Your Work is Your Responsibility
(this article was originally posted by Nile Abasi on June 5, 2020)
I have a lot to say about the events occurring in the world right now -- much of which is contrary to any political agenda or 'correctness'. I believe some of what I have to say will be confronting to many, and if I'm honest part of me is afraid of being crucified for going against the grain of my primary liberal community but ultimately -- I am more committed to living truthfully and being honest than I am to being liked (although I have to admit, I do like it when you like me).
For those of you who don't know I'm the product of a biracial lesbian couple conceived in the heart of the nineties (close to the times of the Rodney King riots).
One of my mom's (my birth mom) is a white woman with blonde hair and blue eyes from Shaker Heights Ohio, and my other mom is a black woman from South Central LA (Compton). From birth I was raised and influenced by two completely opposing cultural backgrounds.
My biological father was a sperm donor. He is a black man I know very little about other than he was studying to become a lawyer, had high cheekbones and a nice smile.
I was raised incredibly liberal and open minded as would be required with a background as different and diverse as the one in which I was created from. I've learned to be with and love people of all walks of life.
I say all of this to point to the fact that I know firsthand the experience of societal conditioning and systemic injustice around the incredibly potent issue of race -- and I also have deep roots in liberal idealism.
With that said, I thoroughly believe that many of you are being lied to, misguided and manipulated.
This is specifically to both the white and black communities. You are being played against each other in ways that are creating further separation and division -- and perpetuating ideas that are creating more of the reality you are seeking to step away from.
I have read the stories, I've read the perspectives, I have watched many of the videos, I've gone to observe the protests, I've talked with my black folk, I've talked with my white people, I've listened to the rage, I've heard the sadness, I see the confusion.
I take all of the information I've received with a grain of salt. I in no way claim to know what's truly going on. I have no way of verifying any of it, and I don't waste time convincing myself of my 'knowing' when I couldn't possibly know what's going on a global scale for certain.
What I do have is my truth. What I do have is my own personal views based solely off of my inner knowing and my own experiences as both a black and a white human being.
And what I feel in my own truth is that many of you (ALL races) are being emotionally manipulated and conditioned into not thinking and feeling for yourselves -- and being used for an agenda you are not fully aware of.
This dogmatism and righteousness imposed by modern liberalism is both deeply infuriating and saddening to me. The same culture that made it okay for me to be who I am is the same culture that is gas lighting those who speak to things that challenge the narrative, ostracizing those who don't adopt specific community ideals, and silencing the voices of an entire group of people because of their skin color (with their subdued consent).
As a man who knows the conditioning of both black and white culture firsthand -- this feels absolutely ass backwards to me.
"Read this article and learn how to be a good white person. You’re either a white devil or you’re an anti white devil. But either way — you’re a devil.”
There is no prescribed method of being a ‘good whitey’ that’s more effective than being a good human.
It is our responsibility as a white culture for the way that we project our own unconscious beliefs into others that we deem different from ourselves. Whether that be another race, whether it be another gender, whether it be another country, whether it be another financial class, whether it be another fucking neighborhood. It is our responsibility to do our own deep inner work around both the superiority AND the deeply rooted fear that causes us to control and oppress the nations of other peoples. Educate yourself, yes. But do you your own research. There are many versions of history. Many perspectives as to what’s going on. We don’t need any more white, guilt ridden robots doing and saying the 'right' things. And for god's sake stop attacking your own kind in an attempt to show your loyalty to the cause. Seek to understand them. Seek to LEAD them. Some of yal are like the Uncle Ruckus's of white people (if you haven't seen the show The Boondocks, GO WATCH IT NOW -- I'm adding it to your list of anti-white devil resources).
