On Whiteness

Dr. Victoria Farris is a disrupter, a truth teller, and a justice seeker, and through her 12+ years of a experience as a higher education professional, she has developed framework for effective allyship that outlines an action-based guide for disrupting racism on individual, group, and organizational levels. Victoria shares with us both her personal experience and growth as well as the product of her research, explaining how white people can disrupt and dismantle systemic racism.Definitions of Race with Sources: Courtesy of Jen Fry, jenfrytalks.comRace: A socially constructed system to classify humans based off of phenotypical characteristics, like skin color, hair texture, and bone texture. Source: Is Everyone Really Equal?: An Introduction to Key Concepts in Social Justice Education (Multicultural Education Series)Racism: Racism is a system in which one race maintains supremacy over another race through a set of attitudes, behaviors, social structures, and institutional power. Source: Barbara Love, 1994. Understanding Internalized Oppression    Whiteness: The academic term used to capture the all-encompassing dimensions of White privilege, dominance, and assumed superiority in society. These dimensions include: ideological, institutional, social, cultural, historical, political, and interpersonal. Source: Is Everyone Really Equal?: An Introduction to Key Concepts in Social Justice Education (Multicultural Education Series)Anti-Racism: Anti-racism is the active process of identifying and eliminating racism by changing systems, organizational structures, policies and practices and attitudes, so that power is redistributed and shared equitably. Source: NAC International Perspective: Women and Global SolidarityRecommended resources for further learning: Books:I’m Still Here by Austin Channing BrownWhite Fragility by Robin DiAngeloMe and White Supremacy by Layla SaadHow to be An Antiracist by Ibram X. KendiThe Very Good Gospel by Lisa Sharon HarperSo You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma OluoJust Mercy by Bryan StevensonBetween the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi CoatesTears We Cannot Stop by Michael Eric DysonHood Feminism by Mikki KendallEloquent Rage by Brittney CooperThe New Jim Crow by Michelle AlexanderWhy I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Renni Eddo-LodgeWebsites/Articles:Jen Fry’s Resource PageAustin Channing Brown’s The Next Question ShowUnpacking White Feminism by Rachel CargleSeeing White Podcast by Scene On Radio1619 Podcast by NYTCodeSwitch by NPRIntersectionality Matters PodcastThe Secret Lives of Black Women PodcastTo learn more about Victoria’s work, to join her book club, or to sign up for a workshop, please visit her on Instagram, Twitter, her website, or text DISRUPT to 55-444 that will sign you up for Victoria’s updates.