PARTICIPATING IN A WHITE AFFINITY GROUP TO EXTEND AND DEEPEN ANTI-RACISM WORK Presented at The 8 th Annual CNM Conference on Teaching and Learning January 10, 2020 -- Dr. Jessica Apgar & Dr. Michelle Jewett
Agenda ◦ Why a white space? ◦ Our experiences: how we got here ◦ Personal reflection (writing) ◦ The “Re - Becoming Human” curriculum ◦ How whiteness gaslights our sense of reality (writing) ◦ White supremacy culture and values ◦ Pair/Share ◦ Next steps/Wrap up
Why a white space? “Racial caucusing is a well established practice in the field of anti-racism, designed not to take the place of multiracial dialogue and action, but to supplement it and create greater capacity for cross- racial solidarity. The impetus for white people to caucus with one another often comes directly from people of color who have requested that white people take responsibility for educating ourselves about racism, and engaging in the work of educating our communities. Reasons for holding a white caucus include the fact that witnessing a group of white people’s learning process about race can be triggering or harmful to people of color, and the presence of folks of color inside a white caucus can cause white folks to shut down, perform, and/or otherwise be inauthentic (in part for fear of hurting or upsetting a person of color). These conditions prevent more vulnerable, transformative work that would otherwise be possible. Additionally, it is also important for white folks to make times to resource and support one another in our anti-racist journey, which makes us better comrades and allies to folks of color in our lives and work for social change.” --From White Awake online course “Before We Were White”
How we got here...
“ The subject of whiteness is potentially uncomfortable for people of any race or ethnicity. People of color may react to the topic of whiteness by thinking: Really? We live in a world dominated and controlled by white people. Whiteness is our often- uncomfortable reality. Do we have to have a discussion about whiteness? For folks feeling that way, please understand: This is not about celebrating whiteness. We’re here to take a critical look at whiteness and how it functions in the life of our society, how it affects us all. Because it does, and we usually don’t talk about it directly. White people, on the other hand, may react with unease: Am I about to be attacked? Is the point of this discussion that all white people are bad? To those people we can say: The point is not to attack every individual of European descent. None of us chose our “race,” nor did we create the society that we were all born into. In this group, we’re in this together, trying to understand how we all got here. A conclusion of the Seeing White series is that white people must own and take responsibility for the advantages that come with whiteness, but that is not the same as saying that you as a white person are to blame and need to feel ashamed.”
But I “get it”! Now what? Robin DiAngelo says: “I believe that white progressives cause the most daily damage to people of color. I define a white progressive as any white person who thinks he or she is not racist, or is less racist, or in the “choir” or already “gets it”. White progressives can be the most difficult for people of color because, to the degree that we think we have arrived, we will put our energy into making sure that others see us as having arrived. None of our energy will go into what we need to be doing for the rest of our lives: engaging in ongoing self-awareness, continuing education, relationship building, and actual anti-racist practice. White progressives do indeed uphold and perpetrate racism, but our defensiveness and certitude make it virtually impossible to explain to us how we do so.” (p. 5, White Fragility )
Our takeaways from Healing from Internalized Whiteness course: ◦ Whiteness/white supremacy culture damages everyone, including white people ◦ Our internalization of white values are unconscious and invisible and if left unchecked, damage us and POC ◦ It’s OK to grieve the ways that whiteness has damaged us– in fact, we must discuss and process this grief before we can become true allies in anti-racism ◦ Embodiment practices are key to this process —can’t stay in “our head” and intellectualize this work (as much as we’d like to!) ◦ We will make mistakes — this is new and we do not have many white role models ◦ If we are not actively anti-racist in our behaviors and language, then we are maintaining whiteness. There is no middle ground.
Personal Writing/Reflection After listening to Jessica and Michelle share their experiences, take a few minutes to write down your own thoughts and responses. You will not be asked to share this writing. Here are a few questions to consider to get your writing started: ◦ Why did you decide to come to this workshop today? ◦ Where do you fall on the “Ladder of Empowerment” we shared? ◦ What fears or concerns do you have about engaging in this work?
Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture in Organizations From Dismantling Racism: A Workbook for Social Change Groups by Jones and Okun ◦ Perfectionism ◦ Power Hoarding ◦ Sense of Urgency ◦ Fear of Open Conflict ◦ Quantity over Quality ◦ Individualism ◦ Worship of the Written ◦ Progress is Bigger, More Word ◦ Objectivity ◦ Paternalism ◦ Right to Comfort ◦ Either/Or Thinking
Norms: Active Listening From Dismantling Racism Workbook When you are the one listening: When it is your turn to talk: ◦ ◦ Listen with undivided and Use all the time allowed whether you supportive attention think you need it or not ◦ ◦ Anything your partner says is OK Say whatever you want about the ◦ topic. It’s your experience and you Ask questions to clarify but do not interrupt with your own deserve to be heard ◦ If you feel awkward or don’t know comments or stories ◦ what to say, that’s OK. Just laugh or Try to keep the speaker focused explain that you don’t know what to in the limited time allowed say. Check out how you’re feeling and talk about that.
Next steps –
Next steps – with us… Our goals for starting a white affinity group: 1. to meet monthly for 6-12 months 2. to provide healing and support 3. to read and study anti-racist texts and concepts 4. to resolve conflict and solve problems collectively 5. to plan, discuss, debate, and support each other in our anti-racism work
Next steps – with us… Sign-up sheet with Audrey or email: Michelle – mjewett1@cnm.edu Jessica – japgar@cnm.edu
THANK YOU!
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