White Fragility

When I think of “running the race,” one of the races I think of is the marathon of becoming more aware of my own race (no pun intended) as a White person. It was hard in the beginning, and confronting the topic of race and racism made me uncomfortable at first. But by leaning in and listening, bit by bit, my tolerance for discomfort grew, and I pushed myself to find spaces where I was both welcome and a racial minority, spaces where the conversation and confrontation about racism and White supremacy could be frank. I’ll keep my ears and eyes open as I continue living into my role at FMC, trying to gauge dis/comfort levels on race conversations and where White fragility needs a gradual yet firm pace.