White Fragility: Why it’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Race

Check out this highly-anticipated FREE talk by Dr. Robin DiAngelo deconstructing racism, ethnic/cultural identity, and how to communicate about the tough topics.

About White Fragility: White people in white settler colonial contexts live in a racially insular social environment that builds our expectations for racial comfort while at the same time lowering our stamina for enduring racial stress. I term 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 moves including: argumentation, invalidation, silence, withdrawal and claims of being attacked and misunderstood. These moves 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 the perspectives and skills needed for white people to build their racial stamina and engage more constructively across race. This should particularly benefit any white person who positions themselves as “already getting it,” those whose main question is, “How do I talk to other white people about racism?” those who want to know “what to do” about racism, and people of color and Indigenous Peoples who wonder how we manage to not know and why we are so difficult to talk to about racism..

About Dr. Robin DiAngelo: Dr. Robin DiAngelo is Affiliate Faculty at the University of Washington. She is a two-time winner of the Student’s Choice Award for Educator of the Year from the University of Washington’s School of Social Work. Her scholarship is in White Racial Identity and Race Relations. In addition to her academic work, Robin has extensive experience as a workplace consultant in race relations and racial justice. Robin has numerous publications and books, including What Does it Mean To Be White? Developing White Racial Literacy. Her work on White Fragility has influenced the national dialogue on race and been featured or cited in Salon, NPR, PBS, The New York Times, and The New Yorker. Her book White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism was released in June and debuted on the New York Times Bestseller list.