Abstract
Stephen Brookfield and Mary Hess collaborated in this challenging, instructive book, building on critical race theory, adult-learning theories, and personal experiences toward creating a guide for white people in becoming antiracist. I disclose my multiprivileged positionality as a white, straight, cisgender, advanced-middle-aged, generally abled male with a middle-class, Protestant upbringing. Brookfield and Hess importantly shared their positionalities, highlighting their white identity while noting experiences with working-class upbringing.
Overview of Content
The title Becoming a White Antiracist sets the stage to a journey. The introduction includes authors’ testimonies regarding turning points in becoming aspiring allies in antiracism. The first chapter gives a rationale for white people to enter the journey of becoming antiracist, making clear that racism is a white problem needing white problem-solving. The second chapter works on defining a white antiracist identity. The remaining chapters unpack strategies for white aspiring (always growing) allies to bring more white people to awareness of white identity and a will to participate in the long struggle of dismantling systemic white-supremacist racism.
Evaluation
This book effectively brings the reader to points of reflection and decision-making that lead to I-questions. Have I considered my own whiteness as a racial identity? If not, why not? If so, then starting when and how? What are my motivations for becoming anti-racist? What emotions emerge as I engage in the work? How do I do this with BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) folks and with other white aspiring allies? What can I expect in doing this work? The authors generously shared their own experiences with these questions and more while also making key connections from theory to practice.
Brookfield and Hess emphasized how each has been on a journey without end in anti-racist awareness, education, and activism. They have grown by acknowledging their long-held misconceptions, by learning from ongoing mistakes, by expanding their perspectives, and by gradually earning their trust as leaders. They shared turning points but explained how growth has come only through embracing a learning curve that never flattens. One of Brookfield's turning points was in the 1980s while in his 30s, when racialized people asked him about his silence in groups. He explained his reluctance to take up much space as a white male, but the reply to that was a challenge to make clear his thinking, which was impossible to interpret when silent. The work is arduous and must be shared in times of pain and joy with fellow antiracist educators and activists. Knowing the systemic extent of racism in dehumanizing racialized people is painful. Working collectively, though, as the authors affirm, on bringing hopeful change is a labor of love with times of joy, even when fruits of the labor are not seen immediately, which is often. To be white and aware of the hideous, insidious ideology of white supremacy while choosing not to engage in antiracist work is to live in hopeless fear and in harm to one's mental and emotional health. The authors share that a selfish but important motive to do antiracist work is to keep from falling into mental illness.
The authors do not stop with mental and emotional aspects of deciding to engage. They provide key strategies and tools for doing this work effectively with individuals and institutions. Their advice on working with BIPOC folks in the struggle addresses what to expect in an understandably slow process of gaining their trust given their countless disappointments with self-proclaimed allies. The mentalities of white savior and silent onlooker are to be avoided. To gain trust is to move into brave spaces, such as the front of a march to be between BIPOC demonstrators and potentially violent police. Another brave space, as the authors note, is speaking out when one's own institution shows evidence of white-supremacist culture in its policies, practices, or outcomes. This is risky if done alone, but an organized group of white coworkers can have power together in using white privilege for good trouble. One limit, not weakness, in the book is in not addressing the need for white adult and K-12 educators to collaborate in building cross-generational efforts. This can be further studied.
Recommendations
The book is indeed practical, and it is powerful in the authors’ testimonies, in their citations connecting theory to practice, and in detailed instructions with effective strategies. Hopefully, many white people from all walks of work and life will read this book and ask themselves and each other “Where do I (we) go next?” which must be action based. For some, it will be from initial awareness to first commitments. For others, it will be from one level of educational and activist work to a higher level. We white folks all need to step up and forward.
