Discussions and Privilege
Summary
This second module on anti-Black racism focuses on how we talk about race and how we can have productive discussions about race. While Part 1 was meant to educate about the history of anti-Black discrimination, this module aims to give you guidance on how to foster productive conversations and reflecting on one’s own privileges within society.
Brief Overview
Read Welcome To The Anti-Racism Movement — Here’s What You’ve Missed by Ijeoma Oluo (10 minutes)
Read excerpt from “Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race” by Reni Eddo-Lodge (15-20 minutes)
Read any 5 resources from our anti-discrimination resources related to racism, note which ones, what you learned, and how they made you feel (30 minutes+) (many of these are Instagram posts which take under 2 minutes to read, and are written directly by people of colour – which is of utmost importance – as it is best to learn directly from the people directly affected by racial discrimination + amplify their voices over that of ‘white saviours’)
Digging Deeper
Having Uncomfortable Conversations on Race
On Being Comfortable in Discomfort (interview with the author of This Book is Anti-Racist, Tiffany Jewell) (10-15 minutes)
The Year I Gave Up White Comfort: An Ode to my White “Friends” on Being Better to Black Womxn by Rachel Ricketts (13 minutes)
“What’s Missing From White Fragility” by Lauren Michele Jackson (30 minutes)
Additional anti-racism resource compilations (here / here / mega list here & specifically for white people, here)
Check Your Privilege
An anti-racist guide for white women / guide for white men (5 minutes)
Take the implicit bias test (change country to Canada > proceed as guest > click I agree > click race) (15 minutes)
Complete privilege exercise – should take 5 minutes
- How was that experience? Did you find yourself being surprised at any of the prompts?
Are there times you’re more or less aware of your privilege, or the spaces you don’t have privilege? Which ones are you perhaps less comfortable acknowledging?
Can you think of any other privileges not mentioned on this list?