by Helen Kim Ho | September 2017
There’s a type of racism in the workplace many of us have personally witnessed, perpetrated or experienced: tokenism. Nowhere have I seen this play out more than in the nonprofit space. But how can a sector dedicated to the common good fail at being the most diverse, safe and woke-est place imaginable? Because the vast majority of charitable dollars are generated from rich white men, which ultimately influences the direction of funding. So what does tokenism look and feel like?
TAGS: [Individual Change] [2010’s] [White Culture] [Tips-Dos/Don’ts] [White Privilege]
by WOC & Allies | November 2018
We’ve all been there. You get on Facebook or Twitter and see an article, think piece, or status. You read it, enjoy it, or maybe find it informative. But then the big question rears its ugly head: Is the “comments” section safe? Twice this week, I’ve read something that I felt I needed to address and gotten into altercations with other people on the thread. That doesn’t bother me. What does bother me is when I see that I’m supposed to be civil in conversations about race.
TAGS: [Individual Change] [2010’s] [Systemic Racism] [White Privilege]
by Michael Harriot | June 2018
…And most white people don’t actively fight to eradicate inequality and injustice because they usually benefit in some small way. The Southern economy was built on evil slavery. Jim Crow laws maintained a national order with white people firmly planted atop the social hierarchy. Systematic injustice keeps black people in their place, but it also comforts white people to know that the big black bogeymen are being kept behind bars. Inequality and racism exist not because of evil but because the unaffected majority put their interests above all others, and their inaction allows inequality to flourish. That is why I believe that silence in the presence of injustice is as bad as injustice itself. White people who are quiet about racism might not plant the seed, but their silence is sunlight.
TAGS: [Individual Change] [2010’s] [White Culture] [Systemic Racism]
by Camille Williams | October 2017
Racism and spiritual bypassing are harmful in and of themselves, and their combination compounds the harm. Add gaslighting, and you’ve got an exponentially toxic brew. Add gaslighting, and you’ve got an exponentially toxic brew. In this case, the manipulative elements and dizzying doublespeak were staggering. There were acknowledgements that racism had in fact occurred, followed by denials that it did, round and round. There were fauxpologies followed by defending, round and round. There were expressions of caring for those who had been hurt, immediately followed by not-so-subtle digs at them, round and round. Article also provides a list of more articles on racism, white privilege, and white fragility.
TAGS: [Individual Change] [2010’s] [Faith-Based/Spiritual]
by Robin DiAngelo | June 2018
Confronted with their own shortcomings, white employees often shut down the dialogue—or frame themselves as victims. White fragility functions as a form of bullying: “I am going to make it so miserable for you to confront me that you will simply back off.”
When I consult with organizations that want me to help them recruit and retain a more diverse workforce, I am consistently warned that past efforts to address the lack of diversity have resulted in trauma for white employees. This is literally the term used to describe the impact of a brief and isolated workshop: trauma.
TAGS: [Individual Change] [2010’s] [White Fragility/Tears] [Accountability]
