Thank you for this article and your insights. I have been in the diversity, equity, and inclusion space long enough now to have experience three waves of whites coming to terms with whiteness and social privilege. The first was in the 80s when I was in graduate school and everyone was reading For Whites Only by Robert Terry. It was embraced with zeal and sold over 250,000 copies and became mandatory reading for those in the military. Peggy McIntosh’s work, Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack was also prominent and discussed with vigor by whites. In 2004, Tim Wise came out with White Like Me and is still on the speaker circuit enlightening whites about racism. Today it is Robin DiAngelo, whose work builds on the work of many psychologist of color like Janet Helms, William Cross, Thomas Parham who wrote and spoke about racial fragility of whites, but who remain un-cited in DiAngelo’s work. Whites like to hear about their fragility and their privilege but, for the most part, do not move beyond the awareness of having it. Thus, the discourse, I find, is shallow and does not align with the nuanced, layered identity expressions that we experience today.

We have multiple and intersecting identities and varied and valid ways in which we all achieve racial identity resolution. Tethering the entire white race with racism doesn’t change the narrative and move us forward. There are many forms of racism and most understand racism as the overt and intentional like Charlottesville and cannot see themselves in that scene. Most do not understand systemic racism that whites and some people of color participate in as it is unintentional and without awareness and has been normalized in our society. This framework also sets up dysfunctional relationships between whites and people of color (whites as accountable allies for their privilege and people of color extracting their self-worth from whites who recognize and acknowledge their privilege). Rather understanding the behaviors, policies, practices and systems that keep racism in place as well as supporting people to move toward multiracial living practices creates the a truly just and inclusive society. This means caring more about voter suppression than voter fraud, voting for candidates who are diverse or diversity affirming in witness and practice, choosing to live, shop and get services from people who are racially diverse or who demonstrate diversity competencies, working to eliminate the racial disparities in health, wealth, and education. Although I well appreciate the enlightenment whites are now experiencing about white privilege, awareness is only one small step toward behavior change. Thanks again for this article and for the conversation on this very important topic.