Meghan Markle and all people who experience the effects of racism: We believe YOU, we see YOU, we support YOU.

We believe and support Meghan, of course we do. Will she read this, I highly doubt it!

Predictable post from us perhaps. And have definitely been wondering about sitting this one out and having real conversations with people in my life on this, listening to the women who are experts on UK based anti racism work and just concentrating on my own inner racism that is there from growing up in this colonial dumpster fire we call home. All stuff I have been doing this week.

But I thought in this instance both could happen. Because I think it’s still very worth saying here, because the bigger impact of that is we are saying we, Most Curious, believe all black or brown people who have experienced racism, trauma and mental health issues because of it.

The insidious existence and nature of racial biases, racist structures, racism in the UK, in my town, in my workplace, via my shows, in my children’s school, in my GP, in my hospitals, in my government, in all institutions, and ultimately and most importantly, in me, is not up for debate here or real life spaces where I am. This is so the conversation can be about what to do to do better, not whether there is something that needs to be done.

That exhausting battle to be heard, to be listened to, to be believed, to be taken seriously, to be supported, to be protected, having to explain and explain again, argue the point, fight to be seen, smile and say, yeah maybe it wasn’t that, maybe it doesn’t matter, maybe this is just how it is, anything for an easy life, and swallow it back down, turning the harm that is happening to you inward against your self - is being GASLIT . And we will do our damnedest to not perpetuate this AND actively fight against it and investigate it when we see it, when it is brought to our attention, when we suspect it or recognise and find it in ourselves. And especially listen when others do.

The shared pain and trauma, fury, understanding, exhaustion and familiarity has been SO clear with every black or mixed race women, who has been courageous enough to speak up this week across media and their platforms, as yet another barrage of triggering experiences grips the country, and asks them to revisit it… we believe you.

We acknowledge we did not always know how deep, prevalent and massive the presence and impact of this is, we still don’t personally know, and we must listen to find out, BUT we will meet you where YOU are at and take it as a given, not a ‘side of the story’.

And I hope, most importantly, the women and people in my real life who’s experience this is, know that about me. And also the fellow white people or people with white privilege in my real life, know that about me too. I will speak up to say ‘what about isms’ are a problem which delay and block action to minimise the harm that is happening in the immediate.

These are just words and it’s very easy to write some stuff and press post - I know all of the above stuff is not easy to actually implement, that’s the actual work and I’m trying.

But I wanted to write something on here too in the hope people can see me as a safe space in what is my place of work online (which will hopefully translate to real life soon) and not think, I’ve got to jump through 10 hoops to even get to where I want to be in a conversation that will be productive, helpful and supportive to them.

Big shout outs and lovely to the incredible black and mixed race women who been have reliving the trauma, to try and change the narrative and doing what they always do, throughout this particular episode.

@ginayahsere

@sholamos1

@novareidofficial

(spend some time watching her videos this week and her TedTalk on micro aggressions https://novareid.com/ted-talk/ )

@elainewelteroth

@atehjewel

@dionne.davis

@kelechnekoff

@thevitamindproject

@cocoagirlmag

@officialjamelia

@therealtrishagoddard