January 6, 2021 -Call it what it is

It is past the time for us to call the incessant acts of hate and rhetoric that continue to occur in the United States of America, my country, for what it is- Domestic Terror. What we are watching, and have been watching and experiencing in real-time for years, decades, and centuries is beyond sedition. It is a double standard. There are rules, norms for one set of people that are different from others. In layman's terms, the rules that apply for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) do not apply for those who do not look like these population groups.

The summer of 2020 was the beginning of the racial reckoning in the United States of America. However, the term reckoning does not capture what is taking place. That is a passive word. What is needed is a more substantial, more action oriented term such as empowerment. People of color are empowered to make change. Our allies - real allies - are working with us to move toward this era. This is why the work of diversity, equity, inclusion, equality, and belonging is just that WORK. It is an action that must be worked on continuously and fiercely on a routine basis. This is why the systems that enable separation because of race and ethnicity must be challenged and eradicated. These systems include those in companies, organizations, school systems, post-secondary learning institutions, places of worship, banking institutions, and more. Volunteer based organizations and associations are also included in this responsibility of work.

An examination of the intersections that race and ethnicity encounter, such as age discrimination, individuals with invisible and visible disabilities, gender identity, sexual orientation, so-called gender roles, and so forth, must be faced head-on.

What does any of this have to do with the capitol of the United States of America on January 6, 2021 and how is "call it what it is" connected? The insurrection that took place on on this date, in our nation's capitol, the center of Democracy was broken into, violated, desecrated, and looted by Domestic Terrorists. They were not protestors.

Now that we have that understood know this; if anyone of color- ANYONE - were to attempt to do what took place at the capitol, they would have been met with fire and fury on the street and sidewalk, not the steps, let alone the interior of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The racist and segregationist systems that are in place in our institutions continue to erode Democracy and freedom. This is why the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion is vital for our workspaces, our learning institutions, our companies, and our organizations. As a society, our role is to work to that end. To start, is your company, business, nonprofit, for-profit, school, organization, health care system, or banking institution actively working toward fair, equitable, and inclusive matters at all levels? Yes? Awesome! No? Then it is time to do so.