A “Working with Whiteness” group at Hamilton College is hosting events on white privilege and racism to help white students become better “allies” to other students.
The student organization strives to “engage white students with intersectional anti-racism work in a way that works towards collective liberation for us all.” Its faculty advisers are Margo Okazawa-Rey (Hamilton Women’s Studies) and Ashley Bohrer (Hamilton Philosophy).
When speaking with Audrey Darnis, a student writer for Hamilton’s The Spectator, Working with Whiteness co-founder Kateri Boucher explained that many of her white schoolmates are well-intentioned and do not wish to be racist, but are also unsure how they can combat racism.
According to Boucher, whites can aid racism by not understanding their privilege, not confronting microaggressions and not educating themselves regarding different cultures.
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor,” said Darnis, quoting Desmond Tutu, who explained the behavior of whites who do not engage in anti-racism.
The group’s Facebook page contains a list of events it is hosting this semester.
Earlier this month, Working with Whiteness showed the “I’m Not Racist…Am I?” film, and hosted Bohrer to hold a workshop on the history of whiteness and the definition of racism.
The group will host a Privilege 101 workshop, a microaggressions/implicit bias event, and a session training students to be better “allies” in March and April.
The Daily Caller News Foundation reached out to the Working with Whiteness co-founder for comment, but did not hear back by publication.
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