An annual presentation invites discussion over race relations and privilege

According to Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility, white people find discussing race stressful. SFCC has been having that discussion for three years now, including a presentation on Mar. 7.

“White people in North America live in a social environment that protects and insulates them from race-based stress,” said Robin DiAngelo, in her journal article White Fragility. “This insulated environment of racial protection builds white expectations for racial comfort while at the same time lowering the ability to tolerate racial stress, leading to what I refer to as White Fragility. White Fragility is a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves.”

Director of Student Diversity and Equity, Claudine Richardson, has been giving a presentation on White Fragility for about three years at SFCC. She runs the Multicultural Office for Students Actively Involved in Community (MOSAIC) which includes the LGBTQ+ Student Center. She said that she is also in charge of student concerns and that she is there to serve all students, not just students of color or those from marginalized populations.

“When you look at White Fragility, (DiAngelo) is talking about uniqueness in terms of history of the United States and part of what’s happening is that she’s not looking at proving White Fragility exists or that White privilege exists, she says instead let’s unmask where those areas of privilege exist among dominant culture members,” said Director of Student Diversity and Equity, Claudine Richardson.

The first time that Richardson presented it was at another community college on the West side of Spokane. She usually lays out what DiAngelo’s views are about and forewarns people that the presentation may trigger reactions, both positive and negative.

Richardson says that this is part of the process of “unmasking” the areas of privilege and having difficult conversations about identity, merit and race.

One reaction that people get from the presentation is walking away, which DiAngelo mentions as a defensive move. Richardson says that people are welcome to walk away from the discomfort of DiAngelo’s theory but historically marginalized members of society can’t leave their circumstances.

“Some people will decide to get up and leave the space and that’s a privilege in itself because as a minoritized member often times I hear things of how people perceive us as a minority, I don’t get to leave the space,” said Richardson. “I don’t get to get up because I disagree, and walk away.”

In her presentation, Richardson also invites white people to not be ambassadors of their race but to be a part of a bigger conversation on race and privilege.

One way that she says they can do this is for them to be advocates when racism comes up in conversation even when members of historically marginalized members aren’t present.

Header: Controversial Conversation: White Fragility & Racism
Sub-header: An annual presentation invites discussion over race relations and privilege

“White privilege is something we need to acknowledge,” said Meiche Mittelstadt, an instructor of Social Sciences at SFCC. “We also need to acknowledge that racism is reality. If we don’t acknowledge those things, a conversation on race is useless. White privilege is bestowed on us without choice.”

Mittelstadt says that Millennials are much more open to discussing race than older generations which helps the conversation about racism in America.

“The reality of racism is well and alive it cannot be tolerated in a democracy,” said Mittelstadt. “America was built on slavery, but it is also a country of immigrants. Right now in the (Political) Right you see a movement to stop immigration as we know it, and that’s dangerous.”

Magdalena Clough | Andrew Mark Mariano

MOSAIC Center: (509) 533 4331

SUB 17, Room 131

8:30-4:30
All Students are welcome