By and large, arguably, America has largely been unsuccessful in harnessing the notion that Race is a thing to be endowed with rather than discriminated against on a “systems level”, in rights and privileges. It should be obvious that adverse behaviors: be they systematically practiced (in policies or behaviors) or individually ascribed (as underlying, unintended, or perceived to be well-meaning), the impacts can be systemic to affect a whole host of less-than-desirable conditions. Included among these are: health care, education and intellectual pursuits, real-property aspiration, and intergenerational wealth accumulation and transfer. Societies have too often perpetuated the use of “Race” to establish and justify systems of power, privilege, disenfranchisement, and oppression. Whether through policies or practices stemming from a worldview in constructing unequal populations among Europeans, Native Americans, and peoples of African descent, the lack of understanding about Race as a social construct in the United States, precludes each of us from speaking and engaging together, meaningfully, about its use.

Today, our workshop will use roleplaying, exploring theory, information, and findings to focus on the following themes and takeaways:
• Theme: Historical Recovery to strengthen current racial justice/equity efforts/movements.

• What Does It Mean to be White- How Did We Get Here?
• The staff assigned to Whiteness.

• Take-Aways:

• Appreciate how unrecognized bias can affect outcomes.
• Learn how to foster conversations on Race among new and old relationships to better understand the origins and impacts of your own Whiteness.