White Fragility

Antiracism & Me is an educational series organized by the Peace & Conciliation Project that aims to reframe the role of the white community in dismantling systems of white supremacy — shifting from a stance of ally (a support role) to one of direct engagement and personal responsibility. 

While this series is designed to educate the white community, so they may transcend the role of ally and assume individual and collective responsibility for creating an equitable and justice society, people of every race, ethnicity, gender, and religious affiliation are welcome to participate.

Join us September 12 for an online discussion on White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism. This event is designed to create personal action. Advanced reading is required.

About the Book

In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’ (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively.