As Brené Brown commented, "Our collective story in the United States is a story of white supremacy. We have not owned it, so it owns and defines us. Because we have not had the courage to say this is true and this is where we come from, we are trapped in the pain and discomfort of living out that story without the power to rewrite its ending. If we don't acknowledge our privilege, our unearned access and authority, we don't acknowledge the pain of others. We all see the world through a lens that is soldered to our faces, but if we are white we are told repeatedly that our view is the accurate view of the world. Empathy is believing someone when they tell you the story of their experience, even if it is different from your own. Power is the ability to affect change. It is infinite. Power over, however, is finite. It disempowers others and is always threatened with extinction. We cannot afford to opt out of this conversation about white supremacy in the United States and continue dehumanizing one another. It is terribly dangerous to let our shame, discomfort, and imperfection keep us from engaging in braver conversations. We must hold ourselves and others accountable. We need to listen to each other and stop being so hurtful when people are trying. And as we fight for ownership of our nation's story, we must fortify ourselves with care by tending to needs such as belonging, sleep and joy."
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