One thing I learned at the White Privilege Conference is the idea that racism is breed and cultivated in the backstage of our lives - a relative who loves to tell offensive jokes, a friend who makes dismissive comments, and so on. As people study the situation, four archetypes emerge: the leader (1/6 people), the cheerleaders (2/6 people), the silently disapproving (2/6 people) and the active resisters (1/6 people).

My advisory group was doing a role-play today on this concept, and to my mind jumped very quickly from problem to solution. Listening to them explain themselves, though, it began to make sense. Their main point was that, when you truly trust the people around you, it becomes easier to speak up for what you think is right. One of them added that she's never really cared what people thought of her anyway, she has just sort of always stuck up for people when they've needed someone on their side.

So it should follow that, in fighting racism (and other isms - reminds me of Ferris Bueller, who said "Isms in my opinion are not good."), building trust and believing in yourself is key to developing your voice as a resister, as someone who will stand up for others. I guess the next step may be to ask my advisees how you build that trust and that belief in yourself, and also to think back on what's worked in the past.