"Antiracism is about doing and not just knowing."
—Leslie Mac, activist and community organizer
Knowing, doing, being—it sounds so simple. They are all things we take on as students, scholars, and citizens everyday. But when it comes to racism and antiracism, many folks are missing at least one of these pieces. For example, you might be currently reading a lot to better understand the history and current reality of how race affects our lives—including this guide! On the other hand, maybe you’re participating in protests and community care. And these are great beginnings, but neither knowing nor doing are enough to sustain long-term commitment to effective change. To achieve that goal requires “being,” which may be harder to understand.
One way to think of “being” is that it only comes with ongoing “knowing” and “doing.” As you’ll find in this section, some folks might—intentionally or not—skip those processes because they genuinely want to be (or be seen as) antiracist. However, as many scholars and activists have explained, there is no such thing as permanently being antiracist—or racist (Kendi). We can only continue to learn, continue to act, and continue to self-reflect as we better understand what it means to be antiracist in all aspects of our lives.
