mekka okereke Jul 8, 2023

This is an important PSA for folks looking to make any place more inclusive. Do you want to be liked by everyone? Or do you want to make progress?

I don't know anyone that has both been successful in transforming a non-inclusive place, and hasn't been accused of sounding hostile.

It takes a huge amount of energy to dance on eggshells, and I don't have time to do it. So I don't. I'm a big boy. I crack sidewalks when I walk. So eggshells would have no chance anyway. 🤷🏿‍♂️

https://hachyderm.io/@mekkaokereke/110676207295654527

mekka okereke :verified: (@[email protected])

@[email protected] MLK was a much better, kinder, gentler communicator than me, and he was perceived as hostile. Ghandi was a much better, kinder, gentler communicator than me, and he was perceived as hostile. So you can see why I don't even bother with trying too hard to not be perceived as hostile. On this dimension, I do not care about your feelings. I don't even pretend to care. I just go about the work of making spaces that Black people should feel comfortable in, more inclusive.

Hachyderm.io
Show threadmekka okereke Jul 8, 2023

If you try to say that Mastodon can't afford to be more inclusive, or that it's not important for Mastodon to accommodate all the folk leaving Twitter, I'm going to disagree with that, and point out that those talking points echo unapologetically anti-Black talking points.

If you view this as hostile, I can't help you with that.

Let me be clear on what is going to happen:
* Mastodon is going to become a better place for Black users.
* Mastodon is going to become easier to admin for small orgs

Show threadmekka okereke Jul 8, 2023

CalcKey, MissKey, PixelFed, Lemmy, and Kbin too.👍🏿

"We can't increase the number of Black people in tech! It's too difficult!"

"We can't fight the power structures preventing college athletes from getting paid! It's too difficult!"

"We can't reduce the number of people killed by cops! It's too difficult!"

But we're doing all of these things. And we started by ignoring the dudes who said the above things.

The 1st step is "accepting the challenge." People working together can accomplish a lot.

Show threadTrisha Lynn 🇵🇭 🇺🇸 🇨🇦Jul 8, 2023
@mekkaokereke I hear ya. The "It's too hard" narrative is one that I'm personally trying to overcome when my spouse (a white dude in tech) and I talk about these kinds of things. If you've got tips on how to disable that narrative, I'd love some pointers.
Show threadSentient Mortal
@trishalynn @mekkaokereke How do we know if it's too hard? What exactly has been tried?
Jul 8, 2023 at 4:39amWeb
Show threadTrisha Lynn 🇵🇭 🇺🇸 🇨🇦Jul 8, 2023
@sentientmortal @mekkaokereke Lots of things on which I can't elaborate because a) it's my spouse and b) his work is confidential enough that we always bi-directionally begin convos with disclaimers when we need to.
Show threadSentient MortalJul 8, 2023

@trishalynn @mekkaokereke I was giving questions to ask, not looking for answers.

Also given the history of white people mistreating black people throughout the years, it's quite something to say that it's too hard. Life for black people seems too fucking hard.

Show threadSentient MortalJul 8, 2023
@trishalynn @mekkaokereke As a white person, my mom never gave me the talk -- that I had to walk and move in a certain way because I'm always presumed guilty first and people are looking for an excuse to throw me in prison.
Show threadTrisha Lynn 🇵🇭 🇺🇸 🇨🇦Jul 8, 2023

@sentientmortal Oh, sorry. I misinterpreted. Sorry.

The objection I get the most is that it's never the right time in the org to start implementing methods for increasing awareness of inclusion, diversity, equity, &/or accessibility measures. Whereas my research is telling me that if an org is really serious about it, the leaders will make the time.