The goal of my work is to make visible the inevitable racist assumptions held, and patterns displayed, by white people conditioned from living in a white supremacist culture.
Robin DiangeloRead
In the U.S., while individual whites might be against racism, they still benefit from their group's control. Yes, an individual person of color can sit at the tables of power, but the overwhelming majority of decision-makers will be white. Yes, white people can have problems and face barriers, but systematic racism won't be one of them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote discusses the systemic nature of racism and how individual experiences do not negate the privileges of a dominant group.
Robin DiAngelo's quote points out the complex dynamics of racism in the U.S. society, where even individual whites may oppose racism while still benefiting from systemic advantages associated with being part of the white majority. It emphasizes that, although people of color might gain access to positions of power, decision-making remains predominantly in the hands of white individuals, highlighting the persistent structures of systemic racism that create unequal experiences and opportunities.
Themes
RacismPrivilegeSystemicEqualityDecision-Making
In practice
Example use cases
To spark a discussion on institutional racism during a diversity training session.
More from Robin Diangelo
All quotes →Whites often respond defensively when linked to other whites as a group or 'accused' of collectively benefiting from racism, because as individuals, each white person is 'different' from any other white person and expects to be seen as such.
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One of the most important misunderstandings for white people to get over to move forward is this idea that racism is a good-bad proposition - that if we're good we can't be part of it, that being uncomfortable means you're a terrible person. We have to let go of that and understand it as a system we all live in.
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You have to be in accountable relationships across race. Accountable means that they're authentic, they're sustained, and that you do talk about racism, and you are able to be given feedback.
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This is what I have learned: Any white person living in the United States will develop opinions about race simply by swimming in the water of our culture. But mainstream sources - schools, textbooks, media - don't provide us with the multiple perspectives we need.
Robin DiangeloRead
White consciousness is deeply anti-black, and that's for progressives and conservatives.
Robin DiangeloRead
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