Don’t Be a Karen
The Antiracist White Chick: Episode 9
Silence from a friend or colleague can not only be harmful, it can cost you your job and definitely your friendship. Now imagine if that silence can actually cost someone their life…because it can. Silence is complicity in allowing the systems of violence, inequity, and suppression to continue. White silence of any kind makes you a Karen — so don’t be a Karen.
Here are just a few examples of white silence in action:
-Staying silent when you see your colleagues of color being discriminated against at work.
-Staying silent by choosing not to engage in any conversations about race because of your white fragility.
-Staying silent by not attending protest marches against racism like Black Lives Matter or protests for immigrants at risk.
-Staying silent by not sharing social media posts about race and racism in your spaces because of the way it might affect your personal or professional life, or simply reposting the posts of BIPOC but not adding your own voice or perspective.
-Staying silent about your antiracism work for fear of losing friends and followers.
-Staying silent by not holding those around you accountable for their racist behavior.
-Staying silent when you witness other white people use their white privilege, white fragility, or tone policing against BIPOC.
(examples of white silence are from “Me and White Supremacy” by Layla F. Saad)
Check out more of Nicola Graham’s YouTube videos here, or watch the series on Medium:
The story was previously published on The Good Men Project.
About Nicola Graham
Nicola Graham is an actress, comedian, host, writer, and content creator based in Los Angeles. She has acted in numerous film, television, and new media projects and has hosted multiple internet shows and podcasts. Known for comedy and her sketch projects and characters, Nicola’s passions and creative desires changed dramatically upon the death of George Floyd. Finding new social justice awareness and facing her own racist inactions caused her to reflect on the type of work she wanted to create in the world. She began the series “The Antiracist White Chick” to tell her personal journey of her learnings on how to be an antiracist. Nicola is currently writing a comedy pilot to demystify racism for White folk and further open the dialogue on this important movement.
Follow Nicola on Twitter and Instagram: @Nicola_Graham
For more on Nicola and her work, visit NicolaGraham.net