Reflections of race and privilege
As a therapist, the most important work I do is the work I do on myself. Without understanding my own relationship to race and racism, I would not be serving my diverse clients to the best of my ability. Although intentionally quiet on social media, I’ve been deep in conversation with friends and family members in my black community. Being surrounded by and embracing black culture my whole life, the reflections I’ve had over the last couple of weeks have taken me to a deep and humbling place of recognizing my own “white” privilege.
As a Filipino-Canadian, I am a visible minority whose parents migrated to this country in the 70’s and in that climate, I was conditioned from a young age to keep my head down – what I realize now meant “be as white as possible so you don’t get noticed”. My black friends didn’t have that privilege. I grew up in multi-cultural schools and saw people for who they were and not the colour of their skin. But I realize now that my colour “blindness” coupled with the notion that I had to stay quiet, paved the way for my complacency. I may have never experienced racial injustices personally but I certainly have witnessed them over the years and stood idly by the waysides.
As my loved ones from the black community share countless stories of their experiences with racial discrimination and harassment, it is through their broken hearts that I examine my own history and generational relationship to white privilege. In Filipino culture where the roots of white privilege date back to decades prior to World War II, I now recognize my personal responsibility in educating the generations after me in understanding how that history has shaped our misguided and unconscious beliefs and biases.
To my non-black community - it's time to dig deep – talk to your parents, grandparents and great grandparents to understand your own history and relationship to the social injustices we are seeing today. And with that knowledge, do your part – whatever that looks like for you – we are responsible as a collective consciousness to eradicate the social injustices we see today that took centuries to build.
To my black community – I stand with you in mind, heart and soul. I see you. And you matter.