Session 8:
Materials

1) The costs of racism to white people

est. 15-20 min

Racism hurts white people too, in all kinds of ways. These two short documents explore this. This has a US focus although connects to colonialism. Please consider what you relate to and what is specific to your experience of the cost of racism/oppression. These are jumping off points.

Checklist in “The Costs of Racism to White People” by Paul Kivel (p. 2-4)
The Costs of Oppression to People from Privileged Groups - Promoting Diversity and Social Justice (2 page summary of longer article) by Diane J. Goodman.

2) The dukkha of whiteness

est. 30 min

“Contradictions for white people in racial justice work.” Spend some time looking at this diagram. Are any of these paradoxes relevant to you? Are there other tensions you experience not on this map?

Below are two selected excerpts from a US documentary series called “Whiteness” by Malik Isasis with Alexandra Gekas, a seminarian and Zen practitioner. She is coming to terms with her white identity though a serious of reflections and interviews of leading white anti-racist activists. This is just one person and has a US focus. Please consider what you relate to and what is specific to your experience of dukkha as it relates to whiteness. This is to spark reflection, it is not dogma!

“Existing in suspension”: From Chapter 4 watch only from 15’ min mark to the end 21’ (6 min) LINK here. The entire segment is 21 min, but no need to watch it.
“Not wanting to be white” : From Chapter 5 watch only from the 00 min mark to the 13 min mark (13 min total) – LINK here - (In case you are unfamiliar with Rachel Dolezal who is mentioned, link here.) Total segment is
If you are looking around on the site of this documentary, please see trigger warning below about chapter 3.

3) Stages of insight in white awakening and positive white (non)identity

Please spend 10 min glancing over these various different maps of theorized stages of white awakening or white identity development.

From White Racist to White Anti-Racist (ladder diagram) by Tema Okun (Longer article about this in resources for going deeper below, not needed for our purposes).
Summary of Stages of Racial Identity Development, various sources. (Just glance at the stages for white people on p.3 and p.4)

Question for reflection: Where are you in your journey with regards to these maps? Would you draw a different map for yourself?

4) Re-imagining what it is to be white: the Fourth Sight…

Spend 10 min or more if you can/wish connecting with 1 or 2 white anti-racists / abolitionists, using any of the links below, or other sources that you know of. With great reverence and respect to Black and Indigenous leaders in resistance first and foremost, allow yourself to also get to know the white ancestors and elders in the struggle, now and through history. Look at their faces, look into their eyes, imagine for a moment their lives, and the world they imagined.

Note: people are complex and these movements of resistance are not monolithic (just like feminism!) – some white abolitionists held problematic views about race, some chose violent forms of resistance. We can acknowledge what we might view as faults, limitations and shadows, and appreciate what they none the less have to offer to our exploration and reflection now. This list is quite random, just a starting point! (Send us more names if you have any).

Charles Sumner / Levi and Catherine Coffin / Charles Turner Torrey / Lydia Maria Child / Elizabeth Rous Comstock / George Hussey Earle Sr. / Calvin Fairbank / Bartholomew Fussell / Matilda Joslyn Gage / William Lloyd Garrison / Lewis Tappan / Joan Trumpauer Mulholland / Anne Braden (short clip here) / Chris Crass / Unknown White Clergyman / Unknown White Nun / John Brown / Thomas Garret / List of White Anti-Racist Women from the White Noise Collective / Viola Liuzzo / Heather Heyer / Jonathan Daniels

Abolitionism in the United Kingdom / Rock Against Racism (UK) / Granville Sharp / Hannah More / English Disco Lovers / William Cowper / William Wilberforce / Beilby Porteus / Elizabeth Heyrick

South Africa

The Black Sash Movement

Moving through the Mandala…

Take me to Session 8 Prompts

Resources to Go Deeper

Videos:

White Abolitionists introduced by Spring Warsham (Class 3 | The Dharma of Harriet Tubman & The Underground Railroad), link here. (most relevant section is from 25 min mark to 53 min mark)

A Documentary about Anne Braden can be rented for $2.99 (very worth it when you have time!). https://vimeo.com/ondemand/annebraden

“Whiteness” Documentary” entire series. Note that Viveka gets a shout out in chapter 4! The full documentary with all chapters is here. Content Warning: if you choose to watch the entire documentary, please know that Chapter 3 “White Apathy” is very activating. It includes footage from the police car where Diamond Reynolds and her daughter were held after the police shot her partner Philando Castille right next to them, in 2016 in Minnesota. The ethics of watching these videos are complex, as indeed the Black film maker is asking us to take this in, putting into perspective the existential angst of a white woman. You can read the transcript of what happened in this article without seeing the video, as an alternative. Please take care of your hearts in this work, dear friends.

Articles:

From White Racist to White Anti-Racist, the Life-Long Journey, by Temo Okun

Roots Deeper than Whiteness, Remembering who we are for the well-being of all, by David Dean

The Costs of Oppression to People from Privileged Groups - Promoting Diversity and Social Justice (full length article), by Diane J. Goodman

The No-Self of Identity Politics by Katie Loncke, Buddhist Peace Fellowship, link here

Why Nazis are so afraid of these clowns by Sarah Freeman-Woolpert

Some Books:

Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment Is Killing America's Heartland by Jonathan M. Metzl

Towards The “Other America”: Anti-Racist Resources For White People Taking Action For Black Lives Matter (free) by Chris Crass

Waking Up White, and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving

Memoir of a Race Traitor by Mab Segrest

White Men Challenging Racism: 35 Personal Stories by Cooper Thompson