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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWhite Fragility Book Discussion Resource Guide 2White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo Book Discussion Resource Guide (Chapters 7-12) Conversation Guidelines These guidelines serve to promote a safe and productive dialogue about the book. They will be discussed at the beginning of each book discussion. Listen patiently & actively – hear others out completely before responding or reacting. If you have immediate reactions, write it down and come back to it later if it still feels relevant. Be present; experience & sit with discomfort – don’t allow yourself to stop paying attention or give in to distractions when things become hard or uncomfortable. Be mindful of the space you take up – if you notice you are sharing a lot, maybe you should step back and allow others to speak. Suspend judgement – try to meet people where they’re at. Remember that everyone is informed by different life experiences and it is not always productive to label things as right or wrong. Choose language carefully – use “I” statements, we can only speak for ourselves. Respect confidentiality – it is possible that some participants will share vulnerable stories or experiences, and they should not leave this space. Important Disclaimers These were outlined in the Authors note, and DiAngelo talks about them in more detail on various platforms. They are important to keep in mind throughout this book discussion. 1.White people addressing white fragility surfaces several dilemmas. First, it requires that white people be centered in the conversation about racism. This can be problematic because it reinforces the white centering that is taken for granted in society at large (it is the author’s hope, however, that it is a centering that exposes, rather than protects, the workings of white supremacy). Second, it positions white people—yet again—as the experts. 2.The primary goal for white people working to understand racism is not to learn how racism impacts BIPOC, but to recognize how racist systems shape our lives, how we uphold those systems, and how we can interrupt them. White people need to take responsibility in educating themselves - BIPOC do not owe white people anything in discussions about racism. 3.The arguments in this book build off of antiracism scholarship & activism that BIPOC have written for generations. This book would not exist without the work of BIPOC. It is just a starting point for educating yourself on anti-racism, and there are many resources for continuing education from BIPOC voices (see Resources for Continuing Education section of the book & resource list at the end of this guide). Helpful Zoom tips 1.The host of the meeting will mute all participants at the beginning. When it is time for discussion, you can unmute yourself to participate. a. b.There are two ways you can unmute yourself: b.i.If you are on a computer, you can hold down the spacebar on your keyboard while you speak. If you release the spacebar, you will be muted again b.ii.Click on the mute icon at the bottom of your screen (same icon as above). With this option, you must manually click the icon each time you would like to speak, and you will stay muted/unmuted until you click it again. c.Please stay muted when you are not speaking! 2.To use the chat function, you must click on the chat icon at the bottom of your screen. When you click on it, a chat window will open up, and you will be able to send and view chats. The icon looks like this Discussion Questions These are sample discussion questions, and our 1-hour book discussion will not allow time to touch on them all. Even so, there is great value in taking the time to think about all of these on your own. Remember that this discussion is simply a starting point, and you are encouraged to continue having these conversations moving forward. 1.Review the ‘social taboos’ mentioned in Chapter 7. Think of examples of each from your own life. Do the same with the ‘triggers’ mentioned in this chapter. 2.Why are questions such as “What is the right thing to say?” or “What am I supposed to say?” the wrong questions? How might you respond the next time you hear these questions? 3.How does DiAngelo challenge the idea that it is our intentions that count? 4.If you were Karen’s colleague (Chapter 8), think about how you would react to her. As a white colleague, how could you explain what is problematic about her response? As a BIPOC colleague, what strategies could you use to address Karen’s white fragility? 5.Re-read this passage from Chapter 8. Consider the profundity of this reply and what feelings it brings up for you. “‘How often have you given white people feedback on our unaware yet inevitable racism? How often has that gone well for you?’ Eye-rolling, head-shaking, and outright laughter follow, along with the consensus of rarely, if ever. I then ask, ‘What would it be like if you could simply give us feedback, have us graciously receive it, reflect, and work to change the behavior?’ Recently, a man of color sighed and said, ‘It would be revolutionary.’ I ask my fellow whites to consider the profundity of that response. It would be revolutionary if we could receive, reflect, and work to change behavior.” 6.Why are white people more receptive to other white people (rather than BIPOC) educating them on race? a.What does this say about the role white people must play in addressing systemic racism in society, in our homes, with our friends and family members, and in our workplaces with our colleagues? b.What are the opportunities and dilemmas of white people educating each other on racism? 7.Review the feelings, behaviors, and claims from Chapter 9. Have you witnessed or experienced any of these? Have you ever made these claims yourself? 8.DiAngelo argues that emotions are political. Consider the below quote from DiAngelo (Chapter 11). Also consider how emotions are read in public spaces and by the media. How are emotions political? How do these reactions shape conversations about racism? “Since many of us have not learned how racism works and our role in it, our tears may come from shock and distress about what we didn’t know or recognize. For people of color, our tears demonstrate our racial insulation and privilege” 9.DiAngelo states discomfort is necessary to disrupt racism. Why? 10.If we accept that racism is always operating, the question becomes not “Is racism taking place?” but rather “How is racism taking place in this specific context?” a.How does awareness of that change how we think about our lives and our actions? b.Think about concrete ways you can continue antiracism work in your own life. Make a list. Resources for Continued Education For those wondering what to do next, this list can be a starting point for your continued learning. Moving forward, I hope that you find value in reading and learning from BIPOC who have already taken the time develop these resources – and have been paid to do so. While DiAngelo does a great job giving white people a starting point, we must remember that white people are not the experts. If you are only comfortable learning from white authors and scholars, you are encouraged to reflect on why. Books Consider purchasing from Black-owned bookstores rather than Amazon for your anti-racist resources! Be conscious of who is profiting off of these purchases. Check out this article for a list of stores by state (but you can still order online from many!): https://www.cntraveler.com/story/black-owned-bookstores Between the World and Me by Ta Nehisi Coates (All are invited to read this book next month and join us for a book discussion on Monday, August 24, from 1:30-3:00 p.m.) How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century by Grace Lee Boggs The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Davis Articles The Case for Reparations by Ta Nehisi Coates https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/ The 1619 Project – An ongoing collection of essays published by the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html Who Gets to be Afraid in America? by Ibram X. Kendi https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/05/ahmaud-arbery/611539/ The White Space by Elijah Anderson https://sociology.yale.edu/sites/default/files/pages_from_sre-11_rev5_printer_files.pdf For Our White Friends Desiring to be Allies by Courtney Ariel https://sojo.net/articles/our-white-friends-desiring-be-allies Films & Series to Watch Note: always be mindful of white saviorism in media – think back to DiAngelo’s discussion of The Blind Side. Just Mercy directed by Destin Daniel Cretton 13th directed by Ava DuVernay Moonlight directed by Berry Jenkins When They See Us directed by Ava DuVernay The Hate U Give directed by George Tillman Jr.