Ella Baker Center Blog

A conversation about race is a difficult sell for many Americans. Being faced with our mistakes over race and racism throughout the years brings shame and pain.  Careful use of language and a few generations brought up to believe in a “color blind” mentality have landed us in this false assumption of a post-racial America.

With this in mind, I rewind back and forth in in history to reflect on what it takes to heal from racism. The biggest question we should ask ourselves in this historical reflection is what has changed and what hasn’t changed? With this analysis we will be able to interact with one another in a conscious and intentional way.

First, I think about August 28th, 1955, when the world was given a true image of our racial biases and racist system.  Emmett Till was brutally murdered, beaten and hung for talking to a white woman in the Jim Crow south in Money, MS. Some would call this horrific incident the catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement even though today, many young people, would not even recognize Emmett’s name.

In 1955, my father (African American) and my mother (white) would have been risking their lives to be in a romantic relationship.  It was still illegal at that time for blacks and whites to marry.  On top of the laws, violent racial tension was rampant in this country.

At least on the surface, a lot has changed. Two years ago the nation was proud to announce the victory ofa person of color in the Oval Office. This historical event motivated countless individuals and families to be proud of the strength of resistance and keep moving forward for progress.

As a multiracial woman I often think of the many different ways we relate to one another. But I have to wonder if even in 2010, even with a multiracial man as our President, if the color of our skin still dictates our character.  We still live in a society obsessed with racial divides and cultural differences.

For example, the racial divide is apparent in the current debate over immigrant rights. Again, we see laws being proposed that make racial profiling an acceptable measure of justice. On the other side, immigrants and their allies are speaking out against these racist approaches to law-making. This is no different then the push for civil rights in this country in the 1950s and 60s.

So how do we start to heal from the past and stay resilient in the present? Luckily in the Bay Area we have centers for healing from race and racism in our society. The Attitudinal Healing Connection hosts racial healing dialogue groups on a monthly basis. I plan to attend their next racial healing dialogue and will share what I learn with the Ella’s Voice community. This is a monthly conversation hosted the last Wednesday of every month dedicated to dialogue around race. Visit their website to learn more about these dialogues on racial healing and for finding a safe and supportive space to discuss issues of race.