YOUR WORK IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
I also believe as a black community we need to take responsibility for our own healing both personally, collectively, and ancestrally -- and acknowledge the ways in which our perception of ourselves cause us to limit what we’re capable of, and skew our sense of worthiness in the world. Also, we need to take responsibility of the power and influence of our own culture, and cease to subjugate ourselves to the detrimental aspects of parts of a culture that perpetuate our downfall. Much of these aspects of black culture are NOT OUR ROOTS. We have become so attached to our cultural identities, including that of our CONDITIONING. No one is going to do that work for us. I say this very same thing in regards to the culture of men -- it starts with US.
YOUR WORK IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
We are so obsessed with race. I see it when people first meet me and ask me my ethnicity. They are subconsciously trying to find a way to label me that will inform how they will perceive me. What I love (now) about being racially ambiguous and not feeling bound to one identity is oftentimes it forces people to really SEE ME FOR WHO I AM. Because I am so much more than a mixed man with gay moms.
And I believe that's something we all want. We want to be seen, we want to be heard, we want to be valued, we want to be INNERstood for who we truly are -- outside of our labels, outside of our fabricated identities. The people in the world are dying to be recognized.
As a man of many colors I want everyone's voice. I want people to have the freedom and safety to speak their truth, because now more than ever YOUR TRUTH IS NEEDED. Even if it's confronting. Even if it challenges the social norm. Even if it's not politically pretty.
To me, the most dangerous part of everything that's transpiring is the restriction around people speaking truthfully. People being scared into silence. The endorsement of threats around being ostracized for your political/social beliefs. This is not the time for silence. It’s also not the time to submit to the prescribed ideals of others. It’s the time for HONEST AND SAFE DISCUSSION.
You're not going to beat and shame the racism out of people. What we need is open dialogue. I want to know the places where you struggle with racist thoughts. I want to know how racism shows up in your body. I want to know what you're afraid to admit. I want to know where your feel racism for your own kind. I want to know the things you say about race when you're in the safety of your own home. And I want you to have a safe place to OWN your experience without getting your fucking face chewed off.
This is how we work through things.
I am so tired of suppression due to do the preservation of political "decency". I am so tired of prioritizing 'correctness' over authenticity.
The only way is through.
Nobody is born wanting to be hateful. We are all a product of the same system. You justify your hatred for Trump the same way Klan members justify their hatred for Black's. There is no hate more righteous (or loving) than another.
There are much bigger issues at hand than what you are being distracted with. I am still bewildered as to how people trust the same outlets that perpetually lie and manipulate them, over and over again. This year has been mayhem, and primarily because we're all fighting with each other.
One of the biggest intentions and visions I had with Man Unleashed was that of diversity. I believe to the core of me that diversity is the future — and our group is and has been reflective of that.
I believe we all have to summon within ourselves the willingness to do the work on a personal level, both as an individuals and as a collective race or culture.
Then once we have a foundation of knowing ourselves and of our own personal responsibility — we have the capacity to integrate and do the work together.
Diversity within the healing/transformational space is the future, and I believe the antidote to racism. And we may not be there yet as a collective. And that’s okay. But I hold that vision for our future.
——————————————————————
A foundational principle that I live by (much of which I learned from my black mama, Mae) is that none of us are inherently victims.
As a human being in this world it is our responsibility to take ownership of our power as a creator, while simultaneously acknowledging and having compassion for our pain and our limitations due to the conditions of the already existing world around us. However you and ONLY you have the ability to overcome those limitations and liberate those wounds.
It is a power we all share.
Your life is not your fault, but your life is your responsibility.
It is YOUR choice as an individual -- whether you're black, brown, white, yellow or fucking magenta. I am speaking to your empowerment, not your shame.
As a fiercely loving man of this world that is what I choose to speak into the people and the collective around me.
I will not coddle to your closures. I am not convinced of your limitations. I see you. I love you deeply. This is my work in the world.
SEE. HEAL. UNDERSTAND. CREATE. LEAD.
Our motto at Man Unleashed is: "Free yourself from your societal conditioning and self limitations and step into your true power".
This statement has never been so true as it is now.
My people. Please.
"Wake the fuck up. The world needs more of you."