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 threadmekka okereke 

@trishalynn I don't have any particular wisdom, or sage advice here.

I just start making progress, and focus more on the folk that believe that change can happen, and less on the folks that don't.

This often means leaving friends behind, temporarily. 😢 They usually come back when progress starts being made. It's a happy reunion! 🙂

Jul 8, 2023 at 4:47amWeb
Show threadTrisha Lynn 🇵🇭 🇺🇸 🇨🇦Jul 8, 2023
@mekkaokereke I agree with you on the friends part. Spouses and families are more difficult. I keep trying, though. And I push the disruption of the narrative whenever I think it will be received.