Overview (Program Summary)
A program hosted by:
ACC St. LouisThe Diversity & Inclusion Committee together with the Membership Committee will host a Book Discussion on White Fragility: Why It Is So Hard For White People to Talk About Race by Robin DiAngelo. All Members are encouraged to read the book and/or read, watch or listen to materials in the attached resource list, and participate in the discussion.
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.
About the Author:
Dr. Robin DiAngelo is an academic, lecturer, and author and has been a consultant and trainer on issues of racial and social justice for more than twenty years. She formerly served as a tenured professor of multicultural education at Westfield State University. In 2011, DiAngelo coined the term White Fragility in an academic article which influenced the international dialogue on race. My book, White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism was released in June of 2018 and debuted on the New York Times Bestseller List where it remained for 85 weeks.
Many of us have encountered roadblocks to discussing racial justice within majority white offices and communities. In her book, DiAngelo provides language to understand the various reactions that white people have when race is discussed.
“White Fragility is a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves. These moves include the outward display of emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and behaviors such as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress-inducing situation. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium” says DiAngelo.
Resource List from Robin DiAngelo’s website
Twenty-minute video with DiAngelo
Video from DiAngelo’s book launch in 2018
Anyone can join the video chat. We ask that you register for free to ensure that we have the bandwidth for the call. It's important now more than ever to stay connected, learn and continue the discussion!
Utilize your favorite resource to purchase the book or listen to the recordings and then join the discussion with ACC St. Louis and ACC Mid America Chapters on Tuesday, August 25th at 4:00 p.m.