It’s not my job to absolve your White guilt

It should not take our deaths for people to realize our worth

Perspective by Bianca Xunise

Lily contributor

June 28, 2020 at 10:07 a.m. EDT

Since the protests in response to the killing of George Floyd in police custody started in Minnesota on May 25, I have been receiving random texts from non-Black and White friends who have taken the time to apologize for not valuing me in their life sooner.

I understand the intentions behind this, but it comes off as needing me — a Black person — to absolve them of their White or complicit guilt. Instead, they need to actually do the work to dismantle white supremacy within their own communities. After Oluwatoyin Salau was found dead on June 15, I became more frustrated with these messages because I still do not feel seen by these people.

Black women, Black trans women and gender noncomforming individuals are being killed at alarming rates. And instead of a sense of urgency to protect my life, some people seem to be more concerned in being portrayed as a good person.