My Commitment to Helping End Racism & Beef Burritos with Refried Black Beans & Double Chocolate Banana Bread

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

Martin Luther King

I am a 41 year old Canadian woman who happens to be white. I have always felt that teaching my children to treat ALL humans with respect was my small part in helping to end systemic racism. Recently I have realized that this is not enough. I don’t often speak up about racial injustices because I’ve always felt like my voice would just be 1 more voice added to the din of white people talking about things that we know nothing about. I’ve always felt that because I am white, I will say some thing that will be considered ignorant or insensitive. I am pretty sure I will probably even screw up in this post and say something that is incorrect. But I can learn from my mistakes and learn to be a better person because of them. By staying silent we will never learn how we can help change our world for the better. We will never change it for all humankind if we continue down the path we are on. I think that one thing that can help make this better is constructive and open discussions, listening and learning.

Over the past week as I have sat in front of the 24 hour news cycle watching the fallout from yet another act of racism and I sadly wonder how we have not come further over the past 157 years since the Emancipation Proclamation? How have we as a society, let it get to this?

I watched a man be murdered by a police officer… on national television. Let that sink in. This isn’t a movie. This is real life.

I watched a real man get really murdered by a real police officer in real time.

I watched 3 other cops sit by and watch this happen. I wanted to be sick as tears streamed down my face. Over the past week I have watched as thousands of people have taken up signs in peaceful protest of this injustice. This one and countless other ones. There are numerous stories and video evidence of WAY too many black people being killed by police officers. Police officers that have taken an oath to serve and protect.

All this in the midst of a pandemic. A pandemic that is affecting minorities at a greater rate. Minorities who don’t have access to “luxuries” such as healthy food, clean water, proper sanitation, healthcare, and education. We take these things for granted but not everybody has these freedoms. Yet they gather, in large groups. They gather in one solitary voice so that we will stop and so that we will listen. Really listen! These people marching to bring injustices to the forefront are risking their lives! When you throw tear gas into a large crowd people cough. They sneeze. They spread their germs throughout the masses. People that are peacefully protesting the violence in the police force are risking their lives every day.

This isn’t new to BIPOC, just leaving their houses they are risking their lives. I can’t even imagine. It breaks my heart to see videos of parents of colour teaching their young children what to do if approached by a police officer; raise your hands, clearly announce your name and age, and clearly state that you have no weapons on your person. I have been pulled over by the police and usually I have gotten off. I have NEVER felt the fear of my life in danger when pulled over by a police officer. It is disgraceful that children in 2020 still risk their lives every day just because they were born coloured.

I watched on television as black men and women stood proudly together to continue the fights of their parents, grandparents and great grandparents that not that long ago were slaves. I watched as police officers in full gear pushed them back and beat them with their batons, just for proudly standing there. I screamed and gasped when I saw 2 police SUVs drive through crowds of people! Right there, on my television!

I’m not going to talk about the 1% of people that are not there for the right reasons. The people that are looting and are taking advantage of a situation. That is not the point and if you think that is the problem from the past 8 days… You are the problem. If you want to talk about graffiti, police cars being lit on fire, or even the act of looting stores we need to start at the beginning. When a black man was accused of using a fake $20 bill and 10 minutes later he was dead. Murdered by a white officer of the law as 3 other white officers stood by and watched. I’ve heard politicians say this isn’t the right way to protest. What is? Kneeling at a football game? Nope not allowed. Discussing racism in an acceptance speech at an awards ceremony? Nope that’s not allowed either! Videos have been made of marches, there have been ad campaigns, there have been peaceful protests and

Nothing. Is. Being. Done.

Force and violence have been used by white people throughout history to colonize and to take what freedoms they believe they have rights to. However, BIPOC are not allowed those same freedoms. How are oppressed people supposed to confront their oppressors after hundreds of years of abuse? There will never be a correct way for the oppressed to rise up. We, people of privilege based on the colour of our skin, need to help them. We need to get involved and start using our voices to say,

“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!”

