How did you learn that white privilege exists? (Or have you?) How do you convince your friends and family that white privilege exists? In what circumstances do you still resist hearing about racism? What type of statements about racism or whiteness make you defensive? Racial Justice Allies called a community …
The day after the protests against Milo Yiannopolous speaking at U.C. Berkeley, a colleague wrote that the Berkeley “riot” demonstrated the need for non-violence training on college campuses as a way to contain those who believe property destruction is an effective political tactic (in this case, Black Bloc revolutionary anarchists). …
At the January 11 dialog, after a brief history on the invention of whiteness (see below for an outline of points covered) participants divided into small groups to reflect on ways we individually perpetuate whiteness in our personal lives. Each group listed what came up and shared with the whole …
by Judy Helfand When a new member of Racial Justice Allies asked why there wasn’t more posting on our blog given all that is going on, I replied that we’d been too busy to write. But the question lingered and I reflected more deeply on what I’ve been doing over …
by Kate Riffle Roper As a white mother of two black children, three white children, who all have a white father, I have something to say. Racism exists. It is real. And it is everywhere, all the time. When I brought my boys home they were the cutest, sweetest babies …
by Judy Helfand Recently various friends have asked me if I’m scared about the upcoming presidential election, which prompted some self-reflection as to why I’m not. There’s nothing surprising to me about the outpouring of hate and racial invective. Trump does not seem like the devil incarnate, simply another manifestation …
The Spirituality of Confronting Privilege, Entitlement, and Cultural Appropriation by Christopher Bowers Grief and Re-Membering: The Spirituality of Confronting Privilege, Entitlement, and Cultural Appropriation was originally published at Satya Lightworks | Rekindling Ancient Wisdom I live in a beautiful, affluent little town infused with the legacy of 60s-era hippie activism …
As told to Z It was a quiet summer afternoon and I was just getting home from playing tennis with my daughter. I parked in front of my home and was unloading my gear from my car. A silver car slowed down as it was passing me and the white …
by Judy Helfand At the July dialog on White Silence, 63 participants showed up for the meeting, creating an energetic buzz of voices. We were meeting in response to people of color calling out for white people to speak up. The need for active confrontation to the status quo of …
by Z In June there was electricity in the air; change was just around the corner. The non-white members of the Unitarian Universalist Association (Unitarians) were pressing for more visibility as a group and accountability from the white members at the upcoming General Assembly. My friend Laura was beside herself …