools would do a lot to change those folks' intergenerational economic trajectory.
It's also worth exploring what it would take to increase the number of students who get to participate in the Urban-Suburban program in PCSD. Maybe the Town could contribute more funding to help.
Excellent piece with great info which more suburban folk need to read and embrace. Few white people want to acknowledge the recency of redlining and it’s current impact on education which only perpetuates the problem. We should simultaneously work toward a county-wide school system as city schools are primarily black / Hispanic despite what any stats may say. Most astute city families enroll their children in charters where behavior / academic difficulties are sent back to public school buildings under the guise of “we don’t have the program / supports your child needs”. Charters effectively take the best students / families leaving a preponderance of challenge in the public school. Also, I understand that city schools provide free breakfast and lunch for all students. How much of the “comparable student funding” is spent on food rather than academic of social education? I firmly believe in full integration of homes and schools. Let’s approach it from all sides. Signed, City school teacher for 26 years
Good point on student funding. I suspect that for students dealing with the trauma of poverty, the true cost to provide an equivalent education to Pittsford's might actually be 2 or 3 times larger. Providing meals at school, access to social workers, access to extracurricular and summertime activities, access to extra academic supports, etc. adds up fast. Richer families either don't need all those supports or pay for them out of their own funds.
A lot of people are talking about a countywide school system in Monroe County. I hope systemic reform like that is possible!
Interesting and logical how this could negatively impact generations of black families over the past 50 years. This is a topic that should be explored more to understand some of the racial demographics in the US.
With that said, there should be some clear operational definitions set so that everyone is on the same page. There is a mix of racism, prejudice/bias, bigotry, trust, and experience going on that should be clarified. For example, racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. Prejudice/bias is preconceived judgment that could be based on race or other characteristics like wealth or even clothes. Bigotry is the obstinate or intolerant devotion to one's own opinions and prejudices. I think we know what trust and experience means. So, just because some white person is suspicious of a new potential black neighbor doesn't mean they are inherently racist. It could be that most of their prior experiences with blacks were bad (same could be said for police, honestly). Trust is something that is built, regardless of the color of our skin. Experience shapes our viewpoints in today's society in all circles. Some women would say they don't like men and vice-versa. It's that sexist? Maybe, maybe not. Could be that their experiences with the opposite sex were all bad - starting with their parents.
If a white person says they don't like black people, they would most definitely be called a racist today. What about the other way around? Not racist. However, I would argue that in the majority of both cases, there is a mix of distrust via experience that influences their position. Could be some prejudice and bigotry in there as well.
My point? If we're going to have open and honest conversations about race and demographics, then we need to come to agreement that there's more than just racism driving all of this. That term is way overused, unproductive, and incorrectly applied in many conversations.
Honest open talk is now considered dangerous? I would argue placing labels on people is what's dangerous. My best friends for over 10 years are an interracial couple. I have other close black friends that agree with what I've wrote. Name calling will not get us to unity in this country, Alanna. I agree with the premise of the article, btw.
Me & White Supremacy by Layla F Saad, or (if you absolutely cannot listen to a Black voice that won't agree with you) White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo both include chapters that identify and explore your go-to responses. Chakita Patterson's 7 Day Antiracism Challenge is an excellent resource as well.
If you agree with the premise of the article, it's your responsibility to do the work with me.
All white-accepted people are part of this system, and if we're not actively working to dismantle it, we are reinforcing every last act of violence this article thoroughly covers.
Alanna, the thing is, in my life, I've already been working against the "system" for decades in my sphere of influence. This is nothing new to me or my friends. From working with Habitat for Humanity, befriending many people of color, sharing, crying, just living life with them, mentoring black and brown teens in youth groups, helping primarily black homeless, attending many Pentecostal black churches and having breakthroughs in forgiveness and victim mentality, donating to organizations that are helping the hopeless and poverty-stricken urban communities, the list goes on and on.This is Life...living and loving people, ALL people regardless of race, gender, religion, etc. If you have not been doing this in your everyday life, by now, then you've been a part of the problem this whole time. You don't need a book to tell you that.
None of this exempts you from internal Antiracism work. When you're done self-congratulating and rephrasing "All Lives Matter", try one of the resources above. I dare you.
Clearly you're in the right and I'm in the wrong and have nothing to add to the conversation from your perspective. If you're thinking I'm "self-congratulating", then you've entirely missed my point. Your muted insults are also clear, but unnecessary. Take care.
Loved your post about Suburb in New York. I thought it was interesting and has great content. Along the same line, we just did a new post about Las Vegas zip codes and homes for sale with interactive maps. Your readers might want to look - https://HomesForSale.Vegas/Las-vegas-zip-codes/. Again, thanks for sharing your info.
