Of course, when it comes to institutional racism, discrimination and exclusion, these are not feelings, as you claimed this week, but facts, Mr Rutte.

Dear Prime Minister Rutte, Dear Mark,

We have met before. For you, one meeting out of many, so you probably won't remember. For we have nothing in common, not in terms of political colour or skin colour, not in terms of our socio-economic class, not in terms of our nest, not our gender, height and possibly other distinguishing characteristics: a lot of NOTHING. And yet you also belong to me, my prime minister, my leader born of the democratic rule of law.

I listen to you because I have to, not always because I want to. Sometimes I listen to you and think: yes, he is making a point, and I listen to you even if you don't actually have a point. Actually, you can hardly ever get it right. That is simply the burden you bear with such political responsibility.

Facts

In recent years, you have spoken little about institutional racism, discrimination and exclusion; I was glad you did last week. We don't need to legislate on this, you argue, because we have Article 1 and the institutions that should help counter it all. We have YOU and when you speak out openly against all forms of oppression, so we have to listen, whether we like it or not. Now that is the power you have as an administrator. You can put something on the agenda, make it important, repeat it inwards and outwards.

Of course, when it comes to institutional racism, discrimination and exclusion, these are not feelings, as you claimed this week, but facts. Precisely because you should know better than anyone else (just by looking around the Lower House) that the institutions are built by and for the 'us' that is over-represented there. An us that does look a lot like you in political colour and in skin colour, in gender, in socio-economic class and possibly other equalisers, a lot of WELL so. In a nutshell: Unlimited, White, Straight, Male, Affluent and Highly Educated. And yet you are also mine, my prime minister, my leader born of the democratic rule of law.

Whistleblowers

It is your political responsibility to use your power where the need is greatest. You indicated a few weeks ago that young people should speak out and they, along with others, have done so en masse. Now is your chance to respond precisely to that, to provide a platform, to stand side by side and speak out, against all those forms of exclusion associated with this system.

That ranges from calling for better education on the colonial past to banning Zwarte Piet. And it also concerns the law that now threatens to be passed, to hold precisely an institution like the police less responsible for the abuse of power that blatantly takes place there. How many whistleblowers do we need? And against the ethnic profiling of the tax authorities. Don't let them get away with it. Don't speak out once, always speak out, speak out not selectively but collectively. Because you also belong to me, my prime minister, my leader born of the democratic rule of law.

Bolkestein

A leader I would later like to say, that was one to be proud of! A leader who understood his privileges, power and responsibility, who knew how to use all this well against all forms of inequality. A leader who knew how to speak to the citizens and make it clear that we in THE NETHERLANDS dare to look at ourselves, dare to put our own hands in our pockets, dare to admit it, dare to enter into dialogue, dare to become more conscious and - in Frits Bolkestein's words - DARE to tackle this with guts.

A leader who has made the Netherlands better for young people, who have made themselves heard. He has listened, spoken to them, heard and seen them, offered them a platform, stood beside them. Made it clear to them that we will always and everywhere continue to work together for a Netherlands that makes Article 1 valid not on paper but in society. A leader who is also there for my children. A leader who can say it for my children and the generations that follow: "I made it better." Because you are also mine, my prime minister, my leader born of the democratic rule of law.

Was signed: Siela Ardjosemito-Jethoe

Props to Mista Sweet who wanted to do the shoot at @H3C.