What Does It Mean to Be White in America?

Top of Mind with Julie Rose

Since 2020 — when George Floyd's murder was seen around the world and protests for racial justice swept the country — many Americans with white skin have begun to think explicitly about race and its consequences. What does it mean to be white in America? What’s it like to be not-white-enough? Or to not have your racial identity reflected on official government forms? How did white become the default against which all other skin colors are measured? In this podcast episode, we explore the nuance of what it means to be white in America with guests who fall along the spectrum of whiteness. We’ll hear one woman’s story of waking up to her whiteness and understanding how skin color matters in America. A leading historian of race in America explains how – and why – whiteness was invented. We’ll consider the complicated relationship people who identify as Hispanic or Latin American have long had with whiteness. And a multiracial mother will share insights on how to help children be thoughtful, informed and brave about race. Podcast Guests: Debby Irving, racial justice educator, author of “Waking Up White (and finding myself in the story of race)” (https://www.debbyirving.com/) Nell Irvin Painter, professor emerita of American History at Princeton, author of “The History of White People” and “I Just Keep Talking” (http://www.nellpainter.com/) Julie Dowling, professor of Sociology and Latin American/Latino Studies, University of Illinois, Chicago, author of “Mexican Americans and the Question of Race” Melissa Giraud, founder and co-director of Embrace Race (https://www.embracerace.org/)