Racism and Social Policy

"Race" is a very peculiar concept. It is one of those things that everybody thinks they understand, but gets less clear the harder we look at it. Race is a cultural category into which people are placed based upon apparent biological characteristics. Although races are traditionally considered biological entities, it is impossible to explain clear biological boundaries between these groups of people. Maybe a better explanation of “race” is groups of people who consider themselves, …

…believe in the creative power of human beings to engage the world honestly and act morally. A first step for white people, I think, is to not be afraid to admit that we have benefited from this white privilege. It does not mean we are frauds who have no claim to our success. It means we face a choice about what we do with our success and how to open doors to promote social change.