“Inclusion is not a matter of political correctness. It is the key to growth.” (Jesse Jackson)
I’m tired today. Tired of struggling to find words that will make people care enough to make change. Tired of shouting into spaces that choose to turn a deaf ear when people are crying out for representation and acknowledgement. Tired of seeing significant, critical issues turned into fodder and clickbait.
But I am reminded by articles like these that there will be no rest for the weary. There is too much work to be done. So I will keep shouting. I will keep speaking my truth on every platform I have in the hope that it reaches someone who is finally ready to listen. Because I’ve dedicated my life to social justice. For, like Robert Frost, I have promises to keep. And miles to go before I sleep.
Inclusion is not a black and white topic. Diversity alone is not the answer. Systems of privilege and structural racism have much deeper roots than a single event. Eradicating them requires complex solutions along with empathy for those who have been historically excluded. I’ve long given up the hope of finding that in the Dallas blogger scene or influencer marketing industry at large.
This isn’t a blogger problem, this is a human problem. “Bloggerville” is just one more institution in which inequity and implicit bias rear their ugly heads and create a widening wealth and opportunity gap. While I appreciate Dallas Observer amplifying these messages (however trivializing their editorial tone may be), I hope their readers think more critically about this multifaceted and pervasive issue.
P.S. If you’re interested in reading more about this topic, I encourage you to visit Jaleesa’s blog and Valery’s for a serious dose of TRUTH.