1. Who qualifies as “white?”

Good question. The Circles are for anyone who self-defines and self-identifies as white. This can be someone of European descent or non-European descent. Someone who is white-presenting, meaning they ethnically might not be considered white but they look white, therefore reap the social benefits of whiteness, such as a light-skinned North African or Latinx person. An easy way to put it - anyone who benefits from white supremacy and wants to process that.

2. Why a community space for white people?

Identity-specific community spaces can be powerful and effective in claiming and cleaning up (and letting go of) identities. We hear it time and time again: “White people - do your work!” Meaning, get real with one another, look within, make changes, hold each other accountable and fight for change. For many of us white people, that means recognizing and reckoning with the ways our upbringing, our way of life, our actions, our inherited trauma perpetuate the tragic reality of racism. Processing this, especially the more challenging aspects of it—like unconscious fear responses or ways we’ve done harm—with BIPOC is not appropriate. BIPOC live with the reality and challenges of racism every day. White people do not need to burden or unintentionally further harm BIPOC with our racial duress or guilt.

3. Doesn’t this just feed into white passivity around racism?

Another great question. Healing work is not a substitute for taking action to change the structures of racism and white supremacy, and this is not intended to be an escape for white people to center their own pain. However, healing is a vital component in a long and noble human struggle to end racism. If racist policies and behaviors magically stopped overnight, the damage from the past racism would not disappear. Many of those targeted would still feel attacked, worthless, mistreated, ignored, doubting themselves. Many of those conditioned to act as agents of racism would continue to feel superior, entitled, deserving, or guilty and confused about our roles. Only by healing the inner damage done to individuals can we be confident that racist attitudes and behaviors will not continue and that racist policies will not reappear in other guises. Without this healing, our thinking is clouded, our relationships distressed, our unity work to end racism is slowed.

4. Doesn’t having an identity-specific community space just for white people further feed into racism and separation?

Well, in some ways, yes; and that’s the tension that this work gets to ride. By creating a space that’s specifically designed for white people, it further edifies the myth that white people are different than Black people, Chinese people, etc. Race is a myth, but as Resmaa Menakem puts it [1], it’s a myth “that has teeth” because it’s embedded in our institutions, policies, culture, consciousness and bodies. Therefore in order to address racism we need to meet our country, world and consciousness where it’s at, always with an eye towards a new paradigm of unity. Check out question #2 for more on identity-specific community space.

Do you have suggestions for other questions that should be included here? Email me at connect@wehealforall.com.