White Fragility: A FAN Webinar with Robin DiAngelo, Ph.D.
THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
In her 2018 New York Times bestselling book "White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism," University of Washington Education Professor Robin DiAngelo, Ph.D. explores the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged. In her view, 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. Racial stress results from an interruption to what is racially familiar. In turn, whites are often at a loss for how to respond in constructive ways, as they have not had to build the cognitive or affective skills or develop the stamina that would allow for constructive engagement across racial divides, leading to what Dr. DiAngelo refers 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.
Dr. DiAngelo will be interviewed by Marcus Campbell, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent/Principal of Evanston Township High School. Neither audience Q&A nor chat will be enabled for this event.
BONUS EVENT: Purchase a copy of "White Fragility" through our independent bookseller, The Book Stall, to receive a link to a special post-event gathering with Dr. Campbell following the presentation. Copy and paste this link to purchase the book: https://www.thebookstall.com/search/site/white%20fragility
NOTE: Facebook only allows for 25 co-hosts to be listed -- this event has 36! Here is the entire list: Baker Demonstration School, Beacon Academy, Bennett Day School, Catherine Cook School, Chiaravalle Montessori School, Compass Health Center, Countryside Day School, Evanston Scholars, Evanston Township High School D202, Family Service Center, Family Service of Glencoe, Foundation 65, Glencoe D35, the Glencoe PTO, the James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy, Lake Forest Country Day School, Latin School of Chicago, Loyola Academy, McGaw YMCA, Mindful Psychology Associates, New Trier Parents’ Association, North Shore Country Day School, PADlab at Northwestern University, Regina Dominican High School, the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, Rogers Park Montessori School, Roycemore School, the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University, Science and Arts Academy, Stevenson High School D125, The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Wintrust Bank, Wolcott School, Young, Black & Lit, Youth and Opportunity United (Y.O.U.), and the YWCA Evanston/North Shore.