As the U.S. continues to fuel & fund the genocide in Gaza, it’s critical that we as white people, particularly those of us in the U.S., have political clarity about what is going on so that we can take appropriate action.

In 2019, I inherited a trust fund after my grandfather’s passing.

After learning about and practicing divestment, I have developed a different relationship to my trust fund, one that centers what Black people need, not what I can get.

White folks, especially those of us who are wealthy, can demand the space to move as slowly as we want to – or not at all.

When I was first politicized around wealth, I felt compelled to get involved and take action, but I was so confused about what to do.

At first, I quickly moved from denial into anger and frustration at myself, as I became increasingly aware of my own white wealth. The pattern I settled into, though, was silence.

Like so many other white people, I was raised to be staunchly individualistic and self-reliant: Work hard and protect what you have – there’s always someone out there who is trying to take it away from you. Never show weakness, never ask for help.