When confronted with the reality that they have homogeneous social and professional networks, White people often respond that it's no different than other racial groups.
"All the Indian guys on the engineering team always hang around together after work."
"All the Black kids are sitting together in the cafeteria." (Beverly Tatum)
"Look at all the Mexican [even if they're not actually Mexican] guys sticking together on the corner."
These observations may be (mostly) visually accurate. But what's missing in the analysis are the reasons behind it.
People from underrepresented groups have mostly same-race relationships to feel safe and heard.
They have same-race relationships to protect themselves from the oppression and microaggressions they face on a daily basis from majority group members.
White people, on the other hand, maintain same-race relationships to uphold the status quo. To protect their dominance and supremacy.
We don't live in a meritocracy. Superficial observations of sameness don't wipe out centuries of oppression and marginalization.
Things are not equal.
Same-race relationships for White people are expected and accepted as "normal."
Same-race relationships for people from underrepresented groups are often a matter of survival.