The Daily Caller News Foundation attended the 17th Annual White Privilege Conference in Philadelphia, held April 15-17. The following is part of a series of articles concerning events at the conference.
Disaffected participants in the 2016 White Privilege Conference (WPC) have taken to Twitter to complain that the conference was, ironically, too white and was actually filled to the brim with white supremacy.
Adopting the hashtag #WPCSoWhite, inspired by the recent #OscarsSoWhite campaign, Twitter users claimed the conference that was supposed to battle white privilege instead served to entrench it.
The tag appears to have been started and pushed with particular vigor by Aeriel Ashlee, an education consultant who attended WPC and objected to several parts of a keynote address delivered by (white) historian James Loewen. (RELATED: 7 Things That Offended People At The White Privilege Conference)
She said Loewen’s rhetoric, which was solidly progressive throughout, actually entrenched white supremacy, partly because his speech allegedly lasted too long. When Loewen attempted to defend himself, Ashlee said that any defense was invalid and only further showed his white supremacy.
Great keynote by @JamesWLoewen, but going over time allotted is another example of white supremacy #WPCsowhite #PHLWPC17
— Aeriel A. Ashlee (@aerielashlee) April 16, 2016
@aerielashlee Dr.Moore told me, just before I started, to take one hour. I took exactly 53 minutes.
— James W. Loewen (@JamesWLoewen) April 17, 2016
A white man’s defensiveness instead of accepting responsibility #WPCsowhite #PHLWPC17 @JamesWLoewen @jillmarette99 @TheeKWard @got_privilege
— Aeriel A. Ashlee (@aerielashlee) April 17, 2016
Others ganged up on Loewen for using the N-word during his speech, which dealt heavily with racist sentiments throughout American history. One even described Loewen’s comments as “deeply offensive and traumatizing.”
I’m not ok with using oppressive & racist language by a white man in the “service” of learning @JamesWLoewen #WPCsowhite
— Heather Heater (@heaterMPH) April 16, 2016
We talk about taking action to dismantle white supremacy yet not much response on Loewen’s use of the N-word #WPCSoWhite#PHLWPC17
— TastefulIntuition (@TheeKWard) April 16, 2016
N-word NEVER acceptable from #whitefolks lips! Deeply offensive & traumatizing. @JamesWLoewen #WPCSoWhite #PHLWPC17 https://t.co/oLP9M9GwUs
— Jill Poklemba (@jillmarette99) April 16, 2016
The #WPCSoWhite label was used to go after more than Loewen’s speech, though. Users also complained about everything from the hairstyles of white attendees to the “ridiculously unsafe” environment that apparently existed (TheDCNF noticed no evidence of any violence or otherwise dangerous behavior during the three-day conference).
N-word NEVER acceptable from #whitefolks lips! Deeply offensive & traumatizing. @JamesWLoewen #WPCSoWhite #PHLWPC17 https://t.co/oLP9M9GwUs
— Jill Poklemba (@jillmarette99) April 16, 2016
@SusanaPhD so much. It’s ridiculous how unsafe @got_privilege #PHLWPC17 is for POC and indigenous ppl. #WPCsowhite
— Alejandra Pérez (@aleistalking) April 17, 2016
A white woman telling a black woman to close the door at a workshop session. Another example of #WPCsowhite #PHLWPC17 @got_privilege
— Aeriel A. Ashlee (@aerielashlee) April 16, 2016
Another attendee even denounced a white male at the conference for selling a book that was, in her view, too expensive.
@Immy_White white men capitalising off #PHLWPC17 is one of the many examples of #WPCsowhite
— Immy White (@Immy_White) April 17, 2016
TheDCNF estimates about 70 percent of attendees were white.
A regular ticket to the conference, purchased in advance, cost $375, and the cheapest ticket (for college students) was still $200. Attendees hoping to attend a special Saturday night dinner or special bonus sessions could end up spending hundreds more, and most attendees also had to cope with lodging and travel costs. Having the free time and money to attend a three-day conference, it turns out, may be the most privileged thing of all.
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