By Paige Waskow
I am white and because of that, I have privileges and opportunities in all levels of society that people of color do not have. For instance:
-I can get pulled over and not be afraid of getting shot or arrested.
-I do not have close relatives who are in prison or who have died from violence.
-I had more opportunities and choices as a child in regards to education.
-I do not have to worry about my appearance in public and how others regard how safe they are around me.
-I can get pulled over and not be afraid of getting shot or arrested.
-I do not have close relatives who are in prison or who have died from violence.
-I had more opportunities and choices as a child in regards to education.
-I do not have to worry about my appearance in public and how others regard how safe they are around me.
-I am not constantly thinking about the fact that I am white and my position in a certain place or situation.
Additionally, society continues to reflect that white supremacy. For instance:
-Most of my teachers and authorities in higher education have been white.
-Whenever I go to a hotel, there is only free shampoo for my type of hair.
-Commercials and beauty companies favor people with lighter skin tones.
-White people still use the n-word (when speaking to others as a positive or negative, singing along to a song, etc.)
This is obviously not an exhaustive list, but these are some things that I need to remember. As Black History Month begins, we need to not only be aware of black greatness and uphold it, but also realize our own bias as white people. It is incredibly easy to celebrate, say we are not racist, say we are feminists, say we have black friends, and hold up a Black Lives Matter sign.
But what does this mean if we continue to allow white supremacy to exist in the shadows or plain sight?
I am guilty of allowing my privilege to be something I have used to benefit myself. I am guilty of ignoring issues because it is more convenient and easier to do. I am not here to say I am perfect, because I am absolutely not. But just because I mess up does not mean I should ignore the issue and perpetuate it.
I would like to provide resources to learn more about white privilege and history in the United States. The first is called White Privilege and Me by Layla Saad and is a free online workbook for the month of February. I am planning to start it today, and it has great reviews. You can find it here.
Additionally, the Equal Justice Initiative, a law firm in Alabama started by Bryan Stevenson, has a this day in history calendar. Their whole website is amazing, and this source is a great way to learn about black history. You can find it here. If you are interested in learning specifically about the history of white supremacy and segregation, you can visit their website here.
These are not exhaustive sources in any regard, and if you know of any good sources or information, please leave them in the comments below. We should all educate ourselves on this issue, and that is important, but remember that it can’t end with reading and then moving on with our lives as we did before.
References:
Saad, Layla. “Me And White Supremacy Workbook.” Me And White Supremacy Workbook, www.meandwhitesupremacybook.com/.
Equal Justice Initiative. “February | A History of Racial Injustice.” Calendar EJI, 2019, calendar.eji.org/racial-injustice/feb.
Equal Justice Initiative. “Segregation in America.” How Segregation Survived | Equal Justice Initiative, segregationinamerica.eji.org/report/.
Additionally, society continues to reflect that white supremacy. For instance:
-Most of my teachers and authorities in higher education have been white.
-Whenever I go to a hotel, there is only free shampoo for my type of hair.
-Commercials and beauty companies favor people with lighter skin tones.
-White people still use the n-word (when speaking to others as a positive or negative, singing along to a song, etc.)
This is obviously not an exhaustive list, but these are some things that I need to remember. As Black History Month begins, we need to not only be aware of black greatness and uphold it, but also realize our own bias as white people. It is incredibly easy to celebrate, say we are not racist, say we are feminists, say we have black friends, and hold up a Black Lives Matter sign.
But what does this mean if we continue to allow white supremacy to exist in the shadows or plain sight?
I am guilty of allowing my privilege to be something I have used to benefit myself. I am guilty of ignoring issues because it is more convenient and easier to do. I am not here to say I am perfect, because I am absolutely not. But just because I mess up does not mean I should ignore the issue and perpetuate it.
I would like to provide resources to learn more about white privilege and history in the United States. The first is called White Privilege and Me by Layla Saad and is a free online workbook for the month of February. I am planning to start it today, and it has great reviews. You can find it here.
Additionally, the Equal Justice Initiative, a law firm in Alabama started by Bryan Stevenson, has a this day in history calendar. Their whole website is amazing, and this source is a great way to learn about black history. You can find it here. If you are interested in learning specifically about the history of white supremacy and segregation, you can visit their website here.
These are not exhaustive sources in any regard, and if you know of any good sources or information, please leave them in the comments below. We should all educate ourselves on this issue, and that is important, but remember that it can’t end with reading and then moving on with our lives as we did before.
References:
Saad, Layla. “Me And White Supremacy Workbook.” Me And White Supremacy Workbook, www.meandwhitesupremacybook.com/.
Equal Justice Initiative. “February | A History of Racial Injustice.” Calendar EJI, 2019, calendar.eji.org/racial-injustice/feb.
Equal Justice Initiative. “Segregation in America.” How Segregation Survived | Equal Justice Initiative, segregationinamerica.eji.org/report/.
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