Where Am I On The Solidarity-Scale? 

 Read the descriptions below and be cognizant of which best describe you. Know that you can be at different points on this scale in different areas in your life or even on a day to day basis – what is important is that you recognize it and do what you can to move towards genuine solidarity.

Ignorance - You believe that racism is not an issue today (and you claim to not be racist, often citing phrases such as “I do not see color”). You believe that you learned the whole truth about your country’s history growing up. You do not see an issue in: the lack of representation of non-white folks, “jokes” where the punchline is based in a racial or racist idea, or the overwhelming disparities between predominantly White and predominantly Black populations. In fact, often times, you write off efforts to increase representation of non-white people in positions of leadership or visibility as an “unfair” effort to give a position to a “less-qualified” person; you think others are too sensitive about jokes that you make and may have a blissful sense of nostalgia for the “old days” when people did not question such things; and, you think that racial prejudice is a result of racial disparities rather than visa versa. When you hear about hate crimes in the news, particular those at the hands of police, you are quick to defend. You are dismissive of the fact that certain crimes against Black people occur because they are Black and think that such crimes are usually just a coincidence. In the case of police brutality, you search for things in the victim’s short-term or long-term history that in your mind validate the actions of the officer. If you come to the conclusion that the action was in fact wrong, you will say that it is one bad officer, but will not acknowledge the systemic harm of policing in Black communities. You generally have no interest in learning more about anti-racism or systemic racism because you don’t think it is relevant to the present-day or to your life, and you think others are being “brainwashed” to believe in something that does not exist. 

Pity - You acknowledge that Black people generally have a more difficult experience than White people, but you observe this as a passive cycle rather than an active system, you don’t acknowledge your role in the cycle, and you are quick to downplay the extent to which this system affects all aspects of society. At the end of the day, you see the Black experience as unfortunate; you pity it. This causes you to think you are aware of racism; it may even cause you to think you are anti-racist because you think you are aware of race. But, really, you have separated yourself into an “us” and “them” mindset. You think of yourself as a good, charitable person because you may donate to or volunteer with places that help communities of color. You may go on mission trips to “help” communities of color. However, your relationship with BIPOC people is almost always a top-down vertical relationship. You view yourself as a “savior”. In reality though, you have few authentic horizontal relationships with BIPOC people in your social life. You rarely engage in vertical relationships with people and communities of color in which you are the recipient – i.e. you have rarely been the subordinate or student of a BIPOC person. The accomplishments, rich culture, and deep joy of communities of color are not weaved into your everyday life, meaning that the authors of books you read, leading actors in films you watch, and celebrities or leaders you respect are mostly white. When this is not the case – or when you are not surrounded by majority White people in an educational, work, or social setting – you take note of it and view it as odd. When you hear the term “White Privilege” it makes you uncomfortable because you feel that the term negates the idea that you have worked hard in your life and because you have not fully accepted how deeply the color of your skin has given you advantages in all spheres of life. You are often extremely defensive when someone suggests that you have progress to make on an anti-racist journey. You may bring up your perceived proximity to people of color and begin explaining why you are not-racist. You see the description of an action as “racist” as a permanent label on your moral being and therefore usually heir on the side of defending your righteousness than listening to how you can improve.

Sympathy - What separates the “sympathy” stage from the “pity” stage is a desire to care deeply, the feeling of hurt on behalf of another community, and the desire to see the issue resolved – whereas pity is more of a paternalistic and distant discomfort. At the sympathy stage, you recognize and see the impact of systemic racism. It makes you angry and it makes you sad. However, at the sympathy stage, you may do more harm than good for a few reasons. Often times, your feelings of overwhelming sadness about what is happening transform into “White Guilt” – you feel guilty for the privilege you have had, the space you may have undeservingly occupied, the things you were ignorant of in the past, the things your ancestors did, and the things White people continue to do today. You may express this guilt in an unproductive way, though. Perhaps, you dwell in it instead of thinking about what you can do. Maybe, you unload these feelings onto your BIPOC friends to ensure they know how much this has impacted you or to seek their advice. Maybe, you will cry over large and obvious acts of racism – such as hate crimes – but, you have not fully reconciled your own positionality and role in a racist system (whether that be housing, education, work, etc.). You are a good listener, but you are not a good active listener, meaning you will expand what you read, what you watch, and who you listen to to include more diverse perspectives, but your takeaway from conversations about race is usually that you are unbelievably lucky and in disbelief about the experiences others go through due to the color of their skin. Rarely will you truly hear (and do) the action items in what others are saying – particularly if they require you to stand out in your community. You will also filter out “radical” aspects of what you hear, selecting what you will choose to believe based on what is most convenient for you. For instance, you may hurt deeply and care deeply when you see police brutality to the news, and you may recognize the existence of systemic racism in Police Departments, but you would not criticise or support policy that changed the entire policing system. 

Empathy - At the empathy stage, you do the work to fully understand. Sometimes this also means you acknowledge what you never can understand. You do this work on your own and in community with other learners – through having conversations that are welcome and not invasive, ensuring that you are surrounded with people who will help hold you accountable and help teach you in your everyday life and in your social media networks, and through expanding what you read, watch, and listen to. You actively listen, and you actively seek out ways to learn more about race, racism, and your role in it. You do not only seek out perspectives from BIPOC folks when it comes to race; you see their perspectives as crucial for all issues. Therefore BIPOC thinkers – and your own considerations for how certain policies will impact BIPOC folks – inform your opinions of all issues. You receive and share information in a positive and productive way. That being said, you are still slow to take action. You often do the minimal that is required of you to visibly appear anti-racist to others, but your action does not strech much beyond that. You see very clearly where institutions built on systemic racism weave into your own life, but rarely do you truly work to change them. 

Solidarity - Contrary to what the recent outpouring of “Statements of Solidarity” may suggest, solidarity is not about words, it is about action. One cannot simply say they stand in solidarity with someone, with a community, or with a movement. They must do so. To do so, one must treat the struggle of one group as a universal responsibility while still understanding that it is not a universal struggle. If you are at the Solidarity stage, you will fight against systems of oppression with the same passion, energy, and dedication as you would if they oppressed you. Simultaneously, you will continue to know that they do not oppress you, and because they do not oppress you, you will not be the leader or the face of or the inspiration behind what you do. This is not about you, but it is about something you know is your responsibility. You will use your privilege in productive ways and you will call out when others are giving you an unfair advantage due to the color of your skin. You call out oppressive systems and oppressive systems, hurtful systems and hurtful persons. You are willing to educate others because you know this burden should not fall solely on BIPOC folks. You recognize mistakes that you have made or make, you apologize for them, and you do what you can to repair damage knowing that oftentimes this damage cannot be repaired. If you are in an environment that is not diverse or not inclusive, you pull up seats to the table and you make it inclusive. When you actively listen, you actively respond.