Robin DiAngelo

White people in the U.S. live in a racially insular social environment. This insulation builds our expectations for racial comfort while at the same time lowering our stamina for enduring racial stress. Robin DiAngelo terms this lack of racial stamina 'White Fragility.' White Fragility is a state in which even a minimal challenge to the white position becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive responses. These responses function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and maintain white control. Those who see themselves as “the choir” can be particularly challenging, for we tend to focus on “evidence of our advancement” rather than reach for humility and continually grapple with how to engage in intentional action. This talk will provide an overview of the socialization that inculcates white fragility and provide the perspectives and skills needed for white people to build their racial stamina and develop more equitable racial practices. This session may also benefit people of color who are vastly underrepresented in an organization and/or wonder how we manage to remain unaware and why we are so difficult to talk to about racism.

Keynotes can range from 75-90 minutes