There is more to say on this subject, and this will be clunky and too much and not enough but I need to start somewhere, even just for me.

I started this blog over 11 years ago as of writing this post, and if I look at my past writing, both the personal parts and how I wrote recipes, I can mark my own growth in both areas. I hope to always stay in motion of learning and listening, even when I disagree, if only so I may better understand my own thoughts and beliefs, and have compassion for all sorts of perspectives. These last few months have woken up so many of us - gosh, I mean that to be interpreted in all sorts of ways.

Amongst many things, one is learning more about the Black Lives Matter movement, and the history of black people in America and the work of being anti-racist. I see how many of our existing systems are still oppressive, even quietly so. I am reading and listening and participating in an Actively Anti-Racist learning group, and understanding more completely that being “nice” has not been enough. I will never understand or have the experience, as a white woman, to speak as an authority on this subject, but I do feel tardy in using my voice to speak up for marginalized and BIPOC folks. My privilege has been surrounded by a lot of other privilege, and I have work to do to shift from, as well as within that. I will be the first to admit that up to this point, my advocacy has been quiet and passive, which actually serves nobody. I believe in caring for people and community and inclusion, but the diversity and amplification of black chefs and allyship towards fair farming and food systems has been lacking here. I apologize for ways I have appropriated recipes from other cultures without researching and crediting appropriately first, or have used language that came off as exclusive, as much of the health and wellness themes can give off. I plan to work differently from here forward.

What initially felt like drinking from a fire hose, has been met with starting somewhere. We have been going through Brit Barron’s Understanding Racism 101 and if you are looking for a place to start, I would highly recommend her work. My education up to this point has been through podcasts (I loved this recent one from Brene Brown), which is a good base, but gosh there are so many folks to learn from and books to read. I am also currently reading White Fragility, and have I’m Still Here and Between the World and Me in the queue- there are lists all over the interwebs. I bought more books for the kids, such as Sulwe, Little Leaders and Fearless Trailblazers, as we have more experience within the Latino community where we live and there is anti-racist work to be done there as well. I mean none of this to be performative, and gosh, it’s a small start, but I have found these resources because others have shared them with me, so I am putting them here to pass them on.

I want complacency to be something I look back on as a point I grew forward from - like the Maya Angelou quote, “once you know better, do better.” I commit to being humble, brave and vulnerable; and in my own self-awareness, be moved towards action to change the conversation.

I’m glad you are here and I appreciate educated and compassionate discourse on different subjects. Looking forward to learning and growing and saying the wrong thing sometimes, so that I may learn to do better the next time.