What we’re about
Black lives matter. We want that to be more than a slogan or the rallying cry of an overdue social movement. We want it to be more than an abstract sociopolitical statement. We want it to be visceral and real, for ourselves personally in our everyday lives.
The group is open to anyone, full stop. You do not need to be black or white or any particular color between to participate. We are open to all races, genders, and sexual orientations. Our objective is to actively reach across long-standing societal barriers to establish friendships.
For many of us meeting people and making friends isn’t easy. We have our lives, our work and family responsibilities. And real friendships are no small matter; they take time, happen organically, and can't be forced. They are mutual gifts that grow richer with time and trust. Perhaps Meetup can help us make connections online which we can make real in the world when we emerge from covid quarantine.
A note on the name of the group. To create a group on meetup requires a name. As a white guy it is not my place to take Black Lives Matter as the name for this or any other group. Had a group with that name already existed, I would have joined with the intention of participating in its objectives and in the hope that it would facilitate my purpose of finding black friends. I will continue to watch for that group and participate in the social movement when and where I can. The name Black and White invokes the metaphor of right and wrong, which in the present case fits: there are clear rights and wrongs. Further, while there is racism everywhere around the globe, in this country these two races, black and white, have been the most at odds, with blacks taking the brunt of the harm and whites doing most of the harming. And so while I very much hope that this group facilitates cross-race connection—regardless of race—as a white guy in this country, I want to acknowledge the particular role that my race has played and the harm it has done.
This is the year 2020 and there is still systemic racism, bigotry, intollerance, distrust, and the simple fear of otherness in every corner of our society. It’s hard to grasp how that can be possible. We continue to make advances in so many other ways, yet we find ourselves making precious little here, on this crucial issue. Let’s change that.
