BNB Mini Episode - REFLECTION - a podcast by The Ark of E Network

Welcome, all! I am Sunshine Mayfield and this is a mini-episode of Bending Not Breaking. Ben and Max are not here with me today and though I cannot speak for them I am fairly confident they would echo everything that I am about to say. 

It is pretty impossible to ignore themes in the show regarding balance. Bringing balance to the world. Bringing equity to the world. Making sure that everyone has a voice and making sure that we are lifting up the voices of the unheard. 

It is rare that an episode goes by that isn’t about lifting up and supporting those who have been left behind or forgotten. Whether that is accidentally or whether that is incredibly intentional. This entire podcast has been about looking at themes, learning, and putting into practice the life lessons that Avatar The Last Airbender provides. 

As we’ve talked with fans, read discussions on Facebook and Reddit, and heard from you through voicemails, one of the most common trends is this yearning to be more like the characters we see on screen. We want to be caring and joyful like Aang. We want to be a healer and supportive like Katara. We want to be wise like Iroh, learn like Zuko, stand for our beliefs like Sokka, with the mental and physical strength of Toph. We want to admit when we are wrong and change our behaviors like Mai and Tylee. There is a  want for us and the people around us to take all of the things we love about these characters and embody them in ourselves. 

Well now is the time. We are living in a society that is racist. Plain and simple. Except not so simple. It is deeply rooted in everything that we do. It is ingrained in the way that we teach, the way that we learn, the way that we live. It is a mistake to not recognize this and I have made a mistake in not playing a bigger role in dismantling it. I want to be like Zuko and Uncle Iroh who were able to look at their own society, understand the privilege that it provided, and use that privilege to make lasting change. 

Ben, Max, and I are cisgender, white males. We have benefited greatly from a racist society designed to allow us to thrive while hurting everyone else and leaving them behind, especially Black individuals. For that reason, we will be dedicated, on Season 3 and beyond, to bring more voices to the table. We are dedicated to using this platform as an opportunity to make sure we are sharing the valuable experiences and knowledge of people from marginalized communities. 

We will be actively sharing resources on our social media pages of ways for you to learn about your own biases, pages to support, petitions to sign, protest to attend, any way to disrupt and dismantle a system that has no balance. 

In addition, each month a portion of the funds raised on our Patreon will go to a different organization that is supporting marginalized communities. This month 100% of our Patreon proceeds will go to Black Lives Matter. 

Max, Ben, and I have some work to do around unlearning a lot, learning a lot more, and working to build a society that works for every person, not just ones that look like us. In the show notes, you will find some of the resources that I have found helpful over the last few weeks and I am aware that everything that I just said might not be the best way to support, but it is the best way I currently know how. If you have any additional information that you would like to share, please DM us on our social media accounts or email us at thearkofe@gmail.com. 

I am Sunshine Mayfield and this is Bending Not Breaking. Thank you for listening and let’s get to work. 

Resources - 

Books to read on Racism - https://www.businessinsider.com/books-white-privilege-novels-racism-antiracism-black-scholars-2020-6#black-wealthwhite-wealth-by-melvin-oliver-and-thomas-shapiro-16 

12 Movies to Watch to Educate Yourself About Racism and Protest History, Recommended by Experts

https://time.com/5847912/movies-to-watch-about-racism-protests/

19 Anti-Racist Movies and TV Shows You Can Stream Right Now

https://www.glamour.com/story/anti-racist-movies-tv-shows-streaming

115 Ways to Donate in Support of Black Lives and Communities of Color

https://nymag.com/strategist/article/where-to-donate-for-black-lives-matter.html

Further episodes of Bending Not Breaking: An Avatar The Last Airbender Podcast

Further podcasts by The Ark of E Network

Website of The Ark of E Network