WHITE FRAGILITY

Last week I was assisting a friend to expose racist behavior near a local town surrounded by many First Nation Reservations.  Many of this town's residents have been known for generations to racial profile, conduct racially violent actions, and condone racism in the town since it was overtaken and stolen from Metis Settlers in the area...

As a result of the Facebook post, it was removed several times and put on Facebook Jail (not allowed to post, comment, or use imessenger) for 24 hours.  At the time I found it ironic because in the past many highly racism posts were made for years against people of color and it took many people to get the posts removed but like a Black Pastor in California stated while doing a talk with well known speaker, Time Wise, Facebook is a "White Privileged Social Media" platform that supports Whiteness...

So so true...therefore, I thought I would share further explanation of White Fragility because this is what I see when confronting this Mental Conditioning...

BELOW IS Isaiah Hines WORDS:



Isaiah Hines
May 25 at 9:07pm · South Burlington, VT, United States ·

It’s come to my attention that this image is circulating the “Rebel Alliance” Facebook page and is generating quite a bit of confusion. Just wanted to clear up a few things. This is a picture of me, one year ago, giving my final presentation for my AP Psychology class. For this project, we were allowed to choose any psychology-related concept to research and present to the class. I chose ‘white fragility’. I stand by my presentation and the concept of white fragility and here’s why.
White fragility is a term coined by Westfield State University professor Robin DiAngelo. It refers to a mental state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive actions and biological responses. It is a well-researched, well-documented psychological phenomenon and it was entirely appropriate for the assignment. My psychology teacher also fully approved of the presentation.

Part of why white fragility occurs is because we are falsely taught that racism is an issue solely of moral and immoral people rather than as an issue deeply embedded in our nation's systems and institutions. This means that people believe if they are a good person with good morals, they are incapable of being racist. So, when white people are called out for saying or doing something racially insensitive, they believe they are being called an immoral, bad person. This explains much of the defensiveness.

In truth, as Americans, we are raised in a racist society that exists as a result of our extensive and violent history of race-based oppression, we are all socialized to have racist tendencies. Saying and doing racist things by mistake does not make you a bad person. Everyone will make these mistakes at some point. Instead of seeing being called out as a personal attack on your character, I encourage people to try to see it as an opportunity to learn and grow.

The reason it is so important to understand this concept is that it can be a HUGE barrier to having effective conversations on race and racism. 

White fragility allows people not to be held accountable for their words and actions, it allows white people to govern when and how racism is discussed, and it reinforces racial power dynamics thus upholding the white supremacy within our society.

I did find it just a little funny how many of the people responding to this image with anger or indignation are actually displaying the psychological concept in action! 

I’ve attached the link to my actual presentation below. I HIGHLY suggest everyone take a look!

WHITE PEOPLE ARE FRAGILE

A Psychological Analysis of the Social Phenomenon That Is White Fragility

By Isaiah Hines

What Is White Fragility?

• The term ‘white fragility’ was coined by Robin DiAngelo. 
• It refers to a mental state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable. This then triggers a range of defensive moves. 
• In America, white people live in a social environment that protects them from race-based stress.
• As a result, white people get to set expectations for racial comfort which in turn lowers their tolerance for racial-stress.

Why Is It A Bad Thing?

• The term ‘white fragility’ was coined by Robin DiAngelo.
• It refers to a mental state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable. This then triggers a range of defensive moves.
• In America, white people live in a social environment that protects them from race-based stress.
• As a result, white people get to set expectations for racial comfort which in turn lowers their tolerance for racial-stress.

Why Does This Happen?

• Most white people understand racism solely as an issue of moral and immoral people.
• They believe if they’re a good person with good intentions, they can’t be racist.
• They also tend to believe that racism consists of easily identifiable singular acts such as racial slurs, hate crimes, etc.
• When white people are called out for doing something racist, they tend to think they are being called a bad person, which upsets them. 

How Can We Avoid It?

          REMEMBER:

• There is no such thing as “reverse racism”
• There is no such thing as “colorblindness”
• Racism is not always overt and due to the racist society that we live in, we are all capable of it.
• Simply speaking about race is not racist.
• When called out for saying/doing something racist, take it as an opportunity to learn and grow.
• You are never “done” unlearning racism.
• Learn how to listen and never try to dominate a conversation on racism with a person of color.

Also, here are some links that I’ve often used when facilitating discussions on this topic. I find both of these pieces extremely helpful and educational.

CULTURE

Why White People Freak Out When They're Called Out About Race < Click Here to Read More

'White fragility' is a defensive response to real conversations about race.

By Sam Adler-Bell / AlterNet

March 12, 2015

White Fragility

by Robin DiAngelo

White people in North America live in a social environment that protects and insulates them from race-based stress. This insulated environment of racial protection builds white expectations for racial comfort while at the same time lowering the ability to tolerate racial stress, leading to what I refer to as White Fragility. 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. This paper explicates the dynamics of White Fragility. I am a white woman. I am standing beside a black woman. We are facing a group of white people who are seated in front of us. We are in their workplace, and have been hired by their employer to lead them in a dialogue about race. The room is filled with tension and charged with hostility. I have just presented a definition of racism that includes the acknowledgment that whites hold social and institutional power over people of color. A white man is pounding his fist on the table. His face is red and he is furious. As he pounds he yells, “White people have been discriminated against for 25 years! A white person can’t get a job anymore!”

... Read More 

I'm happy to respond to any questions or concerns or just further explain this concept if anyone is interested. Just let me know!

See the original post on Facebook below:

Healing Through Neurodecolonization and Mindfulness"

Dr. Michael Yellow Bird

"Healing through neurodecolonization and mindfulness"

Dr. Michael Yellow Bird speaks at Portland State University, "Healing through neurodecolonization and mindfulness". Indigenous scholar and activist, citizen of the Arikara (Sahniish) and Hidatsa Nations in North Dakota. Dr. Yellow Birds activism focuses on: Native American and other Indigenous Peoples cultural and political rights; Indigenous Peoples’ health and wellness, neurodeocolonization and mindfulness; and Colonization and methods of Decolonization.

He is also co-editor and author of several books: For Indigenous Eyes Only: The Decolonization Handbook, 2005 (with Dr. Waziyatawin); Indigenous Social Work around the World: Towards Culturally Relevant Education and Practice, 2008 (with Drs. Mel Gray and John Coates); For Indigenous Minds Only, 2012 (with Dr. Waziyatawin); and Decolonizing Social Work, 2013 (with Mel Gray, John Coates, and Tiani Hetherington)



DECOLONIZING THE MIND from cheryle easter on Vimeo.

PowerPoint From 2015: Concepts of Traditional Mindfulness and Neurodecolonization of the Mind and Body


Dr. Michel Yellow Bird attended the Indigenous Thought Conference as a Keynote Speaker at the University nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills from May 2-5, 2017

Dr. Michael Yellow Bird is a citizen of the Three Affiliated Tribes, (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara), and a Professor of Sociology and Director of Indigenous Tribal Studies at North Dakota State University. He joined the NDSU faculty in the fall of 2014. He has held faculty and/or academic administrative appointments at the University of British Columbia, University of Kansas, Arizona State University, and Humboldt State University.

His teaching, writing, research, and community work focus on Indigenous Peoples’ health, leadership, and cultural rights; the effects of colonization and methods of decolonization; decolonizing social work approaches; decolonizing war and military service; neurodecolonization and mind body approaches; neuroscience and Indigenous Peoples; traditional mindfulness and contemplative practices; ancestral and paleo eating and lifestyle; and the Rights of Mother Earth.