Play It Foward Episode 638 Racial Justice Educator Christine Saxman The Book Being White Today

Arroe Collins Unplugged and Totally Uncut

Thank you for being part of the conversation. This is Play It Forward. Real people. Real stories. The struggle to Play It Forward. Episode 638 with racial justice educator and author Christine Saxman.

The idea that White people are under attack has permeated political discourse in recent elections. The election of 2024 will be no different. Being White Today: A Roadmap for a Positive Antiracist Life helps White people navigate the myriad messages they encounter about race. The book applies the White racial identity framework developed by psychologist Dr. Janet Helms to take a strong stance against racism. Using fictionalized scenarios and case studies, it offers a way to resist extremist messaging and recruitment. A helpful resource for White people who care about US society, in particular, White parents, educators, activists, and racial/social justice practitioners, this book also helps people understand antiracist messaging and how to use it strategically to create a larger community of White antiracists.

The last decade witnessed two significant trends: (1) White nationalists successfully instilled weaponized messages related to White identity throughout conservative politics. (2) The movement for Black lives called on White people to grapple with their racial position and support racial justice efforts.

While the far-right’s manipulative messaging is provocative and easy to grasp, antiracist messaging is complex and nuanced, which allows for significant misunderstanding. The competing narratives result in many White people disengaging entirely from issues of race and racial justice.

Given that White identity is top-of-mind for politicians and activists across the political spectrum leading toward the 2024 election, it is essential that White people understand how White racial identity functions and react usefully. Being White Today connects the dots between far-right messaging, antiracism’s demands, and the role White racial identity plays in today’s politics and people’s lives.

Tochluk and Saxman wrote Being White Today to help White people become resilient in the face of far-right manipulation. With empathy, nuance, and skill, the book achieves this by providing people with a positive vision for how to communicate effectively with White friends, family, and co-workers about race.