Racism & Privilege Explained
A curated Learning Path of educational videos to provide a simple, but effective understanding of the concepts.
The Origin and History of Race & Racism
Tim Wise is among the nation’s most prominent anti-racist educators and authors and has spent the past 30 years lecturing on matters of racism and racial bias. Wise is a frequent commentator on CNN, MSNBC, and NPR, and his speeches have been viewed over 30 million times on various social media platforms. This short clip of Tim Wise explaining race and racism might shock you a little. But sometimes, we need a little jolt to snap out of complacency.
BONUS Resource! If you’d like a longer version, watch Tim Wise explain White Privilege in the video below:
A Podcast Episode on Privilege
Privilege is hard to talk about, yet it’s as pervasive and important as oxygen. It’s like bias — everyone has some type of privilege, just as everyone carries some type of bias. So why is it so hard to talk about? Why do people (particularly white people) get defensive about privilege? And how can we use the privileges we have to advocate for people who don’t have the same access?
In this episode of Inclusionomics®, Stacey and her co-hosts reveal the many types of privilege you may have (or not), why “unearned” privilege can make you feel defensive or guilty, and how you can use your privilege to advocate for others and make a powerful impact at work and in your community.
We explore why not all privileges are equal — the presence or absence of certain privileges has a greater impact on your life than others. Even when you’re in a position of power, the absence of certain privilege can hold you back. We share how this is made very clear in Apple TV’s The Morning Show through the Black character Daniel Henderson.
But this episode is not just a discussion: you’ll learn strategies you can bring to your work, family, and community to start conversations about privilege and help everyone understand their own. You’ll also discover how to wield your privilege to ensure that diverse voices are included in meetings, brainstorming opportunities, and very importantly, in decision-making.
In this candid episode, we also dive into:
The problems with Hello Privilege. It’s Me, Chelsea, and why many people are unaware of their privilege (Stacey shares how, as a Black woman, it took some digging to identify her own privileges.)
How to watch your language and where you might “think you know better” (Lisa tells a story about calling out her dad on something he said.)
Why university systems have such a tough time with the diversity and inclusion of their students and faculty (and Stacey shares a personal example of why it’s critical to have racial diversity in meetings.)
You can’t force anyone to be more conscious of their privilege. But if you want to increase people’s emotional intelligence about privilege, this episode gives you the resources and reassurance you need to do it. So click play above to listen now, or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Have you led an exercise on privilege in your community or workplace? Have you been in a situation where “privilege obliviousness” made you cringe? We want to hear your stories! Reach out to connect with us on LinkedIn, and tell us your experience.
Show Notes:
You Coulda Been Woke, the episode where we discuss privilege in the university system
The renowned article on white privilege by Peggy McIntosh, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
Exercise: Move Into The Circle: Recognizing Power and Privilege
Paper exercise Peggy
Hello Privilege. It’s Me, Chelsea on Netflix unpacks white privilege
The Morning Show on Apple TV
To learn more about Stacey, visit ReworkWork. Connect with Stacey on LinkedIn and Twitter
To learn more about Lisa, visit Story Happens Here. Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn and Twitter
Tips to Talk About Racial Inequality at Work
Discussing racial inequality can be difficult, but the conversations are critical and happening nonetheless. CNBC Make It spoke with leaders to get guidance on how to be an ally and engage in thoughtful dialogue with coworkers about civil unrest in the U.S. Here’s what they said.
White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
Peggy McIntosh, Ph.D. is the former Associate Director of the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women. She is a renowned feminist and anti-racism activist. She is well known for writing her most famous paper, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. This essay is excerpted from Working Paper 189. “White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming To See Correspondences through Work in Women’s Studies” (1988), by Peggy McIntosh.
How to Be a Good Ally
You were introduced to a lot of information and some of it might be new to you. If you’d like to put the information into practice, watch Ahsante the Artist explain how to be a good ally when it comes to identity, privilege, and resistance.