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Whiteness at Work 003: Embracing Our Humanity Project with Debby Irving
Episode Contents:
00:00 - Introduction to Our Guest: Debby Irving, author of Waking Up White
03:41 - What is the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge?
09:09 - Why having multiple methods of learning and exposure to different perspectives is a critical part of learning about our own whiteness.
13:25 - “I realized I was the problem.” How a six-month course at Wheelock College helped Debby shift her focus from promoting diversity -- or “pretend anti-racism work” to interrogating her own whiteness.
18:28 - How Debby made the psychological transition from an egocentric reaction upon seeing her own investment in whiteness and white supremacy design (from shame and embarrassment) to taking transformative action and embracing interconnectedness.
24:59 - Why deconstructing white supremacy is spiritual work and how it relates to Debby’s next book
26:38 - Why the myth of meritocracy is a key part of upholding white supremacy and why “nice people” are such easy targets.
30:36 - What is the difference between being kind, the culture of interdependence, and “being nice” or “being polite.” What does it have to do with the culture of whiteness? How is it oppressive? How does it create emotional immaturity and an inability to deal with complexity?
39:34 - How whiteness disembodied us from ourselves and trains us out of our humanity.
41:48 - “Law and order starting with the individual.” The incentive for designing a society to train people out of their full humanity?
46:33 - You are expected to leave your human at home if you want access to the rewards of this society, no matter how emotionally sound you are. Hierarchy takes away the need to be accountable to each other.
51:14 - Debby teaches Chris how being intentional with language can interrupt ego, perfectionism, individuality, and attachment to white power structures.
53:17 - How Debbie sees the possibility of a future in which white people do the work to confront and deconstruct white power structures in themselves and in the world around them.
Where to Find Debby Irving:
- www.debbyirving.com
- Events - https://debbyirving.com/schedule
- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/debby_irving
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DebbyIrvingAuthor
- Twitter - https://twitter.com/debbyirving
- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/debby-irving-a9424267
Homework:
- 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge - https://debbyirving.com/21-day-challenge/
- Dr. Eddie Moore Jr - https://www.eddiemoorejr.com
- The Privilege Institute - https://www.theprivilegeinstitute.com
- Waking Up White - https://debbyirving.com/the-book
Media References:
- Race the Power of an Illusion - https://www.racepowerofanillusion.org
- Boston University, Wheelock College of Education & Human Development - Course SED ED 505 - http://www.bu.edu/academics/wheelock/courses/sed-ed-505
View all episodes
By Chris ConroyEpisode Contents:
00:00 - Introduction to Our Guest: Debby Irving, author of Waking Up White
03:41 - What is the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge?
09:09 - Why having multiple methods of learning and exposure to different perspectives is a critical part of learning about our own whiteness.
13:25 - “I realized I was the problem.” How a six-month course at Wheelock College helped Debby shift her focus from promoting diversity -- or “pretend anti-racism work” to interrogating her own whiteness.
18:28 - How Debby made the psychological transition from an egocentric reaction upon seeing her own investment in whiteness and white supremacy design (from shame and embarrassment) to taking transformative action and embracing interconnectedness.
24:59 - Why deconstructing white supremacy is spiritual work and how it relates to Debby’s next book
26:38 - Why the myth of meritocracy is a key part of upholding white supremacy and why “nice people” are such easy targets.
30:36 - What is the difference between being kind, the culture of interdependence, and “being nice” or “being polite.” What does it have to do with the culture of whiteness? How is it oppressive? How does it create emotional immaturity and an inability to deal with complexity?
39:34 - How whiteness disembodied us from ourselves and trains us out of our humanity.
41:48 - “Law and order starting with the individual.” The incentive for designing a society to train people out of their full humanity?
46:33 - You are expected to leave your human at home if you want access to the rewards of this society, no matter how emotionally sound you are. Hierarchy takes away the need to be accountable to each other.
51:14 - Debby teaches Chris how being intentional with language can interrupt ego, perfectionism, individuality, and attachment to white power structures.
53:17 - How Debbie sees the possibility of a future in which white people do the work to confront and deconstruct white power structures in themselves and in the world around them.
Where to Find Debby Irving:
- www.debbyirving.com
- Events - https://debbyirving.com/schedule
- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/debby_irving
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DebbyIrvingAuthor
- Twitter - https://twitter.com/debbyirving
- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/debby-irving-a9424267
Homework:
- 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge - https://debbyirving.com/21-day-challenge/
- Dr. Eddie Moore Jr - https://www.eddiemoorejr.com
- The Privilege Institute - https://www.theprivilegeinstitute.com
- Waking Up White - https://debbyirving.com/the-book
Media References:
- Race the Power of an Illusion - https://www.racepowerofanillusion.org
- Boston University, Wheelock College of Education & Human Development - Course SED ED 505 - http://www.bu.edu/academics/wheelock/courses/sed-ed-505