I read Richard Rothstein’s book “The Color of Law” last year. Shocking how blatant and obvious were the policies of discrimination by the Federal, State, and local governments. Even today, in 2020, we can be amazed at how few People of Color grew up in a house owned by their parents, and how many have lived in rented apartments their entire lives.
Great piece, great beginning, Mike. In the mid-1990s, my husband and I bought a home in Castro Valley, California. There was a clause in the old deed that stated no "colored" people were allowed to purchase a home there. There was also an old law that the only "colored" people allowed in the City had to be wearing a uniform and to be out of town by sundown. While we lived there, a new BART station was planned for Castro Valley (an unincorporated city). The uproar was tremendous - that "people from Oakland" would take the train, rob and steal, and easily get away and back to Oakland. The racist knives were out in a big way, but the station was built anyway. Inherent racist bias exists today, and only white people can fix that. We have to understand and acknowledge its existence. Looking at our history is an essential step to doing that. Glad you are keeping the conversation going.
I own property in Castro Valley and Hayward this is no longer the case, Cindy.
What is no longer the case? The original grant deed for the property did exclude POC. And many people in CV are still prejudiced against Black people living there.
My point is that we have made progress. It no longer excludes POC.
Great read. We have a little grassroots group called "Monroe County Together" on Facebook that addresses these issues. I know you are no longer living here, but if you are interested, and on FB, it would be great if you could join us there!
Incredible work. Subscribed and looking forward to reading your future work. This is so needed in Rochester and around the country. Thank you.
I've lived in this world for over 65 years. My grandmother and mother were sharecroppers who only had a third-grade education. They did not realize that the property that they were on at the time belonged to my grandmother's father. They were lied to so the property was taken from them. We knew that we had land, but as a child, there is nothing you can do to help out; I have always had the desire to own my own home. I have owned two homes in the city of Rochester. I've owned a home since I was twenty-eight years. I know that I have always paid a higher rate for my home due to my own color of my skin. I have lived in my present home now for twenty-eight years and my mortgage is still high. I know that it is because of the high-interest rate.
This article was very eye-opening and somewhat painful. It makes my heart bleed when I read and see things of this nature. When you have people that were not born in this country; come into this country and they can purchase a home wherever they want to because of the corruptness of our government. As you stated, "This must change." because suburbs should be less racist. Children should be taught to respect all people regardless of the pigmentation of their skin because we all have something wonderful to bring to the table. Racism is an ugly monster and should be put to death.
We know our systems are broken and need to be fixed. If this does not take place we will continue to see this trend for the next century. It's people like yourself that have lived in this environment that can help make this change a reality. To help open the eyes of your white counterpart and alike to understand what they are doing to a people whose people did not ask to be in this condition but was forced to be here.
I would like to say thanks for your insight and understanding that it is time for a change.
Thank you for sharing your story, Ms. Tisdale. You deserved to have inherited that house from your grandmother and mother...intergenerational wealth. Good on you for becoming a homeowner in spite of everything. Yes, it is time for a change.
Thank you so much for this piece. You told the truth and maybe somebody will see for what it is. WRONG THEN AND NOW! The Black People have been treated in America is a shame. And America has set the tone for the world to follow. Again thank you
The D&C wrote this article on the same topic back in February. The more we can document and talk about the ugly history of redlining, the more chance for real change.
https://www.democratandchronicle.com/in-depth/news/2020/02/05/rochester-ny-kept-black-residents-out-suburbs-decades/2750049001/
Good read with plenty of good information. Lots of this information is known in minority communities but not laid out this well.
Having made the complicated choice on where to raise my family I can tell you that quality of life, safety and cultural understanding (all pertaining to race) played a major roll in why we chose to stay away from certain suburbs.
Great article, and I can say you may have missed some of your own biases but that is only human. As a Latinx who grew up in the city and graduated from Wilson when it was one of the top schools in the nation. To then return to Rochester to raise my Latinx/Caucasian children we went from City Pre-K to Primary, move to Fairport for Secondary to Junior High, then Irondequoit for High School I can attest to much of what you shared here. The education differences and disparities abound even when you’re in the school district paying taxes you’re are still treated as “less than”. As if my $100K a year job wasn’t paying my taxes just like my white counterparts. It became especially apparent when we went out with our realtor to see houses in Irondequoit. The stares, the neighbors coming out to see “who” might be buying the house. The status-quo statements in many of the towns and villages is to ensure we don’t get “those types of people” here. It’s a shame to have seen it and grown up with it. I’m glad to see someone writing about it and exposing it. Please keep writing and studying how systemic racism in Rochester has really affected those non-whites that didn’t have the opportunities you had in Pittsford.
