What can white people do right now?

We can talk to our children about white privilege.

Not to make them ashamed of who they are or to make them apologise for being white

But to make them aware that this privilege, like so many other social privileges, was constructed a long time ago in order to benefit people like them at the cost of people not like them.

And to make them aware that they haven’t earned this privilege, nor do they deserve it because of their colour

As much as men haven’t earned their male privilege, or wealthy people their socio-economic privilege.

And we can point out that it doesn’t mean their lives won’t ever be hard

But they’re unlikely to be hard for these reasons.

We can tell them that these privileges do not help society move forward

But that they still exist because some of the people who benefit enjoy the privilege more than they care about the people who are oppressed by it

And that it will continue to be like this for a thousand more lifetimes if privileged people do nothing.

They need to know that with this privilege comes responsibility.

A responsibility to question

A responsibility to learn

A responsibility to make unheard voices heard

And unseen people seen

And not to speak FOR others, but to afford others the right and the platform and the time to speak for themselves

Until the world listens

And changes.

And maybe if we have these conversations with our children now, they won’t need to have them with their own.

This is something that white people can do.

#blacklivesmatter

Image copyright: Renegadeart