UK: BADth Statement on Black Lives Matter

"Important Statement Firstly, we want to start this statement by explicitly saying: Black Lives Matter. Always. Secondly, I want to extend virtual hugs and great compassion to our black colleagues at this time of great upheaval and trauma, and I hope that you have support systems in place that can hold your spirit and body. We are here for you. I am aware of the great emotional toil and labour it takes to try and explain to non-black people what this time feels like, so I also wanted to explicitly say: you don’t have to, if you don’t want to. Thirdly, we are here to validate and reinforce the importance of saying Black Lives Matter. In our therapeutic relationships, in our professional relationships, but especially in our personal relationships and interactions in the world at large. In order to significantly change systemic problems, we must also change much of what we think we know about race and privilege in our daily lives. Recently, we posted a call out for new members in The Prompt, where we stated: “(…) we are keen to further our work in ensuring that dramatherapists further their cultural competencies by examining our conscious and unconscious biases and move towards working from an anti-oppressive ethic, whilst contributing in creating systemic solutions for our collective challenges.” Working from an anti-oppressive ethic is a continuous, life-long process. Learning to integrate anti-racism in our work, is also learning to integrate it in our personal lives, and it is forever. It will often be uncomfortable because it will involve holding space for great pain and injustice, to listen, to not speak over, to not make it about our feelings, to make many mistakes, to say the wrong thing, and to understand that we all benefit from a system which at its core upholds the white experience above all others. It is first and foremost, a great unlearning. On that note, here are some helpful links filled with resources, to start and/or continue to do some of this work. Bring this knowlege into your lives, your supervision, and your therapy. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ariannarebolini/george-floyd-amy-cooper-antiracist-books-reading-resources https://www.dazeddigital.com/politics/article/49420/1/a-running-list-of-anti-racism-resources-protest-police-brutality-george-floyd We are always looking for new members, because as you can see from the world around us, there is plenty of work to do and not enough time to do it. We work intersectionally, which means that we aim to address as many issues as we can, at all times. Get in touch via ryancvaladas@live.com and hsouthern@gmail.com. Please be mindful of the fact that asking black friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances to teach, educate, or enlighten us about their pain at this painful time, may be further exacerbating their pain. Therefore, let us, white peers, speak to each other about what we learn, have learned, want to learn, etc. It shouldn’t fall on the oppressed to educate their own oppressor. The Inclusion & Visibility Subcommittee"

Read more: https://mailchi.mp/badth/badth-e-bulletin-2-may-1119148?e=4eae610e04