Where Do White People Belong in Conversations about Racism?

Cassie Pataky

Executive Content Editor

Disclaimer: This article was written as an opinions piece from the author’s perspective, not an editorial.

According to the UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) Alerts Timely Warning email, received by UCSB students on April 29, on April 28, in two separate instances, students were verbally harassed and spat on outside of Student Health and Isla Vista Theater, both targeted for their race.

With the rampant police brutality, unfair drug charges, and the escalation of ICE arrests, lives continue to be lost due to the pervasiveness of racism in America. Everything that is happening to people of color (POC) right now is a frightening indication of our steps backwards.

This is a problem that we have a stake in.

We, as white people, often assume a neutral stance when it comes to racial issues, as though they are not our burden to bear. While we recognize that racism is an issue, we tend to rely on the victims of racism to fight against it, because it is “not our place” to get involved.

In a conversation with Professor Stephanie Professor Batiste, however, she said, “If whiteness continues to be neutral in issues of race, then these problems of race hatred are never going to change.” She encouraged me (and other white folks) to recognize that “white people have race,” that we are just as much a part of the solution as anyone else.

On a liberal campus in California, racism is just as prevalent as it is in the current White House. And while we don’t have to worry about being “deported” unjustly or getting negatively profiled by the police, know that others do.

By remaining cognizant of our privilege, we build empathy for those who are at higher risk. Keep that in mind the next time you hear someone ranting about DEI hires or spouting assumptions — even benign ones — about a racial group. Or even rolling their eyes when someone says a buzzword like “systemic racism” or “cultural appropriation.” 

Professor Batiste put this in perspective: “You can only afford to be tired of those words if you’re not at the sharp end of the stick.” POC cannot escape or avoid conversations about race the way white people can. While they may seem harmless, the aforementioned actions invalidate the plight of POC, ultimately making it harder to stand up for what is right. 

And I know it is easy to feel powerless to change anything, especially when you are just one person. “That passivity and that feeling of feeling disconnected and disempowered is painful,” Professor Batiste acknowledged. 

But we can do something about it.

“One of the ways to arm yourself with the knowledge, to be able to separate whiteness from white supremacy, is to learn,” Professor Batiste said. “You have to sit in the discomfort of your own ignorance.” 

Becoming comfortable with feeling uncomfortable is hard, but it is vital to truly understand the place white people have within racial discussions. Whether staying informed on current issues or thinking critically about them (ideally both), learning can be revolutionary, particularly at a time when our educational institutions are under threat.

Professor Batiste also suggested getting together with others and talking about these issues or commemorating events, such as the hate crimes at UCSB. She encouraged people to try “simple things that begin to get your body feeling differently about your own relevance,” arguing that “those small actions are powerful when we move together.”

There are also a number of organizations, as well as campus resources, that educate students on ongoing issues and encourage them to get involved. 

• Showing Up for Racial Justice is an organization specifically created to bring white people into fights for racial and economic justice. They have a local Santa Barbara chapter that you can contact to get involved.
• Among other initiatives, the UCSB Blum Center on Poverty, Inequality, and Democracy is currently focused on the Central Coast Regional Equity Initiative, which “aims to understand regional disparities” in multiple sectors.
• The A-CAUSE initiative seeks to aid student research and improve “cultural congruence” across programs.
• You can report instances of discrimination and harassment with the UCSB Title IX Office, which also has information on UC discrimination policies and resources for impacted parties.

Involving yourself in any way, big or small, is a step in the right direction. “Being a witness,” in the words of Professor Batiste, “[allowing yourself to see something] is a way of both supporting and a way of taking responsibility.”