Laura Zielke Blog
Menu
  • 💎 About
  • ✒️ Blog
  • 📕&🎬 Reviews
  • ❣️ Favorites
  • ⬇️ Downloads
  • 📲 Contact
Menu
I am not white

“White” Is a Racial Construct

Posted on September 18, 2018July 2, 2022 by Laura Zielke

Have you ever wondered if your words or actions are racist? Are you sure they aren’t? Is claiming “I’m not racist!” enough? Can a person protect and promote systemic racism without even realizing it? Is ignorance a good excuse?

Recently, one of my friends inquired as to why I am suddenly so passionate about racism in America—she didn’t say “suddenly,” but it does feel that way. I’ve gone my entire adult life assuming I was an ally, but I’m not sure that’s true. The more I learn, the more I wonder if I’ve actually enabled and supported systems designed to hold back and oppress people of color. 

I officially stepped into the conversation about white privilege in 2016 when I joined the Be the Bridge to Racial Reconciliation Facebook group. When a white person joins the group, s/he agrees to remain silent and listen for three months. Not only are you prohibited from posting in the group, you’re also prohibited from commenting on other folks’ posts. Violation of this rule gets you banned from the group. It’s a good and important rule.

Silence Forced Me to Listen and Learn

The silent rule forced me into the role of student, not teacher. It required me to keep my mouth shut (and my fingers off the keyboard) when my first inclination was to chime in and offer advice/feedback/input while unwittingly minimizing other members’ experiences.

Waking up to white privilege and systemic racism has been hard, and I would not have made it this far without the encouragement of friends and mentors who encouraged me to listen to people who are different than I am.

By expanding the circle of authors I read, speakers I listen to, and people I follow on social media, I’ve become much more aware of the ways I subconsciously participate in an inherited, stratified system which over-values whiteness, oppresses the poor, and dehumanizes the different.

Modern-Day Racism

Debating the existence and effects of racism in America is uncomfortable for many white folks like me, and it’s tempting to turn a blind eye to the problem. To change the channel. To click over to another page. To look away before making eye contact. To walk on the other side of the street.

But, if you’re able to ignore (or deny) the problem of racism, then—whether you realize it or  not—you are exercising white privilege. People of color don’t have that option. They can’t ignore it or deny its existence. It’s in their face every day. All day. 

With white privilege comes much responsibility.

So, I’m determined to learn about my own hidden biases despite how opening my eyes and looking in the mirror makes me feel. I want to be a woman who elevates the voices and lives of those who have struggled to be seen and heard for far too long. I will be a catalyst for difficult conversations between white adults who need to join me on this journey of waking up. I want to be an ally. And being an ally requires  diligence and re-education..

Re-Educating Myself about Racism

When I asked my friends what I should read, one book was recommended more than any other: Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race by best-selling author Beverly Daniel Tatum.

In this compelling and insightful book, Tatum documents the experiences of people of color in public schools and many other public spaces. “People of Color” or POC is the term used to refer to African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinx Americans, Native Americans, Pacific Island Americans, and others of non-European descent.

The author shares the story of a young black student who is the target of a racist comment by one of her teachers. When the student shares her experience—the comment and how it affected her—with her best friend who is white, she is further-traumatized when her friend dismisses the comment by saying something like “Oh, he didn’t mean it that way. He’s not a racist.” THAT’S why Be the Bridge has the “3-months of silence” rule for new white members. It’s like they knew that we needed to spend some time listening without the opportunity to minimize and further traumatize brothers and sisters of color. Smart.

Learning to keep my mouth shut is probably going to be a lifelong process for me. The first month of silence was hard: I had not yet realized I was the stereotypical white girl who wanted to fix all the things. The second month of silence was a bit easier. By third month, I understood how very little I had to contribute to the conversation and how my words could easily have the opposite effect of what I was hoping to say. And I don’t post very much in that group at all. They have opened my eyes to what life is often like for people of color in this country.

I’m appalled at the ignorance and racism so many exhibit on a regular basis. I’m determined NOT to be a part of it.

