Well, That Escalated Quickly: Memoirs and Mistakes of an Accidental Activist

by Franchesca Ramsey

that the negative response to my video was a clear symptom of a racist and sexist culture that was viscerally offended by the idea of a black woman talking about her lived experience.

It’s shining a light on the experiences black women and people of color face every single day in a world that says we’re less than or ‘weird’ because we aren’t white.

That’s the thing about turning points: Facing a new direction doesn’t mean there’s not another long road in front of you.

there’s something about a black woman being successful and happy that infuriates white men in particular.

“It’s okay for a movement to be focused on a specific group or cause. ‘Save the rainforest’ doesn’t mean ‘Fuck all the other trees.”

You don’t know what you don’t know, and you don’t know how much your experiences (or lack thereof) influence you.

Having privileges doesn’t mean you’re rich, have never worked hard, or never had to struggle. It just means that there are some things you’ll never have to experience or think about because of who you are.

If you want to keep from being critical in any meaningful way—which you don’t—you can say something is problematic.