White Writers, We Must Do Better

Hi there,

I hope everyone is doing alright.

Today is not the time for my advice on writing. For myself and other white writers: Now is the time for us to reflect, listen, and take actions to be better in our lives and in our work.

I took a survey of my book shelf recently. I have about 100 books and only two of them are by Black authors. That’s not OK. That is just one small example of something I’d like to correct. There are so many more.

White and non-black writers, in seeking education and ways to combat the anti-black racism in ourselves, our industry, and our work, we can not put the burden on Black people to teach us. That said, many Black writers and writers of color have been sharing important lessons for all of us. Below, I’ve collected some tweets that speak to the ways we write and react in this moment, along with some additional articles. I hope you’ll read through them, follow these accounts, and share their work.

And to Black writers and writers of colors so tirelessly sharing your perspective and your pain through stories and social media: Thank you. You shouldn’t have to do this.

While I did just say that now is not the time for my advice, here are some things I feel confident suggesting all of us non-black writers do more of:

• Support Black writers.

• Pay Black writers.

• Read Black writers.

• Examine anti-blackness in our own work, our industry, and our communities.

• Acknowledge our privilege.

• Make space for more Black stories—always.

• Donate.

• Listen:

  Sana Saeed @SanaSaeed

  Black and NBPOC journalists are constantly told we have to “be careful” about being “too close” to a story - maybe white journalists should consider how close they are to racism if they can’t call it what it is.

  

  Charles M. Blow @CharlesMBlow

  If you’re a journalist, particularly a wht one, just coming to the realization that Trump is a racist or just bringing yourself to call him that, you have some soul-searching to do yourself. What were you waiting for? What was you’re definition? These tweet crossed your red line?

m @mary__retta

WHITE AND NON BLACK JOURNALISTS: here are some things you can do to uplift Black voices in your reporting, support the many Black journalists who will not be given as big a voice in mainstream media right now, and ensure that you are not erasing Black history in your journalism:

shereen @shereeny

why is the active voice used for protestors (“protestors struck a journalist”) but not for police (“a photographer was shot,” “a reporter was hit”)?

The New York Times @nytimes

Minneapolis: A photographer was shot in the eye. Washington, D.C.: Protesters struck a journalist with his own microphone. Louisville: A reporter was hit by a pepper ball on live television by an officer who appeared to be aiming at her. https://t.co/bXfZOUilOG

Ashton Lattimore @ashtonlattimore

Seriously, look how many words they put between Chauvin's name and his own actions ("using his knee to pin down..."), let alone the consequences of his actions - "who later died" - which are framed like some kind of unrelated coincidence. The intent is transparent, & disgusting.

Farah Eltohamy @farahelto

and another thing that’s REALLY problematic is that this idea of objectivity has become so skewed that many percieve identity as bias. that’s literally the reason why journalism is filled with white men — they’re seen as the blank slate, the norm.

Erin B. Logan @erinblogan

It’s not. Journalists need to understand this. There’s no two sides to racism. https://t.co/P7pZMFl1EE

Be A King @BerniceKing

Racism is not a difference of opinion.

Lil Uzi Hurt at Home @lostblackboy

When considering journalism’s role in moments like this, I always come back to this photo. Richard Cohen, the man who took this photograph, won a Pulitzer. Edward Crawford, the young man photographed here, died suspiciously two years later.

#blacklivesmatter @NicoleFroio

something that has profoundly disturbed me about journalism in the past 10 years is how blatantly "objectivity" is used to uplift white supremacy, and that when POC say ANYTHING, journalists are like "I have to be objective" when objectivity is literally manufactured.

Ijeoma Oluo @IjeomaOluo

White people: whatever outrage and sadness you are feeling - pouring it all out on social to your Black friends won't make them feel connected to you, it just places the burden of your feelings on top of their own. Send money, send a meal, buy from Black businesses. BE USEFUL.

Elamin Abdelmahmoud @elamin88

One thing I've seen non-black folks doing throughout this is: tweeting/ posting hey, if you'd like to learn about anti-black racism, DM me, I've got resources. I'm a fan of this, the taking the labour off of black people to do the education again. Let it all go down in the DMs.

SON M. @bogboogie

Seeing how many white writers react to everything really sets a tone for how they write black people in their stories. For a group so eager to tell other people’s stories and tragedies, y’all are really hesitant to share funds and aids and support.

Tobi Oredein @IamTobiOredein

Also... white editors - let your black staff lead this conversation around George Floyd and race. We don’t need think pieces from white writers right now- we need white writers and editors to pass the mic.

Recommended Reading

• Living Abroad is My Way of Prolonging My Black Son’s Life (New York Times)

• Riot or Resistance? The way the media frames the unrest in Minneapolis will shape the public’s view of protest (Nieman Lab)

• If I Ever Become a Hashtag (Gen)

Take care of yourselves, everyone.

Britany