How I am waking up…

Over the next few months, I’m going to detail my ongoing journey to “wokeness” (I have NOT arrived), because it’s just way too much to include in one blog post. I invite you to join me in conversation as I share my own personal experiences with people of color—both traumatic childhood experiences that shaped my view and adult friends and mentors who have helped—and are still helping—me figure out how to be an ally, not an adversary.

I will share websites, podcasts, books (and audiobooks), social media feeds, and other resources that are helping me understand white privilege in America and how that lines up (or not) with the good news of Jesus Christ.

I am not an expert on racial reconciliation, and I have no solutions to offer. All I can do is invite you to join me on the journey. Your job, should you choose to accept it, is not to evaluate my journey but to humbly examine your own. The challenge is to take a long, hard look at your words, actions, and attitudes with an open mind, and if you see something that needs to be changed, you commit to changing it.

The goal: Be more like Jesus.

Are you in? Comment below if you’re up for the challenge. 

Facebook Comments

You might also be interested in:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

📃 CERTIFICATION

🗂️ CATEGORIES

  • Book & Movie Reviews
  • Journey to Authenticity
  • Favorite Resources
  • Journey Notes (Random)
  • Devotionals & Downloads
  • Journey into Ministry
  • Scholarly Articles (locked)

📚 BOOKS & AUDIO

Currently Reading

Recently Reviewed

📝 RECENT POSTS

  • Book Review: “Leading for Justice” by Rita Sever
  • Book Review: “Everyday MAGIC” by Mattie James
  • Book Review: “Decolonizing Wealth” by Edgar Villanueva
  • Book Review: “A Hole in the World” by Amanda Held Opelt

✨ INSTAGRAM

lauralzielke

What did Junia say when Paul asked her, "How do yo What did Junia say when Paul asked her, "How do you spell your name?"

"Like Anne with an E, it's Junia with an A." 😑

Find out why that matters in the daily email on Junia.

Sign-up for the "Valiant Women of the Bible" email list and learn about 31+ women mentioned in the Bible. One woman per day for 31 days during Women's History Month (March) only.

🔗 Tap the link in my bio
— OR —
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
DAY 26 ✡️ JUNIA Investigating Junia’s right DAY 26 ✡️ JUNIA

Investigating Junia’s right to exist as a woman in the Biblical text got all my “Bible nerd” juices flowing…and I may have dug out every commentary I have on Romans just so I could verify what I learned from online resources. 

I knew Junia was a controversial figure, but I didn’t know the full story about WHY she became controversial. But before we dive into all that, let’s talk about Junia herself...

Subscribe to the @ValiantWomenoftheBible email list to learn more. Each day during Women's History Month, and I'll send you a brief bio of a woman (or three) mentioned in the Bible. You'll be amazed at how much you learn.

🔗 Tap the link in my bio
— OR —
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
What did Lydia say to the shoppers who asked how s What did Lydia say to the shoppers who asked how she got her fabric so dang purple?

"Sea Snail Goo."
🌊🐌💜😂

Sign-up for the "Valiant Women of the Bible" email list and learn about 31+ women mentioned in the Bible. One woman per day for 31 days during Women's History Month (March) only.

🔗 Tap the link in my bio
— OR —
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
DAY 25 🐌💜 LYDIA When we first meet Lydia, s DAY 25 🐌💜 LYDIA

When we first meet Lydia, she is at a “house of prayer” located near the river just outside a Roman colony at Philippi in north-eastern Greece. 

Lydia is originally from Thyatira (in modern-day Turkey), a city famous for its artisan guilds and expensive "Tyrian purple" dye—made from the secretions of sea snails. 🐌... 

She is an amazing entrepreneur whose business provides purple fabric to the Roman Empire's elite. And, her life is about to be forever changed... 

Subscribe to the @ValiantWomenoftheBible email list to learn more. Each day during Women's History Month, and I'll send you a brief bio of a woman (or three) mentioned in the Bible. You'll be amazed at how much you learn.

🔗 Tap the link in my bio
— OR —
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
What did the widows in Joppa say to Tabitha when s What did the widows in Joppa say to Tabitha when she became deathly ill? 

"You've been so kind and generous,
I don't know how you keep on giving."

🎵 Do you know the name of the song these lyrics are from? Share it in the comments below.

