In a time of nation-wide unrest against racial injustice, we were honored to host Katie Petitt, past core organizer of Black Lives Matter DC, to lead a special Kora session for Tibetans and allies on systemic racism. Katie is also the founder of Current Movements, a DC-based nonprofit that connects activists and movements globally through art, film and technology. For hours into the night, Katie guided 120 Tibetans - intergenerational and from around the world - as well as Tibet supporters in a critical conversation of the structures of racism in all our lives and what allyship should look like...the first Tibetan teach-in on anti-racism. 

Founded in 2013 by three Black women, #BlackLivesMatter organizes to eradicate white supremacy and dismantle structures of racialized violence while centering Black LGBTQIA2S+ and woman voices. At this, our 11th Machik Kora, we discussed how to interrogate anti-Blackness prejudice in our communities and within ourselves. In order to become better allies, Katie called on us to listen to Black leadership, to learn about anti-Black violence, and to show up for Black rights.

Thank you, Katie, for sharing your time, resources, and knowledge. In a time of grief, anger, and resistance, we add to the call for Tibetans and all other allies to stand in solidarity with Black communities so that we might move closer to a world beyond racialized violence and systemic racism.