IBARW 2!

[oyceter]

Guess what? It's almost time for Intl. Blog Against Racism Week again!

Yes, I am making this a yearly thing.

Since it started around mid-July last year, I want to keep it around the same time. But since my birthday is in late July, and I am entirely selfish and really don't want to be dealing with potential race-related stupidity around my birthday, I am making the first full week of August officially the week of IBARW.

So that's August 6 to August 12!

This year, I want to a) read through all of last year's entries and pick my favs, b) blog more about POC reactions to racism (internalized, denial, acknowledgment, anger, etc.) without having it turn into "But POC are racist too OMG WOE!", c) actually do something about the "international" part, and d) continue to post about it the rest of the year too.

What Can I Do?

Well! I'm glad you asked! (or, uh, didn't, but whatever, I'll pretend that people did.)

1. First, I'd love volunteers to be Icon-Makers of the Revolution!
   
   I made some icons last year, which are still up for grabs, and I will make more this year. But I am singularly uncreative and am running out of icon ideas, and my icon skills are passable but really not the best. Also, for people who want customized personal icons or whatnot, it'd be nice to have more icon-makers to go to.



2. Second, I need a Record-Keeper of the Revolution!
   
   You'll be compiling all IBARW posts during the week, like rilina did last year in the handy link compilation. I think mostly people comment with a link to theirs, so you don't have to search all over the internet to find things. The link compilation will include all posts for IBARW, including sporktastic ones, though I encourage people to create their own recommended posts lists too!
   
   
   • Alternately... since IBARW generated over 200 posts last year, I think it'd also be cool if there were a Programmer of the Revolution who wrote up a link-compiling program that would have people input the link, title, poster, time posted, and summary of their posts and spit out a handy-dandy list. I think I do have webspace for something like this, although I'd need to re-investigate, as I have completely forgotten what I can do with it.



3. Thirdly, post!! If you're a white person and don't want to take attention away from POC bloggers, I respect that a lot. But if you still want to contribute without taking attention away, you can also post links to posts POC have made as well, or drive traffic, or search for IBARW links that people may have missed.

And while I'm asking for things, I so want an Anti-Racism 101 blog a la Finally, a Feminism 101 Blog. I would very much contribute and possibly even be able to create the blog, but I don't think I have the time to post to it often. Maybe I will think about just compiling links and whatnot for the FAQs section or something. Hrm...

Thoughts? Questions? Bueller?

Comments

[oyceter]

That being said--I'm not so sure if I agree with #3. As a PoC, I think we should encourage anyone (of any race) who has recognized their own racism and taken steps to acknowledge and act against it to speak on that. This is, of cours in addition to broadening their perspective by reading and reflecting on other posts by PoCs.

*nods* Yeah, very. My suggestions in 3 are my Not So Sekrit way of trying to get those people to post too, heh heh. Because yeah, I really do appreciate it when more people speak out, because it makes everyone that much less afraid to.

On the other hand, I had several friends who didn't feel like they should take voices away from POC last year, especially when there were a lot of posts with people going "Oh! I had a black friend in elementary! I know all about racism!" without even trying to go further. So I see where they're coming from, and I respect their decision, even though personally, I would make everyone post if I could ;).

And I didn't write down the corollary to 3, which is that I didn't want POC who are tired of the entire thing to feel pressured to post, especially since, y'know, we deal with it every freaking day and god knows that people need rest and to not have to deal.

So... I dunno. I think that was my very long winded way of saying that I agree with you, but I also don't want to disrespect choices that other people have made as well, if that makes any sense?

Stupid white confused person question

[chipmunk-planet.livejournal.com]

So are 'whites' allowed to do this, or not? I'm not familiar with the etiquette here.

Re: Stupid white confused person question

[oyceter]

I don't think there's anything saying they shouldn't? I was talking about some white friends of mine who decided that they didn't want to speak over POC voices and about respecting their decision.