Whites
Working
Race Dialogue Group
Are you a white person interested in dialoguing about
race and increasing
your understanding of race and racism? If so, you’re in luck - a Whites
Working Race Dialogue Special Interest Group was formed in late 1998
and continues to this day.
Rarely do whites get together to talk about what it's like to be the dominant
racial group in society. As whites, we have a tendency to either remain silent,
discuss race behind closed doors hoping not to offend anyone, or have one-on-one
conversations with trusted colleagues who are people of color. For many people
the fear of being accused of being a racist prevents meaningful dialogue and
learning to occur.
Throughout time, people of color have tried to educate
whites, share their stories, give us feedback about our behavior and pass
along their message. We
believe it is important for whites to dialogue amongst ourselves and not depend
solely on people of color to "do our work." This SIG was formed to put
RACE on the table and address what we've been taught, how our behaviors may
impact others, what mistakes we’ve made, and how to use one another as
resources in our dealings with family/friends, colleagues and clients.
As Judith Katz said:
"Whites can no longer take a passive role in the battle against
racism. We can no longer say, ‘It doesn’t affect me. It’s not my
problem.’ We can no longer stand back and assume this is an issue solely
about and for people of color. Racism affects everyone. It’s a destructive
force in our communities, our company and our families. We need to change
our image and stereotypes as whites being resistant to change. We need to
identify the costs of not changing. As whites, we must recognize that
addressing racism is not just a moral necessity, it’s a bottom-line act of
self interest."
Because discussions about race are personal and often difficult, we have
found that there are benefits to small group discussions where members feel safe
and secure about sharing feelings and experiences. We work to explore our
assumptions, give one another feedback, seek advice, share our mistakes and
identify how to learn from them.
Our meetings are informal, and we usually meet at a home of a member and
share dinner. of a Some of our discussions have revolved around:
- What's in it for me to discuss racism?
- White culture – what is it and
what privileges do we derive from it
- Responsibilities -- both individually and as a member of this group to
help eliminate oppression
- Discussions about books, articles, videos, theories on race.
- Events – within our community, theatre, rally’s
protests
For monthly meeting information, contact:
Recommended Resources:
Books:
-
A Race is a Nice Thing to Have by Janet E. Helms
-
Beyond Fear by Ababio-Clottey, Aeeshad & Kokomon Clotty
-
Beyond Race and Gender by R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr.
-
Black on White: Black Writers on What it Means to be White by David
Roediger
-
Building Bridges: Interpersonal Skills for a Changing World by Gudykunst,
Ting Toomey, Sudweeks, and Stewart
-
Dismantling Racism by Joseph Barndt
-
How the Irish Became White by Noel Ignatiev
-
Liberal Racism by Jim Sleeper
-
Lies My Teacher Never Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got
Wrong by James Loewens
-
Negotiating at an Uneven Table by Phyllis Beck Kritek
-
Uprooting Racism by Paul Kivel
-
People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
-
Promise of Diversity Edited by Elsie Y. Cross, Judith H. Katz, Frederick
A. Miller and Edith W. Seashore
-
Racial Healing: Confronting the Fear Between Blacks and Whites by Harlon
L. Dalton
-
Race Matters by Cornel West
-
Survival Kit for Multicultural Living by Ellen Summerfield
-
Social Construction of Whiteness: White Women Race Matters by Ruth
Frankenburg
-
Thicker Than Blood by Tufuku Zuberi
-
Two Nations by Andrew Hacker
-
Understanding Whiteness/Unraveling Racism: Tools for the Journey by
Judy Helfand and Laurie B. Lippin, Ph.D.
-
Unraveling the White Cocoon by Jeff Hitchcock
-
We Can All Get Along by Clyde Ford
-
White Awareness: Handbook for Anti-Racism Training by Judith Katz
-
White Racism by Joe R. Feagin and Hernan Vera
-
Women on the Inner Journey: Healing Racial Wounds Through Art and
Spirutuality by Noris Binet
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