הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה.
[Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it.
"Herring emphasizes one central tenet of sustainability for people of color in struggle: rest. While the fight for racial justice is a personal, life-or-death struggle, Herring also reminds her Black clients that the burden of undoing racism should not fall on them. “We’re having to put our lives on the front lines again for something we didn’t start,” she says.
Herring advises clients and protestors of color to acknowledge the trauma they are experiencing, and honor their own selves and need for healing, by practicing self- and community care."
(א) וַיְכֻלּ֛וּ הַשָּׁמַ֥יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ וְכָל־צְבָאָֽם׃ (ב) וַיְכַ֤ל אֱלֹהִים֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃ (ג) וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וַיְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֹת֑וֹ כִּ֣י ב֤וֹ שָׁבַת֙ מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ (פ)
(1) And the heaven and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. (2) And on the seventh day God finished His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. (3) And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it He rested from all His work which God in creating had made.
(10) And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and gather in the increase thereof; (11) but the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of thy people may eat; and what they leave the beast of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
While people of color, and particularly Black Americans, have no choice but to constantly contend with racism, many white people may find themselves engaging with race and activism for the first time.
Because most white people have not had to actively engage with the trauma of racism or experienced state violence the way Black people have, engaging with the movement can feel overwhelming. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed; it’s a sign that you’re learning and growing.
If you’re not new to the fight against racism and have been taking action against white supremacy for some time, now is a chance to deepen your commitment, and practice self-care so you can stay resilient.
Above all, it’s important to remember that the struggle against white supremacy is not a favor we are doing anyone: it’s a debt we owe due to the material benefits white people as a whole have gained by exploiting Black people and people of color.
Practice humility. Embrace discomfort. Grow through mistakes.
It’s often said that movements are a marathon, not a sprint. But in truth, as I’ve heard protestors say, it’s truly a relay race. We pass the baton to each other when we need to take a breather, and enter the race again strong.
Racism has existed in America for 500 years. Transforming it is the work of many lifetimes, but it must start now. “These systems of oppression have to be broken down,” says Herring.
The struggle will be hard — and always harder for people of color than for white people. At the same time, says Herring, “You can still give yourself permission to hold some hope.”