CONCLUSION

Reimagining a Just World

I would like to reimagine a new United States of America—an America where Black people are not fatigued because justice is a reality. In some ways it seems simple to dismantle white supremacy; however, I am not so naïve as to believe it is easy. I think we know what to do. I just wonder whether we have the will to do it. In my reimagined world . . .

• The government would officially apologize for slavery and pay reparations.
• White supremacy would be acknowledged and disavowed and there would be concerted and sincere efforts to dismantle it.
• Racism would be understood as a white problem, not a Black one.
• Existing legislation to combat racism would be enforced and not weakened by newer legislation designed to maintain white supremacy.
• Black people’s right to vote would not be suppressed by actions such as gerrymandering, closing polling places, and purging voter records.
• Black people would enjoy economic parity.
• Black people could bury the terms “Black tax,” “living while Black,” and “Black fatigue” because they would no longer be a part of our reality.
• Allies would no longer be needed because equity has been realized.
• We would never see another Black person gunned down by police.
• White people would understand that it is their responsibility to protect Black people from anti-Black racism.
• We would never again see the anguish and pain of Black mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters who are left to grieve the tragedy of the senseless killing by police of their loved one.
• There would be no more knots of fear in our stomachs every time our Black children or other loved ones left the house because we would not worry that they may not come home alive.
• Police officers would never be acquitted for needlessly killing Black people, and they would serve time commensurate with the crime.
• Black parents’ “talk” about law enforcement would be “The police are your friends and they will protect you” rather than “Beware of law enforcement. Do not do anything that would risk your coming home alive.”
• Black people could go for a drive without the fear of being stopped for a “missing taillight.”
• We would no longer have to ask, “Why are there no Black people in leadership at this organization?”
• Black people would be presumed innocent until proven guilty rather than guilty until proven innocent.
• Black people would not have to navigate life always “on guard,” wondering to what extent our race is a factor in any interaction.
• White people would know why Blackface is offensive and would not dismiss such displays as “no big deal.”
• White people would invite and expect Black people to “play the race card” when needed.
• Black people could “play the race card” on white people to point out their privilege and fragility.
• White people would not tokenize Black people by expecting us to represent “all” Black people.
• White people would do their own education about racism and not place the emotional toll on Black people to be their teachers.
• Black people would be compensated equitably for their time when White people ask them to be the “Black expert.”
• White women would not start crying when the topic of racism is raised, turning the attention to them and away from the Black people who raised the issue.
• We could retire the “Karen” meme because white women would no longer feel entitled to monitor and question the legitimacy of Black people’s actions.
• White women would not call Black women “divisive” for wanting to focus on issues unique to Black women.
• Nobody in the organization would say or allow as an excuse, “Our leaders are not ready to talk about race.”
• Black people would be able to exercise their First Amendment rights to protest without being teargassed, just like white people who protest with assault weapons and do not have law enforcement engaged.
• “Essential worker” would not mean “sacrificial worker.”
• Work environments would really be inclusive and foster a sense of belonging for Black people.
• White people would know better than to “whitesplain” to us about how to respond to racism.
• We would never hear again, “We are looking to hire qualified Black people” because the assumption would be that Black people are not inherently less qualified than White people.
• Resilience (“bouncing back”) would not be the solution to racism.
• Black people’s anger would be accepted as an appropriate response to racism.
• White people would not be bothered by or suspicious of Black people’s presence in public spaces. We could have a picnic, rent an Airbnb, or fall asleep in the common area of a college dorm without the police being called.
• To be a tall, dark, Black man would not be threatening to white people.
• Black people could wear our hair any way we choose without risking it being cut off because some white person in power does not like it. We would not need legislation (the CROWN Act) to give us that right.
• White people would not use the excuse of being “uncomfortable” to avoid talking about race. White discomfort would not be prioritized over Black comfort.
• White people’s lies would not be more credible than Black people’s truths.
• White people would mind their own business when Black people are minding theirs.
• Our children would see themselves portrayed age appropriately in books and other media.
• Teachers would believe that Black children are capable and have unlimited potential.
• Hoodies would be humanized, not criminalized.
• White people would know that being color-blind is not the goal and it is offensive to most Black people. If you are color-blind, you in essence render Black people invisible.
• White people would realize that having Black friends is not an automatic exemption from being a racist.
• White people would universally understand that the Black Lives Matter movement would not be necessary if all lives really mattered.
• Liberty and justice for all would be a reality.

If my reimagined world achieved half of this list, we would be well on our way to eliminating Black fatigue.

I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.

—Angela Davis, American political activist, philosopher, academic, Marxist feminist, and author