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So You Were Called Racist. Now What?
When I was called racist, I felt shattered…confused, ashamed, incompetent… Me? I mean, really. Focusing solely on my own experiences of marginalization as a woman and as a lesbian, I believed I didn’t – couldn’t – have a racist bone in my body. But the problem? Many of us are trained to have racist beliefs and attitudes. It’s as if we’re born a white slate – and everyone writes upon it. Good, bad, ugly. We think because we don’t speak racial slurs or utter comments that are outwardly offensive, we’re not racist. But we may think them – even if we never say a word. Racism can be very subtle,…
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Think You’ll Never Overcome Being Called Racist?
Can you imagine how different our world would be if – when faced with our racist comments – we each chose to embrace the moment and humbly, honestly and authentically engage people of color? But defensive behaviors, fears, unproductive thoughts and feelings keep us stuck – and ineffective as white allies. The ways we choose to react out of deep fear of being called racist undermines our core values and vision of ourselves as effective change agents. But there IS another way. The first step is to recognize – and own – our fears and defensive reactions. 5 Common Racist Behaviors and Attitudes of Whites In my free, 1-hour webinar…
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Interrupt Racism to Build Greater Equity
Simply mentioning the word ‘racism’ can create an instant human reaction with three familiar responses: freeze, fight, or flee. Observing those responses among those who have not had the opportunity to learn about racism and how to effectively dissolve it would be understandable. However, those who recognize racism and are trained to interrupt it can feel deeply impacted and defensive when they are called out for their racist by a person of color. They feel the all-too-familiar wrench in the gut. They’re devastated. I know. I’ve been there. Early on in my career, I had to face the truth about the impact of my racist actions and live with the…
