"The customary way for white people to think about the topic of race-and is only a topic to white people-is to ask, 'How would it be if I were black?'....
The way to approach it, I think, is...to seriously consider what it is like to be white." - Fran Lebowitz
What do people mean when they talk about "whiteness"?
- Whiteness and the normalization of white racial identity throughout America's history have created a culture where nonwhite persons are seen as inferior or abnormal. Whiteness is at the core of understanding race in America.
- Before the mid-1600s, there is no evidence that the English referred to themselves as being "white people." The term was originally used to describe elite English women because of the fairness of their skin due to not working outside. White would come to be associated with race and slavery after American colonists created the social convention to separate them from Indian "savages" and "subhuman" Africans.
- Historically, the category of "white" would expand as people wanted to push back against the increasing numbers of people of color due to emancipation and immigration. The racial identity of "white" has evolved from referring to only Anglo-Saxon people to including Italians and other Eastern European immigrants.
- White privilege is the result of white people in America holding most of the political, institutional, and economic power and receiving advantages that nonwhite groups do not. White-dominant culture also operates as a social mechanism that grants advantages to white people, by allowing them to navigate society both by feeling normal and being viewed as normal.
- Being white does not mean that you have not experienced hardships or oppression. It means that you have not faced hardships or oppression based on the color of your skin. White people can possess other marginalized parts of their identity, however, their race is not one of these.
How to have a conversation about racism in America
- Bring your best self. Self-knowledge and self-awareness will help you navigate these conversations. The ability to see what causes you pain and not project your negative aspects onto other people are necessary to have productive dialogues that can venture into uncomfortable spaces.
- Stay engaged. Staying engaged requires you to be morally, emotionally, intellectually, and socially involved in the conversation. This means that you are listening with curiosity and willing to deepen your understanding. You must also be willing to sustain the conversation, even while it gets diverted.
- Be open and suspend judgment. Listening with an open mind includes being receptive to the influence of others. You can suspend judgment by becoming aware of preconceived notions and listening to everything someone has to say before jumping to conclusions. It is about understanding the speaker, not determining if they are right or wrong.
- Speak your truth. Speaking your truth in authentic and courageous conversations about race requires a willingness to take risks. It means that you will be absolutely honest and candid about your ow thoughts, feelings, experiences and opinions and not just saying what you believe others want to hear.
- Expect and accept that there may not be closure. It is unlikely that you will resolve your personal understanding about race or another person's racial experience in a single conversation. The more you talk about race with another person, the more you will learn and the more they will learn. Authentic and productive conversations about race are continuous and evolving.