“They should all go to Russia or China if they don’t like it,” shouts the woman in her 70s behind me. We’re both on running machines, and my pace quickens. She goes on about how angry those people make her. She’s yelling about the news on CNN playing above us, of people in Arizona blocking traffic, protesting Trump.

I thought of my comrades I know in the streets in AZ, and I turn around, keeping my stride (I might add) and as loud as she was speaking, so many in the packed gym could hear, “those are the people working to make our country great, great for everyone. And lots of people are mad, I’m mad about racism against Muslims and immigrants.”...

And then there was silence. People are looking at us, it’s uncomfortable and awkward. And I remember that she could have made her statements, unchallenged and loud, and white silence would give it legitimacy, make it sound like she’s expressing what all the other white people around us are really thinking. Well hell no. Her words are poison, that infect and spread disease. My goal was not to change her mind, but make her less effective. My goal was for other white people to hear a white person speak out against racism, against scapegoating, speak for the rights and dignity of Muslims and immigrants, and to help embolden them to speak out too, just as other people speaking out inspires me. And my goal was to call myself forward into my values.

And let me tell you, working out the next twenty minutes, meditating on the power of people’s movement, meditating on the need to love the racism out of white communities, and amplifying white anti-racist voices around the country, nourished my soul. I love you YMCA, and I love working against the death culture of white supremacy in white communities. I love being in this work for collective liberation with all of you! Let’s get free.