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May-2018
Hand-sewn, mixed-media, one-of-a-kind wearable art
An extraordinary win-win: You’ll enjoy stunning, original jewelry, while also supporting the liberation of the most marginalized people in our country. An additional bonus is our “Anti-Racism 101” collection of issues, quotes and articles.
You can trust that the money you spend on my beautiful and unique works of art will be redistributed to those who suffer from systemic oppression, as well as those on the frontlines fighting for true justice. Costs associated with this venture – materials, labor, publicity, etc. – come out of my pocket or from volunteer helpers, so nothing detracts from your bottom-line investment.
WHY ANTI-RACISM?
One of the primary barriers to abundant happiness on our planet–and particularly in the US–is systemic racism. Our pervasive racism is not only rooted in the devastating history of chattel slavery, but continues today as the powerful force of generalized, often-unconscious white supremacy. This country’s prosperity was accomplished through the plunder of Black and Brown bodies and Black and Brown lives, and sustains itself still on the grotesque inequity born of our personal and institutional blindness.
There is no way for anyone to be truly fulfilled in a world that relies on the oppression of some for the benefit of others. The most basic step toward universal healing and happiness is for the benefactors and unwitting enforcers of white privilege to move courageously out of complacency and into reality, taking a firm and comprehensive stand against multiple injustices.
It is hard, if not impossible, to forfeit unearned advantages or to refuse to receive their benefits. One glaringly obvious (albeit complex, confronting and difficult) way to accomplish this is to give back that which was never rightfully ours to begin with – to those upon whose backs our privilege rests.
At Justice Jewelry, we pay reparations in the forms of support for groups working toward fundamental change, as well as directly to some of the most marginalized of our fellow human beings.
We strive to always be aware of the ways that life is easier, more convenient and far less dangerous for those of us with white-skin privilege. No matter how poor or troubled a “white” person may be, they always have the conscious or unconscious advantage of embodying this country’s norm. Its default setting is to prioritize white views, white experiences, white voices, white feelings, and white concerns; we are committed to helping make change happen.On this website is a wealth of information gleaned from countless resources. If anything is confusing to you; sounds wrong or suspicious; or feels scary and confronting, please take a deep breath, withhold judgment, and read on. Thank you!
“Your voices are crucial because the doubt of Black humanity, the skepticism of Black intelligence, and the denial of the worth of Black bodies linger in our cultural unconscious and shadow our national politics. If you challenge white ignorance, or indifference, to the plight of people of color, it will lend our cause needed legitimacy.”
–Michael Eric Dyson
Where will my purchase money go?
To one or several of the following examples:
- Bread and Roses Community Fund
- Black Lives Matter, local and national
- Youth Art and Self-Empowerment Project
- Philadelphia Student Union
- Eclectic Learning Network
- Direct support of POC women, especially single moms of special-needs children
- Sankofa Community Farm
- Philadelphia Community Bail Fund
- Decarcerate PA
- Crossroads Women’s Center
- Poor People’s Campaign
- WOC activists via Patreon
- Black and Brown Workers’ Cooperative
- Womanist Working Collective
- Women’s Community Revitalization Project
- Equal Justice Initiative
- The Hunger Project
- FeelGood
- ACLU
- Philabundance
- Food Moxie
Kara Tennis | Justice Jewelry | Justiceworks