Separated by an ocean, the UK and US have been experiencing alarming (both in frequency and in violence) waves of white supremacist behavior. By individuals, groups, and of course state-sponsored. As Kelechi Okafor & host Saira Rao eloquently lay out, the patterns are there for all to see. But most of my fellow whyte women recoil from looking, because once you acknowledge the thing, then you have to make a choice about your responsibility and your plan of action.
Here's to all like Kelechi and Saira who won't look away, who cling to their soul for dear life, and who are working to build a community that will stand on the other side of this crumbling, violent, shit heap.
“There may not be as much humanity in the world as one would like to see, but there is some... The world is held together, really it's held together, by the love and passion of a very few people.”
I just listened to this. It is wild how people just aren't caring at all about the genocide that's been going on for a year. The UK and USA emulate one another indefinitely rampant with white supremacy and violence. It is not safe anyone who doesn't mold into the white supremacy box. It is good to hear that someone else has thoughts about what we are living for now? what's the point?
Every pod ep my brain is like scrambled eggs (trying to find other words but mind blown!) and have to re- listen and take notes. This one in particular today had me nodding and crying and throwing shit and yelling words in my apartment. I remember when Obama got elected and I was still in the shadows (celebrating with my Black friends and thinking wow, this will change things - I hope) and….betrayed. That was a big wake up. My cousin was in Afghanistan and is so wrecked from it he can’t leave the house- we were worried while he was overseas, I mean, he is my cousin and all - BUT I was like omg how many people did you kill? He was disillusioned about the military because like a lot of kids that end up going to military school and even before that… The movies we watch the news we consume the history we have of heroes in World War II and God bless America bullshit, even playing board games like risk, and the generals makes it also glamorized. I’m grateful for the anti war vets who are out there right now on the front lines of anti genocide. I’m on the playground most days sitting by myself because I don’t feel connected to any of these people. They all have their heads in the sand talking about just stupid shit. Looking at the moms with their big diamond rings and talking about fall fashion and what their kids are gonna be for Halloween and seeing my sister-in-law Philip carts at target showing me all the cutie holiday shit that’s gonna end up in a landfill because she is constantly changing her mind about what she likes and what she doesn’t. I know you know this, but I just cleaned out my mother’s house – almost 58 years worth of stuff that she can’t take with her. I guess people forgot about hurricane Katrina, which still hasn’t recovered or Flint Michigan and so many other places around our corners that are toxic. I’m grateful that I have survived 19 years cancer free while so many others don’t have a chance to even have a screening or any imaging, but I am here I know because I am white and I have privilege. I’d give my remission back if it could have saved someone else. And I mean that. But but if it came back? Would I still feel the same way having an nine-year-old son who will hopefully carry on breaking the shit cycles of white supremacy and bloodlust?
So maybe the only answer I have for what are we living for is my son whose vulnerable heart pushes me to make the world better - even if we have to burn it down. And we will have to because what good is our children’s future if it’s going to continue like this? They won’t even have one.
Thank you Saira and Ms. Okafor. Much love and solidarity ♥️
"People have lost their souls. The depravity is unmatched. People don't care about themselves. They actually don't care if the horror happens to them. This is the scariest thing of all because how do we change that. What is left to live for? It feels horrible and desperate." ~ Saira...
"To not even have the motivation to change, even though they know they are going to be fed to the capitalistic machine, and they say, "I'll just enjoy it for now". We are literally participating in this performance when you can all decide to stop, yet we are not stopping, WHY? We are dealing with the walking dead." ~ Kelechi
Sweet lord! Brilliant episode. Another one I’ll be listening to again and again.
I felt like Kelechi was speaking my thoughts! As shitty as things are right now, it brings me some hope to know I’m not alone in my thinking
“Something great has shifted in me, I only want to be around people who understand that. I have to be able to see the shadow and the light. Life just doesn’t feel like it’s worth living right now… but, this gives me a drive, a motivation to continue. Because come hell or high water, I’m going to make sure there IS something to live for, and that moves you towards people who are equally (as motivated)”
Damn, this was powerful and affirming. Thank you!!!
Everyone please follow Kelechi work asap and get her amazing book ✊🏽
Thank you for this intelligent sensitive conversation. You are both my kind of fucking women.
