The news today is so overwhelming. Our anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic continues, our country continues to be deeply divided, and in the midst of all this unrest (or as some argue, possibly due to it), our country is reckoning with its history of police brutality against black and brown Americans. It’s a lot to process, but for Black, Indigenous, Latino, and Asian Americans, this is nothing new.
As a queer, cis white woman, I am not trying to describe an experience I haven’t lived (though there are LOTS of resources on the subject), but this moment feels different and I am trying to take the opportunity to grow. I am not alone when I say that this moment has led me to interrogate my own beliefs and assumptions and confront my own inaction.
As a result, I would like to share steps that Inspired Journeys is taking to step up and meet this moment in what I hope is a meaningful way.
Effective immediately, Inspired Journeys will spend half its time working with BIPOC (black indigenous, people of color) communities to reduce racial and cultural disparities at the end of life. This means that for each service that Inspired Journeys is paid for, an equal amount of time will be banked toward this work. This work will include pro bono doula service, in-home funeral education, and public speaking, depending on the needs of the particular organization or community.
I commit to sharing my knowledge and skill set with communities of color in the Twin Cities to spread the word about natural and home-based funeral options, about grief and loss, and about end-of-life planning. I anticipate that this work will require active listening and I approach this with humility and openness. I want to listen, I want to learn, I want to make the world more just, and I am working on it.
