t a recent
Models for Unity Conference, held at Cleveland State University, an
intriguing workshop was presented titled "Black and White: Unified in
the Struggle for Reparations.
"
This workshop was taught by DeBorah Gilbert White, Minister for
Anti-Racism and Conflict Resolution for the United Church of Christ, and
myself, Donna Lamb, Communications Director for Caucasians United for
Reparations and Emancipation (CURE). The purpose was to address issues
that can arise when people of different ethnic backgrounds attempt to
unify around difficult social justice issues such as reparations to
descendants of slavery.
The discussion was far ranging and fascinating as we two women, one
Black and the other white, let the workshop flow where it would, based
on issues brought up by the people attending. For instance, our workshop
looked at:
Misconceptions in both Black and white communities about what
reparations actually are
How the media keeps everyone ignorant about and fearful of
reparations
The strengths and struggles of partnership between faith-based and
community-based organizations
Injustice to other ethnic groups and the need to make common cause
with them as disenfranchised whites, enslaved Blacks and Indigenous
Peoples did in the early days of this nation’s history
Why others, such as the Jews and Japanese Americans, got
reparations, and how their struggles compare to the effort to win
Black reparations
Why reparations for slavery can’t just be a check to individuals,
but must bring about true and lasting economic empowerment, including
the ownership of land.
A very profound discussion arose when one white woman said that she
doesn’t identify with other whites, but identifies instead with working
people whether they’re white, Africa American, Latino or of any other
ethnicity. "I think of everything as a multi-color multi-faceted united
struggle," she said. "Within that I support reparations, but my focus is
on something larger."
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Both
DeBorah White and I agreed that in the deepest sense the woman is right:
We are all one people and on some level we must engage in a united
struggle for justice as such in order for specific struggles to succeed
most fully. However, regardless of how we choose to identify ourselves,
the reality of this country is not that all people are one. "When I walk
down the street," I said, "I am seen as white, and certain white
privileges are handed to me whether I want them or not. As white people,
we can't just get rid our whiteness or the privilege we get from it. All
we can do is take our white privilege and turn it against the system
that gives it to us."
There was also discussion about why it’s necessary for Blacks to
organize their own reparations movement separate from whites, taking
leadership, empowering themselves and gaining confidence in what they
can achieve working in their own communities.
This led to a discussion of why CURE is all-white instead of a
multi-racial organization. It was explained that it’s not because CURE
chose to be racially exclusive, but that Black reparations leaders have
shown that this is where they believe whites can be most useful to the
struggle – working among their own kind, reaching out to other whites to
convince them of the rightness of reparations. However, CURE is always
extremely happy to work with Black reparations organizations on joint
mobilizations, public forums and anything else where Black
reparationists believe CURE’s presence is an asset.
DeBorah White pointed out that not only is it important for whites to
see an organization of whites supporting reparations, but it’s important
for Blacks to see it as well. "The more we expose Black people to the
fact that there are people who are different from us working on this
issue, the more they, too, can see that it's not just a Black thing,"
she stated. "No one can say about us, ‘They're whining again and asking
for a handout.’ They have to see that this is a social justice issue."
There was also a gripping discussion about the fact that when an
organization starts out as one ethnicity, it’s almost impossible for
that to change. One participant told of his experience building a truly
multi-racial coalition. He said that when they first conceived of it
they said, "From the get go this will be African American, Latino,
Caucasian and others all united around a common purpose." The first
letter they sent out had 16 signatories represented different
communities, including an Arab Council, a Jewish woman and a Puerto
Rican organization. "It was very conscious, very deliberate," he
declared. "And we have managed to maintain that unity in our leadership
and in our ranks. It doesn't come without a lot of struggle and
creativity, but we're doing it."
