When I first learned about white privilege all I wanted to do was give it away and disown it. I was ashamed of it. I remember taking a training where we were asked to name all the privileges that came with being white. After doing so, a Black participant asked me why I would want to give any of them up. “They Sound pretty good to me”, she said. I was silent and to be honest, I don't even remember what I answered. I made up some bullshit that I hoped would make me look like a “good white person.”  

With time, tons of mistakes and multiple PISAB (People’s Institute of Survival and Beyond) workshops, I think I finally understand and can answer with more authenticity and integrity. I like my privileges and I want to keep them. However, I want everyone to have them, not just those of us who are white. Until we all have the same privileges, I will continue to try to use mine to lift up and make space for those that don’t. I am working very hard at speaking up for and raising up the voices of BIPOC. I continue to do my best to honor the leadership of BIPOC, which sometimes means getting out of the way. It's far from perfect and very messy but now I understand that if I don’t acknowledge my power, I contribute to the oppression of others. To borrow from a favorite quote: “We do more damage when we do not recognize our power (privilege) then when we do. When we don’t recognize it, we are part of the problem.”  Let’s stop being part of the problem.

Thanks for following my blog.

See you on the journey,
Robin

Shame Resilience and Transformation Skills for white people: A Pathway to Authentic Relationships with People of Color sponsored by The Ackerman Institute for the Family: (18 CE Hours). Four sessions from 9:00am-1:30pm ET starting on November 9, 2022. Alana Tappin, PsyD, CPsych and Robin Schlenger, MSW, LCSW:https://www.ackerman.org/events/shame-resilience/

Link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-impact-of-racial-difference-in-supervision-and-management-tickets-406301307147

If you would also like to receive CE's for this course, click this link (note: you'll still need to click on the link above to register for the full course): https://www.academeca.com/CEUReg/Order.aspx?selectedId=4760&offerGuid=1f7d5f76-a099-4c19-b873-399628a9fd34

Robin Schlenger