In the past few weeks, Sterling and I have once again been reminded that our privilege has held us blind to a system that is oppressive, prejudice, and racist. We keep coming back to each other asking ourselves what can we do. As we attempt to educate ourselves and address our ignorance, we talk a lot about ways that we can both be more of an ally. As we look deeply into our own responsibility as white people, we also have been evaluating our responsibility as future parents who are bringing another person of privilege into this world.
As we bring this new life into the world we know we have a strong responsibility.
A responsibility to protect this life and keep it safe and healthy but just as important, to teach our child to be a truly compassionate person. Someone who listens to people’s stories and who fights to stand up with others and what’s right. We want to raise this child to recognize injustice and not sit back as a silent bystander. Someone who stands up against bullies, whether that be an individual picking on someone in the hallway or a system designed to oppress. We as future parents know that we have to teach ourselves how to do this in our own hearts and then work every day to teach our children. Raising Baby Travis to be a person that others can lean on, trust, and talk to means being parents that demonstrate this every day as an example. By sharing this part of our baby’s journey with you, we hope to invite you in to help us and hold us accountable on this goal. They say it takes a village to raise children and we hope you’ll be a part of ours.
