2.14: What Is Privilege And What Do I Do With It?

05/18/20 • 49 min

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White privilege is one of the strongest pillars that upholds racism. In her article “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” Peggy McIntosh describes white privilege as: “An invisible package of unearned assets that I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was “meant” to remain oblivious. White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks.”

If you are white there are privileges that you enjoy each and every day because of the color or your skin. These privileges do not mean that your life hasn’t been challenging or that you are not a hard worker, what it means is that the challenges you’ve faced have not been caused by the color of your skin.

Confronting privilege is an uncomfortable process, but when you choose to face that discomfort head on you will find liberation, not only for you but for the People of Color who have been disenfranchised by the system that has granted you privilege.

In this episode I get down to the brass tacks of white privilege and answer all of your burning questions:

What is white privilege?
What are some examples of what white privilege looks like in everyday life?
How can you use it to make change?
What do you do if someone you know or love denies that they have privilege?

I encourage you to take a deep breath, listen with an open mind, and lean into the discomfort.

Psychology Today: You are Not a Bad Person: Facing Privilege Can Be Liberating by Dr. Miki Kashtan

Peggy McIntosh: White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

Tiffany Jewell Author of “This Book is Antiracist” Instagram Account

This Book Is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell

Britt Hawthorne Anti-bias/Anti-racist Educator Instagram Account

Bettina Love “Hand on the Pole” Video

Harvard Business Review: Use Your Everyday Privilege to Help Others by Dolly Chugh

Song Credit: “Away” by Geographer and “Beach Disco” by Dougie Wood

In this episode I get down to the brass tacks of white privilege and answer all of your burning questions:

What is white privilege?
What are some examples of what white privilege looks like in everyday life?
How can you use it to make change?
What do you do if someone you know or love denies that they have privilege?

I encourage you to take a deep breath, listen with an open mind, and lean into the discomfort.

Psychology Today: You are Not a Bad Person: Facing Privilege Can Be Liberating by Dr. Miki Kashtan

Peggy McIntosh: White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

Tiffany Jewell Author of “This Book is Antiracist” Instagram Account

This Book Is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell

Britt Hawthorne Anti-bias/Anti-racist Educator Instagram Account

Bettina Love “Hand on the Pole” Video

Harvard Business Review: Use Your Everyday Privilege to Help Others by Dolly Chugh

Song Credit: “Away” by Geographer and “Beach Disco” by Dougie Wood

Previous Episode

2.13: Teaching Our Children About Immigration

Immigration is one of those things that we really struggle to agree on as a country. No matter your feelings or political leanings, everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and that is what we need to teach our children.

In this episode we talk to Abraham and Madison Carrasco, a multiethnic family who has gone through the immigration process. Abraham shares the intimate details of migrating from Mexico to the United States on foot. Both he and his wife Madison open up about the hardships that they faced over many years while Abraham interacted with the immigration system to become a citizen of the United States.

In addition, they share three strategies for talking to our children about immigration: read books about immigration, talk openly about culture, and humanize the issue.

Articles, Studies, & Podcasts Referenced in the Episode

Madison runs an instagram account called @reading.sinfronteras that promotes bilingualism, multicultural education, and anti-racism.

No Mas Muertes (No More Deaths), an organization that is working to “stop the deaths of migrants in the desert”

Song Credit: “Away” by Geographer and “Beach Disco” by Dougie Wood

Next Episode

2.15: Diversity and Inclusion in LDS Art

Recently the church that I belong to, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, published an announcement that they are going to regulate the artwork that is displayed in our meeting houses. This was an exciting announcement because all of the paintings that they chose depict our Savior, but it was also really disappointing because the artwork is not inclusive of the people in our church. In every painting Jesus is portrayed as a white man and there are very few People of Color.

Here is the article with the announcement, it includes the approved artwork.

In this episode Michelle Franzoni Thorley from @florafamiliar and I discuss the importance of making the art in our meeting houses more diverse and inclusive. Michelle shares amazing insight about the power of displaying art that represents the congregation that we hope to have, rather than just showing reflections of those in the congregation who align with the dominant culture.

We also give ideas about action that can be taken by church members who would like to see more inclusion in LDS art.

Michelle’s Instagram Platform: @florafamiliar

Michelle’s Article: Diversity in LDS Art

Conversations and Questions About Art at Church by Esther Candari

Latter Day Saint Women of Color Art Scholarship

Vision of the Arts Mother Artist Grant

Song Credit: “Away” by Geographer and “Beach Disco” by Dougie Wood