"Colorblindness is the New Racism: Raising Awareness about Privilege Using Color Insight"
by Margalynne J. Armstrong and Stephanie M. Wildman
The problem: "unacknowledged white privilege pervades U.S. society and culture."
Peggy McIntosh: white privilege: "a knapsack of benefits of which the holder could remain oblivious"
Talking point #1: When discussing discrimination, we must always also consider and discuss its opposite end of the power line (Frances Ansley) = privilege. A meaningful conversation about discrimination cannot exist without acknowledging the privilege of not being associated with the discriminated group.
How do we develop color insight?
1. considering context for any discussion about race
2. examining systems of privilege
3. unmasking perspective-lessness and white normativeness ;
4. combating stereotyping and looking for the "me" in each individual
(p.65)
Talking Point #2: "Colorblindness is the new racism" ~"failure to acknowledge racial reality in the United States reinforces and solidifies existing racial inequality and white privilege."
In the "post-racial" society described by many Americans, it is commonplace to ignore racism and not speak of it for fear of seeming racist. By not speaking about the inequalities that exist, we are condoning them. The work to combat racism is not done silently.
What is color insight?
Color insight provides a vocabulary for teaching across racial lines. It is a lens with which to examine societal interactions and initiate conversations. Requires observation, discussion, and analysis. (p.68)
I especially enjoyed the part of the article where the writers examine and discuss the importance of understanding the "me". In this process students can speak about their personal familial experiences. They can share stories about grandparents or members of their own history. In telling the stories and hearing other stories students learn about how our experiences are all unique.
Armstrong & Wildman argue that color insight is more productive than color blindness in working towards a more equitable society. The authors also provide ways to teach these practices to students. In being more aware, teachers are able to work together and collaborate with students to explore issues of social justice.
*Article and resources for talking about racism with young children : teaching-6-year-olds-about-privilege-and-power
"Color Blind or Color Brave" A TED Talk by Mellody Hobson
"The first step to solving any problem is to not hide from it - the first step towards action is awareness"
In this TED talk Mellody Hobson speaks about her experience with racism and privilege. She names the quantifiable racial disparities in the business sector. She also says that by using color blindness, we are ignoring the problem. She calls for us all to be "color brave". This means acknowledging the racism, the privilege, and the oppression. It means constantly examining our environments. Are we equally represented? It means to choose relationships and connections with people in our lives who do not look like us, come from different backgrounds, and perhaps think differently than we do. By choosing these relationships and interactions we are getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. We are allowing ourselves to be challenged and to grow. We are learning from the experience of others. Mellody says we must "show courage". By showing this courage we are breaking this generational curse- we are letting children know that their future matters and their dreams are possible.
Talking point #3: Mellody gives an example of color blindness that was thought-provoking. She asks that viewers imagine walking into a boardroom meeting of a Fortune 500 company and seeing that every person around the boardroom table is black. We might think that this is weird. She then asks us to imagine walking into the same boardroom and noticing that every person around the table is a white male. We would probably not think twice about it. This is an example of the color blindness we possess to the standard of whiteness in representation. We don't notice and we don't question the "norm" or what is perceived as standard.
Hi Chelsea, thank you for sharing the white immunity video. I agree that white privilege needs to be recognized as an advantage in order to make significant changes in racism. By not recognizing that it is a privilege to be white or talking about the advantages you may have just due to your race is part of the colorblindness in our society.
ReplyDeleteChelsea, Really nice post. I really like how you expressed Armstrong, Wildman and Hobson's ideas. Like you, I was blown away by Hobson's example about perceptions of all-white and all-black boardrooms. It's so true how you described it as normalization. The comic you chose summed up this week's topic perfectly!
ReplyDeleteHi Chelsea, I love that you picked up on the idea of "norms" and what people expect in the boardroom. I found that concept of normalization to be so interesting in the last readings on the 4 I's of Oppression. The meaning of the word is changing to indicate an active shift to 'normalize' standards that were previously an extreme view. Wouldn't it be great if our view around the boardroom could change from All White Male to something more reflective of our nations humanity?
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