“Saying you are “not a racist” is the #NotMe equivalent of #NotAllMen.” I think this is an excellent red herring for us to be aware of in ourselves — an ongoing self-check.

I think what most racists mean when they say “I’m not racist” is actually “I’m not violent.”

I think these might also be the folks who think racism is a geographically specific Southern predilection. When we fail to see it built into the systems around us and wormed into our own subconscious it’s easier to think of racism as more like a medical condition that only afflicts bad people with evil hearts.

“Everyone has the duty to fight the racism in themselves when it rears its ugly head. Like the mild surprise I once felt when the doctor was a Black man.” Self-awareness is critical — especially when it requires enduring a dose of self-loathing when we realize it’s in us too.