SPIT Knowledge continued its series with a lecture about white privilege in America on Tuesday evening.
White privilege is the ability of those of certain skin color to receive services solely based on their physical attributes while those of other backgrounds are denied those opportunities.
The speaker, Tim Wise, is an author of five race related works and travels around the country educating individuals on racism and its existence in America.
“It’s nice to go to an HBCU,” the 42-year-old father of two said. “Most of the schools I speak at are HWCUs, historically white college and universities. Even though we don’t call them that. That’s what they are.”
Wise spoke to students not convincing them of the problems around the country, but sharing his experience.
He even corrected a common misconception or notion people have when he speaks to his many audiences.
“One of the promotional works said that I was the “mouthpiece of the minority,” Wise said. “That’s absolutely not what I’m trying to do. I’m not trying to speak for black folks or people of color. I’m trying to speak for me about white racism. But if I can do that in a way that will bring a mostly black audience some information they may not otherwise get because the reality is that most white people do not speak openly and honestly about race. We don’t do it among ourselves nor do we do it with color in the room.”
Wise defined the problem with racism in America as the white privilege and told of how it affects everyday activities for black, brown and white people.
These problems are often seen, yet are not spoken about. “White privilege is a psychological advantage that the dominant group has,” Wise said. “I know that I can walk into a bank and not think, ‘Is this person going to look at me differently because I’m black? Because I’m Latino or whatever?’ It’s the ability to be seen as competent even though you have not proven yourself as competent.”
The overall message that Wise was trying to get the students of Prairie View to see was that racism is still around. White and black people know its around, and once we all recognize it, it can be dealt with.
“For mostly black audiences or audiences of color, what I hope people will take away is a little better fluency of white speak,” Wise said. “In other words if I share some secrets about what I think is going on with white folks, its great. A sense that what people of color think is happening, is in fact happening. If I can clarify in any way, that yes, this stuff is actually happening, nobody is crazy for thinking it’s happening. If that helps people breathe a little bit or exhale a little bit, then people can focus on what they need to do to overcome that then that’s great.”