Seven guiding principles for my leadership as a white facilitator
The ultimate goal of my work is building a more just and equitable society for people of all racial backgrounds, especially Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). I center that in my work. I acknowledge the fear, shame or guilt that white people will (and probably should) feel as we explore our part in creating and maintaining inequities. But ultimately, “the work” is not about those feelings – it’s about moving towards equity together.
If I’m in a group of people of diverse racial backgrounds, I name race in an open, honest way. Early on in the conversation, I say that I identify as a white facilitator or trainer. I do this for a specific reason – that there’s research that when race isn’t acknowledged, BIPOC may feel that that part of their identity is not seen. (A lot more on this here.)
If I’m leading a conversation about racial equity for a group that has white people and BIPOC, I will only do this as part of a cross-race team. I don’t believe that I have the lived experience to “teach” People of Color about racism or deeply hold the experiences of BIPOC around racism and inequities.
We’re each on a journey towards anti-racism. I may wish that you as a white person were further on your journey. But to the best of my ability, I bring curiosity and compassion to your journey rather than judgement. My goal leading these conversations is to build safety for all. Only when we feel safe are we able to be open to new perspectives, to grow and to change.
As a white person, I’m responsible for my own learning. I’m not depending on BIPOC to teach me about racism or racial identity. I do learn a lot from colleagues who are BIPOC. And I also spend a lot of my time learning on my own, through books, articles, movies, podcasts or social media.
My goal is not to be defensive or reactive. At different times, I have been “called out” by people from different identities. When this happens, I slow down and seek to understand the concern and the stories that this individual might be holding.
After leading many of these conversations, I know that racial identity does not correspond to individual attitudes. I have encountered BIPOC who hold prejudicial views towards others or shared that they did not want to focus on race. I have encountered white people who are deeply connected to racial justice. I stay open minded to the mysterious diversity of humans.