Separated by an ocean, the UK and US have been experiencing alarming (both in frequency and in violence) waves of white supremacist behavior. By individuals, groups, and of course state-sponsored. As Kelechi Okafor & host Saira Rao eloquently lay out, the patterns are there for all to see. But most of my fellow whyte women recoil from looking, because once you acknowledge the thing, then you have to make a choice about your responsibility and your plan of action.
Here's to all like Kelechi and Saira who won't look away, who cling to their soul for dear life, and who are working to build a community that will stand on the other side of this crumbling, violent, shit heap.
“There may not be as much humanity in the world as one would like to see, but there is some... The world is held together, really it's held together, by the love and passion of a very few people.”
— James Baldwin
I just listened to this. It is wild how people just aren't caring at all about the genocide that's been going on for a year. The UK and USA emulate one another indefinitely rampant with white supremacy and violence. It is not safe anyone who doesn't mold into the white supremacy box. It is good to hear that someone else has thoughts about what we are living for now? what's the point?
Every pod ep my brain is like scrambled eggs (trying to find other words but mind blown!) and have to re- listen and take notes. This one in particular today had me nodding and crying and throwing shit and yelling words in my apartment. I remember when Obama got elected and I was still in the shadows (celebrating with my Black friends and thinking wow, this will change things - I hope) and….betrayed. That was a big wake up. My cousin was in Afghanistan and is so wrecked from it he can’t leave the house- we were worried while he was overseas, I mean, he is my cousin and all - BUT I was like omg how many people did you kill? He was disillusioned about the military because like a lot of kids that end up going to military school and even before that… The movies we watch the news we consume the history we have of heroes in World War II and God bless America bullshit, even playing board games like risk, and the generals makes it also glamorized. I’m grateful for the anti war vets who are out there right now on the front lines of anti genocide. I’m on the playground most days sitting by myself because I don’t feel connected to any of these people. They all have their heads in the sand talking about just stupid shit. Looking at the moms with their big diamond rings and talking about fall fashion and what their kids are gonna be for Halloween and seeing my sister-in-law Philip carts at target showing me all the cutie holiday shit that’s gonna end up in a landfill because she is constantly changing her mind about what she likes and what she doesn’t. I know you know this, but I just cleaned out my mother’s house – almost 58 years worth of stuff that she can’t take with her. I guess people forgot about hurricane Katrina, which still hasn’t recovered or Flint Michigan and so many other places around our corners that are toxic. I’m grateful that I have survived 19 years cancer free while so many others don’t have a chance to even have a screening or any imaging, but I am here I know because I am white and I have privilege. I’d give my remission back if it could have saved someone else. And I mean that. But but if it came back? Would I still feel the same way having an nine-year-old son who will hopefully carry on breaking the shit cycles of white supremacy and bloodlust?
So maybe the only answer I have for what are we living for is my son whose vulnerable heart pushes me to make the world better - even if we have to burn it down. And we will have to because what good is our children’s future if it’s going to continue like this? They won’t even have one.
Thank you Saira and Ms. Okafor. Much love and solidarity ♥️
"People have lost their souls. The depravity is unmatched. People don't care about themselves. They actually don't care if the horror happens to them. This is the scariest thing of all because how do we change that. What is left to live for? It feels horrible and desperate." ~ Saira...
"To not even have the motivation to change, even though they know they are going to be fed to the capitalistic machine, and they say, "I'll just enjoy it for now". We are literally participating in this performance when you can all decide to stop, yet we are not stopping, WHY? We are dealing with the walking dead." ~ Kelechi
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Sweet lord! Brilliant episode. Another one I’ll be listening to again and again.
I felt like Kelechi was speaking my thoughts! As shitty as things are right now, it brings me some hope to know I’m not alone in my thinking
“Something great has shifted in me, I only want to be around people who understand that. I have to be able to see the shadow and the light. Life just doesn’t feel like it’s worth living right now… but, this gives me a drive, a motivation to continue. Because come hell or high water, I’m going to make sure there IS something to live for, and that moves you towards people who are equally (as motivated)”
Damn, this was powerful and affirming. Thank you!!!