In today’s episode of Next Economy Now, your host, Ryan Honeyman, gets together with Erin Heaney, executive director of Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ).
Erin shares about her family history of involvement in activism, from the struggles in Northern Ireland to Union groups in America, and how her queer identity has connected her to her work in social justice reform.
Erin explains that while SURJ was founded relatively recently in 2009, its mandate strives to respond to a call from The Black Panthers, made in the 1960s, on white folks to address racism in their communities.
The conversation centers on the important work being done at SURJ and the role that white folks can play in social justice reform by supporting solutions that have been set by those most affected by white supremacy.
Erin unpacks the importance of discussing race and class concurrently in activism and reform work, and how racism and white supremacy have undermined every single social justice movement in the USA by weaponizing racial divides.
Later she discusses what SURJ has been doing to prepare for the 2020 election through voter education and outreach. Tune in today for a thought-provoking conversation about what it means to be involved in social justice reform and much more!
Key Points From This Episode:
Meet today’s guest, Erin Heaney.
Erin shares her family history of involvement in activism, from the struggles in Northern Ireland to Union groups in America.
How Erin’s queer identity has connected her to her work in social justice reform.
Erin shares how she found a political home at SURJ during the Ferguson Protests.
The founding of SURJ in 2009 and how its mandate is connected to the 1960s and The Black Panther’s call on white folks to address racism in their communities.
Why it’s important to discuss race and class concurrently in activism and reform work.
The importance of communicating to white constituents the stake that they have in social justice work and reform.
Recognizing how racism and white supremacy have undermined every single social justice movement in the USA.
How the Black Lives Matter movement centers on policy that would benefit all poor people.
The merits of convergence theory: how the interests of Black folks, and achieving racial equality will only be accommodated when it converges with the interests of white folks.
How SURJ approaches maintaining accountability without making themselves a burden to communities of color.
How SURJ is reaching out to voters, and conducting voter education in preparation for the 2020 election.
The level of pragmatism that needs to be applied in politics, while also balancing long-term goals like abolishing the police and medicare for all.
Moving white folks from consciousness into action and ensuring they remain active and engaged for the long haul without overcorrecting, centering themselves, and taking over.
The importance of supporting solutions that have been set by Black, Indigenous, and people of color.
The lifelong project of unlearning white supremacy as a white person.
Erin shares her expectations for the 2020 election and lists the movements and individuals that have been giving her hope.
What surge is doing to push The Breathe Act and address the failings of an unjust economic system.
Tweetables:
“This goes back as long as this country has existed. There has been an intentional strategy by those at the top to make sure that, in particular, poor and working-class, white folks don't see their fates as connected to working-class communities of color.” — @heaney_erin
“Racism and white supremacy has been used to undermine every single social movement in this country, whether it was rights for women, or the labor movement, or the populist movement.” — @heaney_erin
“For those of us who are white, it's not our responsibility to set the solutions, it's to build power in our communities so that the solutions that have been defined by people most directly impacted by white supremacy have a shot at winning.” — @heaney_erin
“Communities of color have been on the frontlines of electoral justice for many years. So we're trying to make sure that we're taking responsibility for organizing our own.” — @heaney_erin
“I think our success will in part be determined by turning this into concrete action over time and be connected to how well we can build ongoing political homes for people that they want to be part of, and then asking people to take action on a regular basis.” — @heaney_erin
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)
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