Dear White Vegan Person,
I started to write this letter to you, and sadly started to remember other occasions where this has happened differently with others. So I may save those for other letters. To remain authentic and clear, I will just speak about this particular occurrence with you.
Some time ago, an outreach event (insert vegan event here) that was designed to be informative and fun for the local community was created by white people and presented by mostly white people. A cis woman of color thought it would be a good opportunity to finally bring some of the local vegan leaders of color in to the fold. When it was presented to you, you didn’t seem impressed or particularly enthusiastic. This felt hurtful and condescending for her, like an “eye-roll”. However, your team members thought it was a great idea, so vegan leaders of color were added to the program that time.
I don’t know if you didn’t know of any vegan organizers or leaders of color in the local community, but at the time it wasn’t apparent in the your program that local vegan leaders of color were important to your event. I believe you’ve since included some vegans of color from various areas outside of the local area. Although it’s visually a helpful effort, it felt tokenizing from another perspective.
Because of this story, it appeared that you don’t value local voices of color. I don’t believe this is inherently true, because I know your work and I don’t think you believe that. I believe you have a good heart and that you want to do what’s right, meaningful to the local community and your wish is to make a positive impact.
What I have learned from this, is that I need to continue to value local vegan voices of color. This experience has enabled me to focus on what it means for me to be inclusive. It enabled me to invite or recommend local vegan leaders of colors to events that warmly and overtly welcome us.
I have forgiven you for not uplifting my voice and some of the the local voices of vegans of color that live in the area that you curated your event in. I am beginning to forgive myself for boxing you in the “another white vegan event” category. I acknowledge myself for doing the work to let go of how you run your events.
I am grateful for the opportunity you’ve given vegans of color to continue to be part of the planning and presenting at your current and future events. I am committed to creating events that are inclusive of the local vegan thought leaders of color. Even if it’s just to share a meal with one or several of us.
I hope this makes sense. It’s a difficult subject, but I’m trying to just be present to my own experience of this story. It’s a messy job, but I need to do it for my heart.
Thank you for your time.
May we heal the illusion of separation.
Blissful wishes,
Bee