"The trouble is that once you see it, you can't unsee it. And once you've seen it, keeping quiet, saying nothing, becomes as political an act as speaking out." Arundhati Roy.
There is no difference between being silent and doing nothing. They are both a conscious choice to ignore our senses. It has become normal in our society to ignore the suffering of society's invisible (poor, homeless, LBGQTY and not so young, black and brown, women, children) based on the premise of value to society. Consequently, we have not found a collective voice of support to address, confront the disproportionality and disparate outcomes across systems for these groups. Yes, we have occupy movements, marches, grassroots organizations that pick-up and fight for the "cause"; often times until it is no longer popular, or beneficial to/for them. Or until it costs.
How can we decrease the marginalized and challenge the status quo? Do we listen to or invite, or even value discourse from the margins?
There is no difference between being silent and doing nothing. They are both a conscious choice to ignore our senses. It has become normal in our society to ignore the suffering of society's invisible (poor, homeless, LBGQTY and not so young, black and brown, women, children) based on the premise of value to society. Consequently, we have not found a collective voice of support to address, confront the disproportionality and disparate outcomes across systems for these groups. Yes, we have occupy movements, marches, grassroots organizations that pick-up and fight for the "cause"; often times until it is no longer popular, or beneficial to/for them. Or until it costs.
How can we decrease the marginalized and challenge the status quo? Do we listen to or invite, or even value discourse from the margins?
- The voices in the margin must be heard if we want to see change happen. It can't be a watered down, translated, cleaned-up voice, which changes the message.
- We have to actively listen, intentionally listen, willingly listen, listen on PURPOSE, listen with our hearts and heads.
- We have to respond to NEEDS, respond on PURPOSE, engage on PURPOSE.
- We have to organize within, strategize within, build within, create sustainability within
- We have to END THE SILENCE!
©White-Ra 2014
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