The topic of White awareness and privilege requires skillfulness to broach, especially in the context of workplaces, schools, and other organizations. It’s an important conversation to have, especially as people become more aware of the value of equity, diversity, and inclusion in pluralistic societies.
As an educator and author committed to social justice, I offer a curated list of resources to help facilitators working in this area to raise and extend awareness of white privilege in ways that are compassionate and ethical. Feel free to share, cite, and use these resources.
Notice that something is missing? If you have a resource to suggest, please contact me.
General Resources
- 15-minute introductory video of Camara Jones’ TED talk on race and racism.
- Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy Macintosh is an introductory checklist to raise awareness for beginners
- White Awake by pastor Daniel Hill (2017). He gently helps white people realize they have a culture and what it means. He comes from a Christian point of view. He also explains his approach in a series of short videos.
Courses
- Witnessing Whiteness by Shelly Tochluk is an 11-part workshop that pairs with a book and blog.
- Article introducing the Healing White Toxicity online course: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/toxic-whiteness-healing-white-people-internalised-racism-woman-sandra-kim-new-york-a7595216.html
- WhiteAwake.org is an online platform and network of trainers focused on educating people socialized as “white”. They offer workshops, consultations, and resources for self-study.
- Undoing Whiteness is a Seattle-based course aimed at helping white people understand the ways that white privilege can be harmful to body, spirit, and mind.
- Waking Up to Whiteness. Dharma and Racism Study Curriculum. Course materials for collective self-study coming from a non-denominational Buddhist perspective: http://bit.ly/29WiTSx
U.S.-Specific Resources
- What Does It Mean to Be White?: Developing White Racial Literacy by Robin di Angelo (2012). She publishes a website with more resources at: https://robindiangelo.com
- Waking Up White: Finding Myself in The Story of Race by Debbie Irving (2014). In her TED talk, she explains the intersection of individual and institutional racism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5nqN8tmfok . She publishes a website with many resources at: www.debbieirving.com including a 21-day racial equity habit building challenge
- Lori Lakin Hutcherson publisher of Good Black News offers insight to first-time questions about what it means to have white privilege on her blog: http://www.onbeing.org/blog/what-i-said-when-my-white-friend-asked-for-my-black-opinion-on-white-privilege/
- White Like Me by Tim Wise (2011). He also publishes resources at: http://www.timwise.org/books-and-dvds/white-like-me/
Education-Specific Resources
- Everyday Antiracism by Mica Pollock (2008). This book includes essays from 70 scholars aimed at raising awareness of white privilege.
- Schooltalk by Mica Pollock (2017) shows us how our words matter in how we replicate and reproduce white privilege, knowingly or not. Likewise, language is a powerful tool for raising awareness of inequality and changing how we respond.
- “I don’t want to hear that: Legitimizing whiteness through silence in schools” by Angelina Castagno (2008). This article stems from original research and explains the dynamics of White privilege and silencing race talk.
