I'm a White Guy Confronting Racism

I'm a White guy confronting racism.

I'm a White guy speaking about confronting racism, writing about confronting racism, facilitating conversations about confronting racism.

I've been speaking and writing and facilitating conversations about racism, social justice, equity, power, privilege, and a myriad other topics for a few decades now.

I feel confident that I can and should be doing this work. I feel like I have something to say that is informed, humble, valuable, and relevant to the antiracism conversation.

And, I'm still a White guy confronting racism.

I'm still White. I'm still a man.

I make mistakes. I sometimes step out of line. I sometimes speak and write in ways that are not received well. I can and should and often do receive criticism, condemnation, judgment, discredit, and dislike.

I accept that. I hear it. I feel it.

I learn. I grow. I improve. I evolve. I do better and I become better.

I absorb the criticism—similar to how I absorb perspectives that inform my work. By listening. By reflecting. By analyzing. By sitting with discomfort. By discerning.

I do all this with intentionality—constantly thinking of how I can show up and do this work better.

Because if I didn't do all this, then I would just be a White guy sometimes confronting racism.

Which would be stupid.