Education in itself is a bold topic of discussion. Add ethnicity into the mix and you’re looking at a melting pot of ideas that could rub many groups of people the wrong way. So before we delve into all of that, let’s start with the basics.
Race:
I know. It’s a topic that’s been covered hundreds of times, but I think there are a couple things that need to be cleared up.
White Privilege: Now stop. Before you get angry and demand that white privilege no longer exists, hear me out. As a chinese-american female, give me a chance to explain what I see from my view, and what you may see from yours. Just keep in mind: you don’t have to feel guilty about having white privilege, because it wasn’t in your control to be born with white skin.
HOWEVER! It truly does exist, and the moment you refuse to stay aware of the fact is the moment when you’re now guilty.
After reading Peggy McIntosh’s 1988 now-famous piece, “White Privilege, Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” there are a couple key facts that show why white privilege does NOT mean everyone is calling you a lazy middle or upper class citizen. Read, please.
- “I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.”
- “When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.”
- “If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race.
I understand that this list (and more that she has come up with) could certainly rub people the wrong way, because in some of the points she makes, “race” could easily be switched out with “class.” But please, try stepping in my shoes and at least agree that some points may or may not indicate that YOU have white privilege.
And it’s ok.
It doesn’t make you a bad person in any way whatsoever, and it also doesn’t downgrade your hard work as an individual. So, at the end of the day, it’s important to realize that we all have different privileges and experiences.
TL; DR: (sorry in advance for the profanity)
Now again, that picture isn’t assuming that every white person has all the privileges in the world. It’s simply urging people to be AWARE of what privileges they hold, even if it was out of their control.
Acknowledging white privilege ALSO confirms that minorities many have to work differently in some senses, especially when it comes to education. Obviously, we all have our own set of privileges, because THIS is a great list that Gina Crosley-Corcoran put together, displaying the other privileges one could have. After reading this list, I was pretty surprised about how much more privilege I have than i’d imagined. It’s always great to reflect on the things we often take for granted, and to be more aware of our surroundings and how we use our privileges.
So, I DO have privileges, but it’s time we all discover what we carry in our “invisible knapsacks.”
NOW, that conversation isn’t over, but I want to move on to my next point.
Education:
Affirmative action usually goes hand in hand with education, because it serves as a method of supporting minorities who have been oppressed for decades.
Though it is a VERY important topic, (learn more here) I don’t want to focus on every aspect of it- it’s too much to cover in one blog post.
The only reason why I want to bring up affirmative action is because it explains a lot of what’s been happening to the definition of “diversity” over the past couple years.
When diversity, and education is mentioned, the spotlight of this conversation is usually put on two major racial groups: blacks and Hispanics. Now this makes a lot of sense, granted they make up the largest % of minorities in America.
We can see why this spotlight is happening. In the chapter “King’s Dream Remains an Elusive Goal: Many Americans See Racial Disparities,” written by the Pew Research Team, a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington, D.C, their analysis of “progress towards racial equality” (627) compares blacks, Hispanics, and whites.
“Today, white adults 25 and older are significantly more likely than blacks to have completed at least a bachelor’s degree (34% to 21%)” (627)
This disparity with regards to education shows how important it is for the rest of society to be aware of what is happening, so they can provide support whenever possible.
As a result of this focus on helping people from black or Hispanic (or both) backgrounds, much of the media attention began to revolve around them, and these two groups were able gain a stronger political stance, which is fantastic!
At the same time though, the definition of being “diverse” is starting to look more like this:
Instead of this:
Now, don’t get me wrong, BOTH of these pictures are wonderful because of the differences we see. But the second one is a more true definition of diversity, one that isn’t only measured by the number of black and Hispanic people in the picture.
I can see why, though. Sheryl Sandberg, a person of Jewish descent, agrees in the chapter “What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid” of her book Lean In, when she elaborates on her background.
“All three of [her siblings, including herself,] were encouraged to excel in school and engage in extracurricular activities” (644).
Sandberg’s story is a strong testimony to the culture that has become associated with Jewish and Asian people. Growing up in a different culture makes education a top priority, and as a result, studies have shown that these two groups in particular have risen at a faster rate from oppression. This may be a reason why our stories are not shared as often, but is not a good enough excuse for our conversations to end here.
At the end of the day, i’m advocating for the INCLUSION of many other ethnically diverse people in the conversation when it comes to promoting higher education. It is great that people from disadvantaged backgrounds are getting the help and recognition they need, but this can’t be done by disregarding all the other hundreds of races and cultures out there. Being “colorblind” isn’t going to solve the problem, and recognizing privilege is the first step to being more aware of your surroundings.
So, when was the last time you checked your privileges?
Sources:
“Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person…” OCCUPY WALL STREET. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2016. <http://occupywallstreet.net/story/explaining-white-privilege-broke-white-person>.
McIntosh, Peggy. White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. Wellesley: Peggy McIntosh, 1988. 1988. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.
PEW Research Center. “King’s Dream Remains an Elusive Goal; Many Americans See Racial Disparities” They Say/I Say. Eds. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein and Russel Durst. New York: W. W. Norton, 2015. 697-716. Print.
Sandberg, Sheryl. “Lean In: What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid?” They Say/I Say. Eds. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein and Russel Durst. New York: W. W. Norton, 2015. 642-58. Print.
Image Credits:
http://procrasti-nation.eu/racism-sexism-privileges-for-the-underprivileged-mario-kart-analogy/
http://changefromwithin.org/2012/06/06/are-white-students-being-disadvantaged-by-affirmative-action/
http://www.lpstrategies.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/US-Population-by-Race-Ethnicity.png
http://c.tadst.com/gfx/600×400/worlddaycul-diver.jpg?1
https://sjames1501.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/istock_000016367688medium-2.jpg
http://media.salon.com/2015/10/people_grid-620×412.jpg
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