Black Lives Matter - At the Dinner Table

We have been so saddened to witness police violence against protesters these past few weeks. This comes in the wake of centuries of police violence against Black Americans. Police aggression and terror disproportionately placed on Black communities and other communities of color is a frightening pandemic in this country. George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery are just three of thousands and thousands of unjust deaths. As two white women, Alice and I realize that our voices on these issues must be used to support the efforts of the Black community. Our primary duty is to listen, learn, and do better in every aspect of our lives.

We MUST do better for our Black communities in Seattle and beyond. We MUST do better for Black American children.

Economic and educational disparities are so deeply and terribly ingrained throughout the US, and we must challenge our representatives to put forth solutions that prioritize the wellbeing of black and brown children and families.

Students of color are often concentrated in schools with fewer resources. Black students spend less time in the classroom due to discipline, which further hinders their access to a quality education. Most troubling is the fact that black students are 2.3 times as likely to receive a referral to law enforcement or be subject to a school-related arrest as white students.

To better understand the current state of our public schools, read the statistics in this link: https://uncf.org/pages/k-12-disparity-facts-and-stats

The United States was founded in violence and white supremacy, and we need to work actively and intentionally to dismantle this reality. We created an anti-racist list full of educational resources and places to donate and support for both ourselves and the families we’ve worked with. This is just the beginning of this list, and we will add to it as time moves forward.

And finally (and so importantly)…we must look inward at ourselves, our friends and our family. We must become vigilant anti-racists and have the tough conversations we have been putting off for far too long.

Yes, it’s the right time to talk to your children about racism.

No matter the age. Children will only grow up to become allies if they learn about the injustice that is happening to their Black friends and neighbors. If Black families are having these conversations with their children, so must white families.

Resources for white parents to raise anti-racist children:

Books:

Podcasts:

Articles:

  • The Conscious Kid: follow them on Instagram and consider signing up for their Patreon


Educate yourself and your friends:

Articles to read:

Videos to watch:

Podcasts to subscribe to:


Books to read:

Films and TV series to watch:

  • 13th (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix

  • American Son (Kenny Leon) — Netflix

  • Clemency (Chinonye Chukwu) — Available to rent

  • Dear White People (Justin Simien) — Netflix

  • Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler) — Available to rent

  • I Am Not Your Negro (James Baldwin doc) — Available to rent or on Kanopy

  • If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins) — Hulu

  • Selma (Ava DuVernay) — Available to rent

  • The Hate U Give (George Tillman Jr.) — Hulu with Cinemax

  • When They See Us (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix

Organizations to follow on social media:

More anti-racism resources to check out:

Credit to : Anti-racism resource for white people google doc

We started Seattle Cucina with one vision: For all people to nourish themselves and their community through mindful cooking, healthy eating habits, and an appreciation for food. We MUST do better to ensure our communities, friends, families, and children are equitably lifted and supported.

This work is not separate from cooking and eating together. There is something so poetic and beautiful about feeding the people you love. Cooking and eating together is both an opportunity to heal and to challenge each other to grow.

We encourage you all to engage in some of these conversations over the dinner table, so that we may work towards change together.

Love,

Erica & Alice, Co-Founders

Alice Carli, Erica Weisman