“Our only chance at dismantling racial injustice is being more curious about its origins than we are worried about our comfort.”
Austin Channing Brown
Song: Sad Sad Sad by ROSIE
Article: Stop asking children these six questions by Ozan Varol
Thought: Week five in my soundtrack series is a famous one from Brene Brown – “I’m here to get it right, not to be right.” The context for her quote was predominately about racial injustice; however, I found found it to apply more broadly for myself.
I struggle to be curious, which is why many of my Soundtracks have a similar theme. I’m an ally to my LGBTQ+ friends and community. I’m an ally to people of color and fight/speak out towards racial injustices. I’m an ally to those who practice their religions faithfully even when they differ from my own beliefs. Not being directly part of these communities requires me to stay curious and I might (will) get it wrong sometimes. It’s uncomfortable and necessary. It also means I might have to change my beliefs on what I thought was true.
Rather than take it personal, I choose to say “I’m here to get it right, not be right so please help me.” The depth of learning I’ve experienced from just this simple phase is immense. It applies beyond social issues and into disagreements with friends, family, co-workers, etc. When I show up with the “get it right” vs. “be right” attitude, it has the power to defuse tensions. So I choose it as often as I can – why be right and lonely?