Reflection on White Supremacy Culture
Relationship Skills Part 3
Over many years, I have revisited the characteristics of White Supremacy Culture again and again. The original article outlining these characteristics was written by Tema Okun in 1999. I’ve linked to an update published in 2021. The article identifies different behaviors and beliefs that together perpetuate a racist dominant culture: perfectionism, sense of urgency, defensiveness, quantity over quality, worship of the written word, paternalism, either/or thinking, power hoarding, fear of open conflict, individualism, progress is more, objectivity, right to comfort.
When I first encountered them, I admit that many were so normalized to me as “the way to do things” that I had trouble even understanding how organizations could function without emphasizing the written word or asserting that there was a right way to do things. Working in nonprofits, I was almost always operating with a sense of urgency which I felt was justified by the importance of our social change mission. As a white person, I was guilty of asserting my “right to comfort” and suppressing conflict in favor of decorum. I now recognize that these characteristics describe only one way of doing things, not the only way, and that these ways of being have been used to disenfranchise and oppress others and in service to white supremacy.
Fortunately, the article outlines “antidotes” for each characteristic, providing guidance about how to do things differently. For example, individualism can be countered by working as a team and sharing credit. As Okun says, “The invitation for this and every characteristic is to investigate how each and all characteristics and qualities lead to disconnection (from each other, ourselves, and all living things) and how the antidotes can support us to reconnect…[They] are meant to help us see our culture so that we can transgress and transform and build culture that truly supports us individually and collectively.”
Because these concepts may take time to sink in or unlearn, working with a group to deepen your understanding is a good idea. At NAWA, we used the characteristics as a basis for DEI education for our board and staff. Over the course of a year, we discussed one characteristic at each board meeting (with staff encouraged to join that portion of the meeting). We rotated responsibility for facilitating the discussion—the leader would choose a characteristic that was meaningful to them, start the discussion by sharing their perspective and experiences related to the concept, and then open up a group discussion.
As I have had time to consider the characteristics more deeply and gained more insight about multiple ways of working and leading well, I see how these characteristics are aligned with racial capitalism and can have dehumanizing effects. I see other possibilities and have more lived experience with other approaches. I am still unlearning the behaviors and expect to continue to make mistakes, but I am making progress, and it gives me hope that we can find new, anti-racist ways of working together.