Shul Sisters Collaboration: I’m Gonna Walk It With You
Sometimes music can be more powerful than written words alone. This musical collaboration expresses some of what has been on my mind and in my heart as I strive to be an ally while events in the news continue to feel disheartening. As we enter Black History month, I wanted to share it on this blog. I hope others find it to be a source of hope in collective action for racial justice.
This month, members of the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee will be posting weekly to share upcoming events and various media for education and reflection, which we hope you will also continue to revisit throughout the year. While it is beneficial to have specific months dedicated to different groups and causes, the surge in awareness that often ensues should not be limited to only that month. All the many facets of our intersectional identities matter all the time!
Coming up this week:
Forgotten Lives: What They Mean, and Why They’re Important.
Wednesday, Feb. 8, 4 p.m.,Old Chapel
Check out more events here: https://www.umass.edu/news/article/events-celebrating-black-history-and-culture
Ongoing:
- UMass Black Presence Project https://www.umass.edu/diversity/blackpresence
- Center of Racial Justice and Youth-Engaged Research: https://www.umass.edu/education/center/racial-justice
Content warning: reference to racial violence to follow
What first connected me to the song shared above was a feeling of frustration and helplessness as I read an article last Saturday morning about Tyre Nichols, yet another Black man killed by police at a traffic stop in Memphis. I was at a loss for words that wouldn’t just feel empty. Then the rabbi closed Shabbat services that day by sharing this song. It spoke to me, and I felt moved to share it in response to these horrific events in Memphis.
At the same time, it is important to recognize that engaging with news of racial violence can bring up trauma and be extremely draining for some members of our community. Each of us has our own way of participating in efforts toward racial justice, including knowing when it is time to step away and focus on taking care of oneself and one’s own mental health.
The Center for Counseling and Psychological Health has compiled a resource guide for Students of Color (https://www.umass.edu/counseling/resources_POC), with several links related to racial trauma.