Deep Green Resistance People of Color Solidarity Guidelines

Developed by white Deep Green Resistance members, with guidance from the People of Color Caucus.

Introduction

White Supremacy is a system of power that is as active today as any time in this culture's history. As white activists, we have been socialized into a culture of domination and often carry, practice, and reproduce racism in our own work. Racism is a threat to the health and continuation of all communities, including political ones. We therefore ask all white activists to commit themselves in every aspect of their lives, political or otherwise, to dismantling racism, personally and culturally. Communities of color alone cannot change white communities from the outside, nor is it their responsibility.

As Stokely Carmichael said, "White people must start building those [anti-racist] institutions inside the white community, and that is the real question I think facing the white activists today: can they in fact begin to move into and tear down the institutions which have put us all in a trick-bag that we've been into for the last hundred years?" As allies to people and communities of color, this is our work. The following guidelines are to encourage white activists to eliminate racism from their behavior and language, and better ally themselves with people of color.

Guidelines

  1. We understand that, as white people raised in a white supremacist society, we are racists. It is impossible to work to end racism without acknowledging the deep-seated racism that is taught to us from a very young age. White activists need not feel guilty about this, but rather we should feel obligated to dismantle racism, both inside ourselves and externally.
  2. Among activists, racism doesn't always show itself in outbursts of anger or violence; more often it is found in everyday language, interactions, and assumptions that ultimately silence and devalue people of color. Work to respect and listen to the voices and choices of people of color.
  3. Actively support, encourage, and respect the leadership of people of color.
  4. Offer support and assistance to activists working in communities of color. Acknowledge and respect the primary emergencies of these communities.
  5. Work to counter the efforts of white supremacist and fascist groups.
  6. Have the humility and courage to challenge oneself and learn from others about issues relating to race and white supremacy.
  7. Do not participate in or condone racist humor. Do not use derogatory labels based upon race. Do not speak in stereotyped racial dialects.
  8. Challenge racist behavior in your friends, family, associates, and political allies. When appropriate, end relationships with people who continue to encourage or practice racism.
  9. Discuss racism with young people in your life. Help them to identify and confront racism, become better allies to people of color, and engage in working towards the end of white supremacy.
  10. Commit to ongoing self-education on the history and theory of racial oppression. Do not speak as an authority on subjects that people of color directly experience and you do not. If you are to speak at all on such subjects, it should only be after people of color or if people of color ask you to do so.
  11. The power of white supremacy is maintained to a large degree by institutions (housing, education, criminal in-justice, banking, culture, media, extraction, and so on), rather than by individual racists. Our primary work to end racism goes beyond confronting particular racists; ultimately, it requires dismantling racist institutions and culture.
  12. Understand that when you choose to fight racism and imperialism, you are joining a protracted, centuries-old struggle which indigenous people and people of color have always been on the front lines of. As white people, we must allow those who have experienced these histories first hand to inform our resistance.
  13. The guidelines established above represent a baseline for acceptable behavior. Following them is not exceptional, and does not merit reward. Choosing to ignore racist behavior will be seen as an act of collaboration with the culture of white supremacy.
FaLang translation system by Faboba

Sun, Sep 29 2024
‘Red Alert’ as 7th Planetary Boundary Breached
Editor’s note: This article is an update from a year ago. Trying to fix the climate change planetary boundary at the expense of biodiversity or any of the other planetary boundaries is a fool’s errand. This article does not state the fact that it [...]

Continue Reading

Tue, Sep 24 2024
How to Decolonize Our Battle Against Climate Change
Editor’s note: Climate change is a symptom predicament of overshoot and is exploited by power elites to deflect from what is necessary, ending modern civilization. The slow death of nature started with civilization, it has exponentially sped up since [...]

Continue Reading

Sat, Sep 21 2024
Subsidies That Harm the Environment Reach $2.6 Trillion Per Year
Editor’s note: This article does not mention the subsidies going to “renewable” energy, which is in the trillions, and its environmentally harmful implementation. Also not mentioned are the costs associated with the loss of livelihood for [...]

Continue Reading

Tue, Sep 17 2024
Nearly 200 Environmental Defenders Killed in 2023
By Olivia Rosane, staff writer for Common Dreams. Almost 200 people were killed in 2023 for attempting to protect their lands and communities from ecological devastation, Global Witness revealed Tuesday. This raises the total number of environmental [...]

Continue Reading

Fri, Sep 13 2024
Combatting Violence Against Nicaragua’s Indigenous Communities
By Max Radwin 29 JUL 2024 / Mongabay Indigenous communities on Nicaragua’s northern Caribbean coast continue to suffer threats, kidnappings, torture and unlawful arrests while defending communal territory from illegal settlements and mining. Residents say [...]

Continue Reading

Tue, Sep 10 2024
Battery Storage Systems Are a Fire Hazard
By Katie Singer https://katiesinger.substack.com/p/bess-fire-hazards On Friday, August 30, Applied Energy Services Corporation (AES), a global utility and power generation company, submitted a proposal to Santa Fe, New Mexico county commissioners to build a [...]

Continue Reading

Sat, Sep 07 2024
We’re Protecting the Ocean Wrong
Editor’s note: Protecting the ocean means life protection, our ecosystems depend on intact and clean oceans. Even though the aim is to protect 30% of the planet, it’s not clear what conservation actually means worldwide. That leads to ineffective [...]

Continue Reading

Tue, Sep 03 2024
7 Steps to What a Real Renewable Energy Transition Looks Like
Editor’s note: We know what needs to be done but will it be done? No, the system will not allow it so the system must go. The sooner the better. Join a social movement advocating for a real energy transition, one that strives to guarantee that [...]

Continue Reading

Sat, Aug 31 2024
Dark Oxygen Discovered In the Deep Sea
Editor’s note: Although Greenpeace has done many good things in the past, particularly their work that led to an international ban on whale hunting, it is astounding that they currently support offshore wind.   Nick Young 26 July 2024 / [...]

Continue Reading

Tue, Aug 27 2024
Building Environmental Activism In the Next Generation
Editor’s note: Environmental activism will only play a role in the lives of young people if adults are great role models and walk the talk. As custodians, we need to take the young out into nature to help them gain an appreciation for wilderness. So [...]

Continue Reading

See All Stories  

No events currently scheduled.