“White privilege is an absence of the consequences of racism. An absence of structural discrimination, an absence of your race being viewed as a problem first and foremost.”

― Reni Eddo-Lodge

Equity Challenge Week 1 Wednesday - White Privilege

We hope everyone enjoyed day one of the challenge learning about race and race equity! For day two, we will be expanding our conversation around race to provide a broad overview of race’s presence in society.
For this learning experience, we will be addressing white privilege’s role in society, alongside further resources discussing racism and ways we can begin to deconstruct it. We highly recommend starting with the first article in the newsletter. It is a short read with great definitions for each level of racism.
 
Racial privilege: Race-based advantages and preferential treatment based on skin color (often experienced without any conscious effort or awareness)

Articles

10 Examples That Prove White Privilege Exists in Every Aspect Imaginable (10 Minute Read)

Read this article to get a glimpse into life changing lessons on White Privilege.

How Privileged are You? (5 Minute Read)

Take this BuzzFeed quiz to see how privileged you are compared to other quiz takers.

Who Gets to Be Afraid in America* (9 Minute Read)

“Americans don’t see me, or Ahmaud Arbery, running down the road—they see their fear.” -Ibram X Kendi

A piece written by Ibram X Kendi, Director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research. This piece articulates the relationship between black people and American perceptions of them

Videos

Deconstructing White Privilege (20:01)

Robin DiAngelo is the author of “What Does it Mean to Be White? Developing White Racial Literacy “ and has been an anti-racist educator and has heard justifications of racism by white men and women in her workshops for over two decades. This justification, which she calls “white fragility,” is a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves. These moves include outward display of emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and behaviors such as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress-inducing situation.

Netflix

Chelsea Handler on White Privilege 

Comedian Chelsea Handler made a documentary on Netflix called, Hello Privilege. It’s Me, Chelsea, where she explored the idea of white privilege. Which happens to be a thing that a lot of people are talking about again… right now, in 2020.

 

Sam Sanders talks to Chelsea about what she’s learned since then, her latest book — Life Will Be the Death of Me…and You Too! — and coming to terms with both her own white privilege during the protests… and herself, in therapy.