{"id":14970,"date":"2025-01-16T20:48:28","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T20:48:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/?p=14970"},"modified":"2025-01-16T20:48:59","modified_gmt":"2025-01-16T20:48:59","slug":"decolonizing-our-minds-reclaiming-power-in-a-system-built-to-destroy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/16\/decolonizing-our-minds-reclaiming-power-in-a-system-built-to-destroy\/","title":{"rendered":"Decolonizing Our Minds: Reclaiming Power in a System Built to Destroy"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Carla Thomas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Truth Contributor
\n<\/em>Carla Thomas<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Although White people make up only 18 percent of the global population\u2014some sources say 16 percent, others even as low as six percent\u2014colonial ideologies have conditioned us to believe in their dominance. This mindset perpetuates inequality and hinders the growth of our community. The exact figure may vary, but the bottom line is this– White people are the global minority, contrary to what these ideologies would have us believe.<\/p>\n

Although we as Black people belong to the global majority, we are conditioned to see White people as the ruling force. This didn\u2019t just happen by chance. It\u2019s the result of a carefully crafted colonized mindset, constructed over centuries, that still affects how we see ourselves and each other. It\u2019s time to challenge that narrative and reclaim everything we\u2019ve lost along the way\u2014our sense of identity, unity, and cultural power.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be real about what colonization truly is: the violent seizure of people\u2019s land, the reshaping of once-familiar homelands into battle zones, and the systematic draining of communities through fear, force and subjugation. Colonizers didn\u2019t stop at stealing physical resources; they introduced their own institutions\u2014like governance, schools and economic structures\u2014to erode indigenous traditions and ways of life. This brutality carved deep scars into our lands and spirits, undermining the dignity and resilience of entire communities. But most of us didn\u2019t hear that version in school. Instead, we got a watered-down version: Pilgrims and Indigenous people sharing a meal for Thanksgiving. There was no mention of the real harm done or how entire peoples were displaced, enslaved and exploited to build someone else\u2019s wealth and power.<\/p>\n

So where do we go from here? Decolonization is not some trendy buzzword. It\u2019s a serious, ongoing process that involves undoing the harm inflicted on our minds and communities for centuries. It\u2019s about rediscovering our own traditions and taking back the power that has always been within us. We start by examining how we ended up in a world where an 18 percent (or whatever the real number is) minority is perceived as the majority in power. Through force, propaganda and systemic manipulation, colonial powers pushed the false notion that whiteness equals superiority. They hammered it into our schools, our media and even our religious institutions, until we embraced it as natural and inevitable fact.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take education. Growing up, the majority of what we heard about Black people\u2019s history revolved around the horrors of slavery. How often did we learn about the grand civilizations of Mali or Great Zimbabwe? And did our textbooks ever celebrate Black innovators, scientists or revolutionaries in the same breath as they hailed European \u201cdiscoverers\u201d? Rarely.<\/p>\n

Instead, our lessons focused on that single sanitized moment\u2014Martin Luther King Jr.\u2019s \u201cI Have a Dream\u201d speech\u2014while leaving out the stories of pioneering aviators like Bessie Coleman (who soared into history long before Amelia Earhart\u2019s fame), and the heroic contributions of the Tuskegee Airmen and the \u201cSix Triple Eight\u201d battalion in WWII. We learned about the Wright Brothers, but not about how Black pilots pushed the boundaries of flight, or how these all-Black units fought for victory abroad while battling discrimination at home.<\/p>\n

Media has also played its part, often portraying us as criminals or villains, making it seem like the exception rather than the norm to see positive representations of Black life on television. And when it comes to religion, African spiritual traditions have been systematically demonized, labeled \u201cinferior\u201d or \u201cpagan,\u201d while colonizers elevated Christianity in ways that erased indigenous beliefs.<\/p>\n

This is where Antonio Gramsci\u2019s idea of \u201ccultural hegemony\u201d comes in. It\u2019s about how one group\u2019s ideas and values become so dominant that they\u2019re treated like absolute truths. We\u2019ve been conditioned to believe that the colonizer\u2019s institutions and worldview are not only natural, but better. This conditioning has led us to question our own cultural heritage, history and traditions, internalizing the idea that they are backward or irrelevant\u2014while assimilating into the very structures that stripped us of our identity and agency.<\/p>\n