We are at a pivotal time in history. I am committed to learning, listening, discussing and empathizing. I am committed to teaching my Girls that racism is wrong and that nobody can be defined by the colour of their skin. I am committed to listening to the plight of the oppressed and learning how I can help. How I can use my voice to promote love and equality. I am committed to doing whatever I can to make this world a better place than it is right now, here, in 2020. Who is with me?

‪Ninja and I podcasted this weekend. We tried to keep it light and allow for a space where we didn’t let the outside world affect us, even if it was just for an hour. Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Ep.173 Keeping it Light HERE This week we discuss the NASA channel, phone etiquette, rabbits, worms, budget cuts, the beach, the CIA & our final dance week.

We love Mexican food! On Cinqo De Mayo I wanted to try something new. We made beef burritos with homemade refried black beans! They were delicious! My Brother makes the most amazing refried beans but I think ours were a very close second! SBean also made Double Chocolate Banana Bread last week that was super moist, super chocolatey and super easy to make! It was so good and the perfect way to use up a few ripe bananas!

Refried Black Beans

Adapted from Lively Table

1 teaspoon oil
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Juice from 1/2 lime

Heat oil over medium-low heat in a saucepan. Add beans and mash with a potato masher.

Stir in spices, lime juice, and desired amount of water.

Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, or until heated through and your desired thickness. Add more water as needed to thin out, if you’d like.

Beef Burritos with Refried Black Beans
Adapted from Carlsbad Cravings

6 flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups Tex Mex cheese, shredded
1 lb lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano
2 cups refried beans
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa

Toppings: sour cream, lettuce, pico de gallo

Add onions and beef to a skillet and cooked over medium heat until onions are softened and meat is cooked through. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Drain off any excess fat.

Stir in all of the spices/seasonings, followed by sour cream and salsa. Heat through.

Line the middle of each tortilla with desired amount of cheese. Top with beans and beef filling.

Fold in the edges of each tortilla and roll up “burrito style.” Serve with additional sour cream, lettuce, pico.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Adapted from Delightful E Made

3 ripe bananas
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips, divided (I used milk chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 5″ loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mash bananas well.

Mix in the brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla, making sure to bread apart any lumps of brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Make sure you whisk out all lumps!

Begin gradually adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

After all wet and dry ingredients are combine, fold in 2/3 cup of the chocolate chips, reserving 1/3 cup of the chocolate chips for the top of the loaf.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Top the batter with the reserved chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean and crumb-free.

Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature before removing from the pan. Use the sides of the parchment paper to lift the banana bread out of the pan.

This week was a rough one. I started it sick as a dog and slowly got up my energy throughout the later part of the week. I began Phase 3 week 5 of my Beachbody Barre Blend. It was a DOOZY! The Girls did schoolwork and got dressed up in their dance costumes for their last week of dance. It was so nice to be able to watch them over the past few weeks. I got to hear the games they play, the patience of the teachers lo, and the music that they danced to. It was a really good experience actually. To celebrate the end of the week, the Girls and I went to Ticklberry’s for our 1st ice cream of the season and then to the beach! It was a great day in the sunshine!

We also worked on the house a little bit. Although I have enjoyed the simple decor of the past few months. Bare uncluttered walls have been soothing to me. Now that I have been in the house this long, I long for some colour and some decoration. We finished the main bathroom and we picked up our new living room chairs. We also hung our first 2 pieces of art on our “travel wall”. Ninja and I have been eyeing different art from places that we have travelled over the years. I saw this Portland sign at the Portland Farmer’s Market 2 years ago and didn’t buy it. I regretted it right away. Thank goodness I took a photo of the artist’s business card and kept it on my phone all that time! He was awesome to work wth and he got my print out with a custom frame in no time! It is the perfect start to a wall of memories and adventures!