Answer:
Here's an example:
I identify as a white, pansexual female. I also acknowledge my white privilege—not that I <em>have more</em> than people of color but that I am <em>not treated negatively</em> because of the color of my skin. I don't face systemic racism. I don't worry about whether I will be followed through a store by loss prevention every time I go shopping.
I can also talk to my white friends and help them understand what unconscious bias is and how <em>they </em>can also use their privilege to uplift people of color. If they don't want to open their minds and their hearts or become educated on the matter, I move on. Sadly, you can't change everyone's mind and you can't force someone to feel a certain way or adopt particular beliefs. All I can do is hope. And yes, I've lost friends but I'm okay with that.
I've become an ally as well. I let my friends and everyone I know that I stand by them and will stand against any and all racist behavior. Not only will I stand against it, I will fight <em>with </em>them to obtain <em>true </em>racial equality.
Explanation:
Definition of White Privilege, taken directly from the Merriam Webster website:
the set of social and economic advantages that white people have by virtue of their race in a culture characterized by racial inequality
Examples of white privilege:
- We don’t fear for our lives when we come in contact with the police.
- We don’t fear for our children when they walk down the street.
- Our names are less likely to influence whether we have opportunities to interview for jobs.
- Assumptions and opinions of us are not based on the color of our skin.
Another little-known fact:
The term "white privilege" dates all the way back to 1818, so this really isn't something new. People have just been brushing it under the rug and ignoring it, but now people are tired of ignoring it and they want justice and fairness.
Definition of Unconscious Bias, taken directly from the Vanderbilt.edu website:
Unconscious bias (or implicit bias) is often defined as prejudice or unsupported judgments in favor of or against one thing, person, or group as compared to another, in a way that is usually considered unfair. ... In contrast, deliberate prejudices are defined as conscious bias (or explicit bias).
Definition of Systemic Racism, taken directly from Wikipedia:
Institutional racism, also known as systemic racism, is a form of racism that is embedded as normal practice within society or an organization. It can lead to such issues as discrimination in criminal justice, employment, housing, health care, political power, and education, among other issues.