So revealing and interesting. Not to mention disturbing, shameful, unjust and troubling to hear. Hopefully, things will change sooner than later.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the article. I also grew up in Pittsford and while I do think the issue is more complicated, you've hit on some great points. One important correction: your calculations re: affordability do not take into account the exceptionally-high property taxes in Pittsford. The calculator you used assumed a 1.2% rate, whereas the effective rate in Pittsford is more like 4% (see here for an example: $8,545 on a home assessed at $210,000 https://www.propertyshark.com/mason/info/Property-Taxes/NY/Monroe-County/#Info). When you account for a 4% tax rate, the income required to "afford" a $296K home rises from $68K to $91K.
This is a fundamental feature of many affluent communities in Western NY, part of the reason we never saw a property boom, and also why it will forever be harder to build equity in homes as compared to other major metro areas, regardless of prosperity. As such, there are legitimate reasons why a first-time home owner with low household wealth (more likely to describe black families in the region than white) might choose a slightly worse school district with lower taxes: to grow wealth more efficiently.
Thanks again!
- Chris Kennedy, Pittsford-Mendon High School '01
Thanks for pointing that out, Chris! Living in California now, it's hard for me to imagine 4% property tax rates. Instead, property taxes here are capped at 1% of a property's assessed value, and property assessments are only allowed to increase a maximum of 2% per year. CA's system is biased towards households who were able to buy homes decades ago, before the huge run-up in prices, and lets them pay a tiny fraction of the property taxes a new homeowner pays, thanks to that 2% increase per year limit. It also forces the state to balance its books with higher income and sales taxes than it otherwise would.
It's interesting how both property tax schemes end up favoring the rich, albeit in different ways. I'll make a note in the main post and link to your comment.
Thank you for writing on this important topic. In terms of Pittsford Village, the Village Zoning Code was updated late last year and in those updates there are some allowances for accessory dwellings, and more mixed-use areas.
One thing that I noticed in the article that could possibly be clarified is that racist, restrictive covenants on properties are not part of Town/Village municipal law - they are (now illegal and unenforceable) parts of some private property deeds, which are recorded by the County Clerk. The WHAM article linked above is unfortunately unclear on this point as it seems to imply that property deeds are somehow within the jurisdiction of the Town.
The tool that we do have available to work with to make communities more equitable at the very local level is zoning law, including targeted changes such as those mentioned by Councilmember Townsend in her comment above. There is a lot of work to be done. Thanks again for posting and I’d look forward to discussing with anyone who is interested.
Fair point on the racial covenants. I was aware of the difference, but since this might be the first time others are hearing about them, I rewrote that sentence as: "Though a high-opportunity suburb like my hometown of Pittsford is now looking at ways to formally remove now-unenforceable racial covenants from property deeds..."
Thank you for your work on reforming zoning. I hope finding ways to build income-restricted affordable housing are also a part of the conversation. Even if Pittsford can manage to build less expensive housing types, at market rates, they will still probably be out of reach of most Rochester residents, where the median income is only $35,000. Subsidized units would go a long way towards making a difference there.
Thank you for this thoughtful piece. By the way, the mixed-use zoning you mentioned is already in the works. It was put in the Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2019 and will be part of the zoning code revisions that are getting underway.
Additional options that I will be bringing to the discussions include:
• Expanding B-Residential Zones to allow for more two-family housing and apartments
• Modifying the types of houses allowed in RN-Residential Zones, possibly to include bungalow courts or townhomes
• Including price-point requirements in Incentive Zoning and Planned Unit Development approvals
• Allowing accessory dwelling units on sufficiently sized lots
We are also working on a demolition code so that the more reasonably priced homes in Pittsford cannot be easily torn down to build a much larger, more expensive home.
The zoning code revision process will involve extensive community input. I encourage Pittsford residents to participate in the workshops so your ideas and values are fully represented.
I'm glad there is movement on zoning reform! Thank you for making that a priority. On the Peninsula of the San Francisco Bay Area where I live now, most cities are not willingly making these changes. Thankfully, the California state legislature is forcing progress that our suburbs are not willing to contemplate.
I'm not familiar with the mechanisms for funding subsidized housing in New York State, but I'd also suggest looking for ways to raise money to construct new units locally at the deepest affordability levels. The income gap between Pittsford and the City of Rochester is so stark (median of $117k to $35k) that even a family making the City of Rochester median wage would need deeply discounted rents to afford Pittsford. Allowing more of those families to send their children to Pittsford schools would do a lot to change those folks' intergenerational economic trajectory.
It's also worth exploring what it would take to increase the number of students who get to participate in the Urban-Suburban program in PCSD. Maybe the Town could contribute more funding to help.
Excellent piece with great info which more suburban folk need to read and embrace. Few white people want to acknowledge the recency of redlining and it’s current impact on education which only perpetuates the problem. We should simultaneously work toward a county-wide school system as city schools are primarily black / Hispanic despite what any stats may say. Most astute city families enroll their children in charters where behavior / academic difficulties are sent back to public school buildings under the guise of “we don’t have the program / supports your child needs”. Charters effectively take the best students / families leaving a preponderance of challenge in the public school. Also, I understand that city schools provide free breakfast and lunch for all students. How much of the “comparable student funding” is spent on food rather than academic of social education? I firmly believe in full integration of homes and schools. Let’s approach it from all sides. Signed, City school teacher for 26 years
Good point on student funding. I suspect that for students dealing with the trauma of poverty, the true cost to provide an equivalent education to Pittsford's might actually be 2 or 3 times larger. Providing meals at school, access to social workers, access to extracurricular and summertime activities, access to extra academic supports, etc. adds up fast. Richer families either don't need all those supports or pay for them out of their own funds.
A lot of people are talking about a countywide school system in Monroe County. I hope systemic reform like that is possible!
Interesting and logical how this could negatively impact generations of black families over the past 50 years. This is a topic that should be explored more to understand some of the racial demographics in the US.
With that said, there should be some clear operational definitions set so that everyone is on the same page. There is a mix of racism, prejudice/bias, bigotry, trust, and experience going on that should be clarified. For example, racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. Prejudice/bias is preconceived judgment that could be based on race or other characteristics like wealth or even clothes. Bigotry is the obstinate or intolerant devotion to one's own opinions and prejudices. I think we know what trust and experience means. So, just because some white person is suspicious of a new potential black neighbor doesn't mean they are inherently racist. It could be that most of their prior experiences with blacks were bad (same could be said for police, honestly). Trust is something that is built, regardless of the color of our skin. Experience shapes our viewpoints in today's society in all circles. Some women would say they don't like men and vice-versa. It's that sexist? Maybe, maybe not. Could be that their experiences with the opposite sex were all bad - starting with their parents.
If a white person says they don't like black people, they would most definitely be called a racist today. What about the other way around? Not racist. However, I would argue that in the majority of both cases, there is a mix of distrust via experience that influences their position. Could be some prejudice and bigotry in there as well.
My point? If we're going to have open and honest conversations about race and demographics, then we need to come to agreement that there's more than just racism driving all of this. That term is way overused, unproductive, and incorrectly applied in many conversations.
This is dangerous talk, Jamie, and untruthful. Would you still be an apologist for racism, if you had to include your last name?
Honest open talk is now considered dangerous? I would argue placing labels on people is what's dangerous. My best friends for over 10 years are an interracial couple. I have other close black friends that agree with what I've wrote. Name calling will not get us to unity in this country, Alanna. I agree with the premise of the article, btw.
Jamie I would love to talk with you. I think this is the only way changes are going to begin to happen.
Interested as well, Yolanda!
Me & White Supremacy by Layla F Saad, or (if you absolutely cannot listen to a Black voice that won't agree with you) White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo both include chapters that identify and explore your go-to responses. Chakita Patterson's 7 Day Antiracism Challenge is an excellent resource as well.
If you agree with the premise of the article, it's your responsibility to do the work with me.
All white-accepted people are part of this system, and if we're not actively working to dismantle it, we are reinforcing every last act of violence this article thoroughly covers.
Alanna, the thing is, in my life, I've already been working against the "system" for decades in my sphere of influence. This is nothing new to me or my friends. From working with Habitat for Humanity, befriending many people of color, sharing, crying, just living life with them, mentoring black and brown teens in youth groups, helping primarily black homeless, attending many Pentecostal black churches and having breakthroughs in forgiveness and victim mentality, donating to organizations that are helping the hopeless and poverty-stricken urban communities, the list goes on and on.This is Life...living and loving people, ALL people regardless of race, gender, religion, etc. If you have not been doing this in your everyday life, by now, then you've been a part of the problem this whole time. You don't need a book to tell you that.
None of this exempts you from internal Antiracism work. When you're done self-congratulating and rephrasing "All Lives Matter", try one of the resources above. I dare you.
Clearly you're in the right and I'm in the wrong and have nothing to add to the conversation from your perspective. If you're thinking I'm "self-congratulating", then you've entirely missed my point. Your muted insults are also clear, but unnecessary. Take care.
Loved your post about Suburb in New York. I thought it was interesting and has great content. Along the same line, we just did a new post about Las Vegas zip codes and homes for sale with interactive maps. Your readers might want to look - https://HomesForSale.Vegas/Las-vegas-zip-codes/. Again, thanks for sharing your info.
Kurt Grosse
25-Year Las Vegas Realtor,
Former NV Building Engineer
https://HomesForSale.Vegas/Las-Vegas