Footnotes
Decentering Whiteness
Whether we want to admit it or not, the vast number of anti-racism resources have been created to help white people understand racism and offer practical ways to be a good ally. I should know. I’ve been a racial justice advocate, speaker and writer for more than a decade. And at the beginning of my career, I was doing the same thing. It’s an easy trap to fall into when you’re a Black woman standing in front of mostly white audiences. Honestly, it often felt like that was the job. Before we had phrases like “white fragility” or “white tears”, I often felt like it was my job to reveal my scars and convince white people to care about racism in America. And it almost ended me.
I have always loved talking about racial justice. I love history. I love weaving stories of the past into the present. I enjoy helping people reframe concepts, ask new questions, look deep within themselves and decide to do better, to be better. But I often left these sessions feeling exhausted. Having given every ounce of me that I had to give, I needed to nap for three days.
I couldn’t name what I was experiencing until I became a participant in someone else’s diversity training. She led the same activities that I always did, activities geared toward helping the white people in the room understand how race functions in America. At the end of one such activity, called the privilege walk, our group was stratified- which is the entire point of the exercise. White men were first, followed by white women, various people of color in the middle, and the Black folks always at the back (along with anyone who is indigenous, if present). The woman leading the activity was asking questions and helping people process the visual stratification we found ourselves modeling. But because of that stratification, and where she was standing, she could only see the white people engaging. At the other end of the room, the Black women next to me had their hands raised- ready to engage, wanting to ask questions, trying to participate. But they were too far “down” that the leader simply couldn’t see them… couldn’t see us.
And for the first time, I had a visual for every workshop I ever led, which made use of my blackness, my story, my scars without actually making space for our questions, our participation.
So I decided to change the way I approach antiracism discussions. I decided from that moment on that I would center the black women in the room.
And something stunning happened. I discovered that we actually all learn more and I would argue, our learning is deeper when we stop centering whiteness. I think this is one way that we make antiracism radical again. This is how we practice freedom work.
Now, the number one question I ask myself at the end of every training, workshop or lecture I give is this: If I announced that I would be back the next day to lead another, would Black women be excited?
If the answer is no- it probably means I used them more than I gave them. But if the answer is yes, I hope that is an indication that Black women felt seen, heard and safe.
What would you do differently in your work, if your primary job wasn't to teach all the white people in the room?
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