There is a lot of talk floating around social media these days about “being woke.” Some are using that term as an insult, assuming that someone who is “woke” is simply embracing a liberal agenda and worthy of ridicule. Others are using the term as some sort of label just to categorize people onto groups (again, likely for the purpose of belittling).
For the record, I am “woking up”—I am moving toward an understanding of the world and its systems that makes my heart ache. I am not there yet. But with every fiber of my being, I hope to get there in my lifetime.
For me, “woke” is a wonderful way to be. To be able to look at a situation and name the systemic biases and abuses that come from them is a major goal in my life. Only then will I be able to name them out loud for someone else and move the needle a little more toward justice.
I pray that this week you might look around at your world and practice seeing where the invisible injustice lies in our society, confirm your suspicions, and then name them out loud. I think “woke” is a learned skill, and one that we all can be better at, even if it draws some ridicule.
You may have seen this article before, but it really is a sort of primer on how we (White people) don’t see our own privilege. I commend it to you today on Race and Grace Monday.