As a result, we see neighborhoods starved of resources, schools that fail to teach us our full heritage, and systems designed to keep us divided. We still carry the message that we’re somehow \u201cless than,\u201d and it shows up in both quiet, everyday habits and more obvious behaviors. But these mindsets aren\u2019t carved in stone.<\/p>\n

They can\u2014and must\u2014 be deconstructed. Decolonization starts with us challenging every story we\u2019ve been told about who we are and where we come from. We demand a more honest look at history, we celebrate the diversity and brilliance of Black culture and we refuse to accept a narrative that places us in a perpetual state of lack.<\/p>\n

It won\u2019t happen overnight and it won\u2019t always be easy. But this is our journey\u2014both personal and collective. By unearthing the truth about colonization and exposing how it shaped our world, we give ourselves the chance to rebuild. We reclaim the traditions that kept our ancestors strong and honor the brilliance in our communities today. We stand firm in the knowledge that we are not a minority and that our culture, resilience, and unity have always been the real measure of our worth.<\/p>\n

So how do we start the journey of decolonization? We begin by identifying the signs of a colonized mindset. Do we ever feel like we have to apologize for our natural hair in a professional setting? Do we doubt our abilities because we don\u2019t fit into a Eurocentric definition of success? This can show up as code-switching<\/strong>,<\/strong> where we constantly change our language or mannerisms to seem \u201cacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n

It can surface in our appearance choices<\/strong>,<\/strong> like avoiding natural hairstyles in the workplace because they\u2019re not deemed \u201cprofessional.\u201d \u00a0Sometimes we fall into self-denigration<\/strong>, making disparaging remarks about our own culture, food, or customs. We might also find ourselves emulating dominant norms<\/strong>,<\/strong> overemphasizing the standards of the dominant class while sidelining our own. Awareness is key.<\/p>\n

We can also decolonize our minds through education. Make it a point to learn about the history of colonization and seek out material by Black and Indigenous authors. Read work like Frantz Fanon\u2019s <\/strong>The Wretched of the Earth<\/em><\/strong>, <\/strong>or check out Edgar Villanueva\u2019s Decolonizing Wealth<\/em>\u2014these texts shine a bright light on how colonization affects everything from economics to self-worth.<\/p>\n

Beyond learning, it\u2019s crucial to actively celebrate Black culture and identity. Embrace African and Afro-diasporic traditions, support Black-owned businesses, immerse yourself in music, fashion, cuisine, and spirituality that honor our roots. Our collective economic power is real, and when we redirect it to each other, we build stronger foundations for our communities.<\/p>\n

Next, we have to be intentional about forming alliances. Whether it\u2019s hosting community gatherings that spark conversations on decolonization, or aligning with groups dedicated to dismantling systemic oppression, we make the greatest strides by working together.<\/p>\n

None of this means we ignore the larger systems that still hold us back. We must challenge oppressive structures by voting for policies that address inequality and by speaking out against racism in every space we occupy\u2014workplaces, schools, churches, social media platforms. It\u2019s not always easy but it\u2019s necessary.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s put this into action. Notice each time you code-switch or catch yourself thinking from a colonized mindset\u2014those moments when you alter your words, ideas, or behavior to fit someone else\u2019s standard. Initiate conversations with friends and family about how colonialism seeps into everyday life and support each other in finding solutions. If you\u2019re on social media, share your reflections with #ReclaimBlackPower to inspire others to reflect and act.<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, decolonization is a personal commitment\u2014but it thrives when we come together. It\u2019s about reclaiming the parts of ourselves that were stolen, learning the history that was suppressed, and building the future that truly honors our brilliance.<\/p>\n

As Fanon put it, \u201cEach generation must discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it.\u201d Our mission is here and now. By dismantling colonial thinking in our own minds, we can begin to transform the world around us. Let\u2019s walk this path together, strengthening our communities and reclaiming our rightful narratives, one step at a time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Truth Contributor Carla Thomas Although White people make up only 18 percent of the global population\u2014some sources say 16 percent, others even as low as six percent\u2014colonial ideologies have conditioned us to believe in their dominance. This mindset perpetuates inequality and hinders the growth of our community. The exact figure may vary, but the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14973,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55,252],"tags":[],"wf_post_folders":[276],"class_list":["post-14970","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial-opinion","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14970","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14970"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14970\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14974,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14970\/revisions\/14974"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14970"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14970"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14970"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=14970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}