Letter:

Hey fellow white people!

Racism is alive and well here in Iowa.

The events of this year have put a spotlight on big systemic chasms in our country. But big systemic chasms stem from the little things we do and say every day.

Here in Johnson County, we like to believe that we are immune to the evils of racism, but we are not. Last week, we heard about an Iowa City Community School District teacher giving an assignment that asked kids to pretend they were enslaved Black people in America. This is unacceptable. Not only is it hurtful and anxiety-inducing for Black and Brown students, it misses an opportunity to reframe and meaningfully teach an informed understanding of slavery and U.S. history.

Because smartphones are now everywhere, we are witness to the horrific reality of Black men and women being shot in the back, shot in their own homes, or having the breath literally squeezed out of them. The level of trauma experienced by Black Americans is compounded by exercises like this high school assignment.

It is incumbent upon every one of us to recognize the ways in which we all use racism in our everyday lives, and yes, I include myself in this. It is no longer enough to say that we are not racist and continue to sit on the sidelines, we must make the choice to be actively anti-racist in every moment.

We cannot keep stumbling around as awkward allies in this moment. We all have to get uncomfortable, acknowledge that there is a privilege in having white skin, and let go of the fragility that keeps us from making true progress.

It will take everything we have and then some to start bending that arc towards justice. We will make mistakes along the way. We must own them and learn from them so that we never make the same mistakes again.

Representative

Amy Nielsen,  House District 77

North Liberty