cherishing & protecting black humanity. (erin jean warde)
Content Warning: Today’s e-mail shares a quote offered in response to the white supremacist mass shooting in Buffalo, NY, as well as a written reflection inspired by the quote. I have not included any images of the violence, though I do include images of the deceased below.
I know this may be triggering for some. However, in my past, I would often shy away from facing the reality of white supremacist violence, because it felt overwhelming or hard, and I notice now how many people say it is triggering. But now I’m able to see that it wasn’t actually triggering for me as a white person, it just asked me to face the reality of white supremacy around me, and in my lack of engaging it, I was sinning. I was ignoring racism, which destroys the creatures of God.
So, in terms of this content warning, I encourage us to discern if wading into this is triggering or just uncomfortable. If it’s just uncomfortable, I think we are called to sit in the discomfort, to face the reality, to bear witness, because the ultimate pain is known by the black people who were killed and by the black community.
If this is triggering, take care of yourself, and do not engage with this.
My hope is to encourage staying in discomfort if we’re shying away from undoing racism, while also honoring the reality of trauma and how I don’t wish to stoke it and cause further pain.
Today’s art is “Sleep (Day Dreaming)” by Tahj Rust.
inspiration
“Racial terrorism has always been the tool of choice when white people feel black people are too free. This is not a betrayal of American tradition. This is American tradition. This is not just bad individuals. This is the fruit of a white supremacist nation. How much white racism must we endure before this country actually cherishes and protects black humanity?”
—Danté Stewart
contemplation
Danté’s words say so much, and I hope you will sit with them, reading them a few times over. I know this newsletter often centers on sobriety and spirituality, because that’s the core of my work. Please know I’m talking about white supremacy today because it deserves our time, and also because it exists in conversation with sobriety and spirituality.
Spiritually, white supremacy exists in direct opposition to the most basic tenets of my Christian faith. We cannot love our neighbors and ignore the violence committed against them. As I said above, when I have turned away from acknowledging white supremacy, I have sinned, because I have ignored the powers that destroy the creatures of God, especially the powers that destroy black lives. Our world harbors violence that is directed in a specific way, toward white supremacy. So I bring our attention to this, because it deserves our attention, as this pain, grief, violence, and hatred cannot be disconnected from our souls. First and foremost, grief is felt by those who lost someone they knew and loved, and the black community feels grief and fear due to the ongoing violence. Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus his friend and I know Jesus weeps at the graves of these beautiful souls; I know Jesus weeps at all the graves caused by this nation’s harboring of violence against black beloved children of God.
In terms of sobriety, racism is part of how we understand substances, as this nation has intentionally built systems to criminalize black people for their usage of substances. Our nation simultaneously tends to define drug use with alcohol as socially acceptable, often celebrating alcohol use as part of our identity and status, especially when the person using drugs is white. Our drug policies are part of the prison industrial complex, a tool of white supremacy. Our drug policies specifically stigmatize coping, while the actions of our nation then give black people such tremendous trauma, myriad reasons to be in fear, all of which deserve coping in order to survive. It is a cycle of pain and injustice, fueled by racism.
When I got sober, I awakened to many things, one of them being a deeper heart of care for the injustice done to black people regarding drugs, as well as the other injustices they face. I hope for destigmatization of coping, healing for all people regarding substances, and for all people to feel abundant joy. White supremacy exists in opposition to destigmatization, healing, and abundant joy for black people, so I must work to fight against white supremacy in all its forms in order to be faithful to my hope.
I’m not saying this to say I have figured it out. There is much more I need to do, much more I need to learn, more ways my heart can expand in love and care for black lives. But I want to fill time, energy, and the space I take up with naming the sin of white supremacy, because again: God has called me to participate in destigmatization, healing, and abundant joy, all of which call me to proclaim that black lives don’t just matter, they are beautiful and worthy of the abundant joy that is their birthright.
So, today, grieve with me. Take in Danté’s words, words I am grateful for, but words I grieve need to be said. Let us commit to naming white supremacy, because we are people ordered toward a world of care for our minds, bodies, and souls.
reflection
I encourage us to spend some time grieving the loss of these souls. You can do so via this Twitter thread.
programs & offerings
〰 Instead of sharing my programs, offerings, etc. I encourage us (myself included) to spend some time in further reflection about how we can work to create a world of destigmatization, healing, and abundant joy for black lives.
〰 Right now I am reading Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman.
〰 If you’re interested in learning more about drug policy and harm reduction, I learned about what I shared above from Undoing Drugs: The Untold Story of Harm Reduction and the Future of Addiction by Maia Szalavita.
〰 I’d love for you to share in the comments any sources of wisdom supporting you in this work.