Pay with Action
Pay with your
privilege
“Check your privilege’ means pausing and considering how the advantages you’ve had in life contribute to your opinions and actions, and how the lack of disadvantages in certain areas is keeping you from fully understanding the struggles others are facing and may in fact be contributing to those struggles.”
― Ijeoma Oluo
at home
Your racist uncle might listen more to you talking about anti-racism than the media. Use your privilege in your private and personal circles to challenge those you love on the viewpoints and perspectives. Don't ignore or nervously laugh at racist jokes or bias comments. Your privilege in private spaces is needed. Here are examples of how to pay with your privilege at home:
at work
Chances are in the workplace there are more White people on your team, than Black people. Use your privilege to create spaces for your Black colleagues to be invited to the after-work Happy Hour or to the Stretch project. You don't have to be manager to advocate for a Black colleague. Proactively looks for ways to share the space. Here are examples of how to pay with your privilege at work:
on the street
White privilege on the street goes along way. It could literally save a life. Don't be a Bystander. Speak up when you witness an injustice. Check your own White Privilege when you interact with Black people. Don't be the next Amy Cooper. Here are examples of how to pay with your privilege on the street:
1.
Understand White Privilege immediately and how it is a play in your life.
2.
Develop a positive White identity.
3.
Read White Fragility and then share it with your White peers and family members.
4.
Don't be a Karen or Amy Cooper. Being non-racist does not make you an anti-racist. Your political party does not always determine your fight against racism.