A life of white privilege is nice (NYU)

How to be an Antiracist (Kendi)

The thing about white privilege, like implicit bias, is that we don't know we have it. We would notice if we lost it through sudden poverty or loss of looks. We enjoy it, fail to check it, and offend a lot of people who are not similarly privileged in a deeply racist society. It's deep because it's not always on the surface, like when someone says we had a Black president. That proves we're not racist as a country? Let's ignore who has been president every other time (except for the first nine, who were also Black, and maybe Lincoln, but those nine do not count because technically we were not yet a country due to the Articles of Confederation not yet being ratified or something; we've covered this). We don't see our own privilege, yet seeing someone else's can be painfully obvious when we have been sensitized to what others have been talking about. It's good to be in the know rather than oblivious. Generational wealth, health, better treatment by police and clerks, courts and officials, being given the benefit of the doubt constantly... Watching Matt Walsh's recent "Am I Racist?" movie did more to make us think whites really are oblivious to the advantage(s) they enjoy and take for granted or who others are systematically mistreated and disadvantaged. White guilt is not the solution, but neither is white fragility. We have to awaken and work toward equality and equity or something approaching fairness and inclusion, not just those in power deciding what's "fair" enough.

We stand for justice...for lions.

The local Shambhala Buddhist Center in Los Angeles used to have an occasional white sensitivity class to discuss our privilege and issues that never get talked about but affect us all. Remember on "Seinfeld" how when race would come up, everyone would go silent and awkward? It's really like that. Was it because Kramer was in the room (on the set) and he might ad lib something? It would have been great to have a national conversation. Walsh's film didn't advance anything, only shining negative light on a new industry of DEI profiteers, as if it were all only them. Oh, before they came along everything was all right, right, Matt?

the mosaic of me (the video that got me rejected from NYU)

(NatalieAlbaugh) Sept. 24, 2024: I needed to make a video about myself to submit for my NYU college application back in 2023. This is that video, and although I may have not gotten into NYU, I'm so grateful to have this video to represent the first few chapters of my life. :)* Please watch until the end!

• Ashley Wells, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation)