Somatic Abolitionism and Racial Justice Notes

White Body Supremacy

• Definition: White body supremacy posits the white body as the paramount standard against which the humanity of all other bodies is assessed, both structurally and philosophically.

  • This assessment is not rooted in intrinsic worth but in structural value within societal hierarchies.

  • Historically, questions of race were framed as species inquiries: Are individuals with darker skin truly human?

  • Acceptance of whiteness transformed the white body into a proxy for humanness.

  • Conversely, black and indigenous bodies have been historically positioned as the antithesis of human.

  • Grasping this concept is vital for understanding race, racism, and white body supremacy as systemic issues rather than mere interpersonal biases.

Philosophical Aspects of White Body Supremacy

• White body supremacy extends beyond acts of enslavement, genocide, or land dispossession; it encompasses a shared understanding that certain populations are inherently less human.

• Historical Context:

  • In the 17th century, leading global powers (Spain, England, France, Portugal, Belgium) adhered to a similar ideology concerning human classification.

  • This ideology incorporated beliefs about cranial dimensions and religious affiliations as determinants of humanity.

  • Impoverished white individuals embraced the concept of whiteness to mitigate the brutality they endured by redirecting it toward indigenous and black populations.

Somatic Experience and Unexamined Emotions

• Discussions on race often evoke feelings of offense and moral conviction; however, these somatic experiences are frequently overlooked due to societal prioritization of white comfort.

  • This unexamined emotional energy often manifests indirectly.

The Concept of "Blowing Through"

• In diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) or implicit bias training, underlying issues remain unaddressed.

• While bodies of culture may express openness, white bodies often avoid confronting their discomfort.

• Unresolved emotions are transmitted through bodies of culture via tone, nonverbal cues, and other subtle means.

• Without a somatic vocabulary, individuals from bodies of culture may interpret this as personal inadequacy rather than recognizing the broader structural dynamic.

Bodies of Culture vs. People of Color

• People of color: This term implies an inherent value (or deficiency) associated with skin color.

• Bodies of culture: Represents a reclamation of cultural identity that was suppressed through participation in the system of white body supremacy.

  • Acknowledges that the dehumanization of certain groups was a communal endeavor that necessitates collective remedies.

  • This is not to deny white culture but to address the unique experiences of those whose skin color has historically been used to deny their humanity.

Diversity and the White Body Standard

• Racial diversity:

  • May be superficial if it doesn't explicitly challenge the white body as the default standard.

  • Many DEI initiatives fail to recognize the white body as the benchmark against which others are measured.

• When promoting diversity and inclusion, one must consider the established baseline and actively challenge it.

• Sustain collaborative efforts, as strategies alone are insufficient.

• Cultivate language organically within community settings.

• Addressing racial issues requires preparation and resilience.

• White bodies often lack a sense of communal understanding because their survival hasn't historically depended on it.

Developing Capacity to Experience Discomfort

• Adopt a mindset of exploration rather than problem-solving.

  • Approach racial discussions with flexibility, openness, and a willingness to engage with uncomfortable emotions.

• Examine personal reactions and biases alongside other white individuals.

• Develop capacity gradually through ongoing effort and foster communal awareness.

• Transition from guarding knowledge to sharing and expanding understanding.

Somatic Abolitionism Defined

• Somatic abolitionism entails dismantling white body supremacy not only intellectually but also somatically.

• This requires consistent practice, collaboration, and adaptability.

• Prioritize bodily awareness over cognitive understanding.

• Expand beyond traditional intellect to encompass vibratory, meaning-making, behavioral, emotional, and visual intelligences.

The Abolitionism Aspect: A Generational Commitment

• Achieving genuine abolition will require sustained effort over multiple generations.

• Short-term activism is unsustainable without a supportive cultural framework to address the complexities of race.

• Meaningful change necessitates ongoing, communal involvement, even in the face of discomfort.

Grinding: Spending Time Together

• Engage in somatic elicitation to access embodied knowledge and experiences.

• Practice soul scribing: Articulate and acknowledge the five intelligences (vibratory, meaning-making, behavioral, emotional, and visual).

• Uphold mutual accountability within the community.

• Resist common avoidance tactics associated with white body structure, such as deference, emotional displays, brutality, intellectualization, and withdrawal.

Clean Pain vs. Dirty Pain

• Clean pain/discomfort: Arises when actions violate one's personal integrity.

• Dirty pain/discomfort: Occurs when behavior contradicts one's sense of right and wrong.

• The white collective has historically addressed race through means that inflict dirty pain.

• Example: The backlash against Colin Kaepernick's silent protest exemplified a dirty response.

• Facilitating white individuals to engage with other bodies constructively can promote transformation and growth.

Embodying the Experiences of Others

• Practice empathy by imagining oneself in black, red, and brown bodies to grasp the challenges they face.

• Explore the historical and intergenerational trauma experienced by one's ancestors.

• Investigate the circumstances that prompted ancestral migration.

• Unexamined trauma manifests differently across levels:

  • Individually: Personality traits.

  • Within families: Familial patterns.

  • Collectively: Cultural norms.

  • Unresolved trauma becomes normalized if left unexamined.

White Advantage and Clean Pain

• Clean pain involves acknowledging and confronting white privilege on both individual and communal levels with courage and humility.

• Retreating to white comfort leads to regression.

• Somatic abolitionism necessitates dismantling the systems that perpetuate harm to black, indigenous, and brown communities.

The Primacy of Communal Work

• Recognize the significance of communal efforts in addressing racial injustice.

• Acknowledge the historical exploitation of black bodies by white individuals.

• Prioritize collective action over individual gestures of niceness to address systemic brutalization.

• Understand that personal transformation alone cannot counteract the pervasive influence of race.

Resma Menakem's Personal Journey

• Experiences are rooted in his upbringing, including working in cotton fields and confronting racial prejudice.

• Aims to empower bodies of culture by challenging the notion of inherent deficiency within a system that privileges the white body.

Somatic Abolitionism: Endurance, Stamina, and Discernment

• Cultivate these qualities through consistent practice and attentive observation.

• Develop discernment by honing one's ability to perceive subtle cues and nuances.

• Likens the process to refining one's culinary skills through mindful engagement.

• Enhances racial intelligence through continuous learning and reflection.

Redefining Whiteness: Taking Responsibility and Growing Up

• Embraces somatic abolitionism as an ongoing journey, not a fixed destination.

• Commits to engaging in this work for the long term to disrupt intergenerational trauma.

• Fosters collaborative exploration and embodiment of shifts in racial understanding.

Foundational Somatic Practices

• Cultural Somatic Practices:

  • Cultivate self and communal grounding (connecting to your own body and space, and connecting to others).

  • Practice self and communal orienting (becoming aware of where you are in the space around you, and acknowledging that you are sharing that space with others).

  • Encourage self and communal movement (allowing yourself to move within a space and encouraging others to do the same).

  • Promote self and communal touch (consensual and appropriate forms of connecting through physical touch).

• Humming: Activates the vagal nerve to alleviate overwhelm.

• Manage intense emotions by addressing them in manageable increments.

• Observe the thoughts, feelings, and sensations that arise while processing them.

• Revisit these observations to promote deeper understanding and integration.