Sign-up for the "Valiant Women of the Bible" email list and learn about 31+ women mentioned in the Bible. One woman per day for 31 days during Women's History Month (March) only.

🔗 Tap the link in my bio
— OR —
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
DAY 24 🧵 TABITHA When we first meet Tabitha ( DAY 24 🧵 TABITHA 

When we first meet Tabitha (“Dorcas” in Greek), she is laying on a bed in an upstairs room at her home: Dead. 

But...that's not where her story begins, and it's not where it ends. 🙌

Subscribe to the @ValiantWomenoftheBible email list to learn more. Each day during Women's History Month, and I'll send you a brief bio of a woman (or three) mentioned in the Bible. You'll be amazed at how much you learn.

🔗 Tap the link in my bio
— OR —
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
Hypothetically speaking, what did Mary of Magdala Hypothetically speaking, what did Mary of Magdala think while she was following Jesus around Galilee? 

"I don't know how to love him..." 

🎬 Do you know the name of the song these lyrics are from? Do you know the rock opera in which the song is sung? Share it in the comments below. 

Sign-up for the "Valiant Women of the Bible" email list and learn about 31+ women mentioned in the Bible. One woman per day for 31 days during Women's History Month (March) only.

🔗 Tap the link in my bio
— OR —
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
DAY 23🌷 MARY OF MAGDALA When we first meet Ma DAY 23🌷  MARY OF MAGDALA

When we first meet Mary, she is with Jesus and his disciples as they travel throughout the Galilee region teaching, healing, and debating everywhere they go. 

Unfortunately for us, Mary's first face-to-face encounter with Jesus is not detailed in the Gospels; however, Mark and Luke both mention her as a woman out of whom Jesus cast seven demons—this was prior to her becoming a disciple. And it’s because Mary’s shattered life is restored by the healer that she becomes one of his most ardent, brave, and loyal supporters. 

🧼 SOAPBOX: Now, about those seven demons...

Subscribe to the @ValiantWomenoftheBible email list to learn more. Each day during Women's History Month, and I'll send you a brief bio of a woman (or three) mentioned in the Bible. You'll be amazed at how much you learn.

🔗 Tap the link in my bio
— OR —
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
What was Mary of Bethany thinking when her sister What was Mary of Bethany thinking when her sister tried to squash her opportunity to learn from a traveling rabbi?

"And tell me please why have a mind
If not to question why"

🎬 Do you know the name of the song these lyrics are from? Do you know the movie in which the song is sung? Share it in the comments below. Hint: It was released in the 80s. 

Sign-up for the "Valiant Women of the Bible" email list and learn about 31+ women mentioned in the Bible. One woman per day for 31 days during Women's History Month (March) only.

🔗 Tap the link in my bio
— OR —
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
Load More Follow on Instagram

❣️ FAVORITE TOPICS

adult coloring apostasy Authenticity Bible Black Lives Matter book review brave Call to Ministry Christmas coloring crucifixion devotional Doing hard things Ephesians History Holy Spirit Homeschooling Human Trafficking humor idolatry Jesus journaling Leadership MBTI Parenting Paul peace Personal Development Personality prayer racial reconciliation Racism reinterpreting history Resurrection self-care sex addiction Spiritual Disciplines spiritual growth theology trust United States Waiting white fragility women Women in Leadership

🐧 PENGUINS

Facebook 815Fans
Twitter 521Followers
Instagram 823Followers
Post 100Post

LEGAL STUFF

Privacy Policy
Disclaimer

WHAT I’M READING

Currently Reading

Recently Reviewed

Recent Posts

  • Book Review: “Leading for Justice” by Rita Sever January 28, 2023
  • Book Review: “Everyday MAGIC” by Mattie James October 16, 2022
  • Book Review: “Decolonizing Wealth” by Edgar Villanueva August 17, 2022
  • Book Review: “A Hole in the World” by Amanda Held Opelt July 17, 2022
  • Book Review: “The 1619 Project: Born on the Water” by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Smith June 19, 2022
© 2016-2022 A2Z Marketing. All rights reserved. Questions? Comments? Write to laura@a2z-marketing.com