How White Credit Is Gained in Performative Antiracist Work

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 11:40 am Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Curating Dynamic Spaces for Action and Transformation (Table 6)

Abstract

In 2020, institutions, organizations, and societies witnessed a surge of marches, symbolic gestures, and an ebb of violent policies in response to the killings of Black individuals in our communities. Despite these actions over two years, genuine racial progress and equity remain elusive. This stagnation is partly because advancements often hinge on white benefit via interest convergence, which undermines efforts toward establishing a truly anti-racist democracy. The initial momentum towards social change has waned, as the recognition of racial progress has been largely attributed to the actions of white individuals engaging in anti-racist initiatives. This paper argues that five forms of white credit create barriers that prevent the realization of an anti-racist society.

Authors

• Leslie Uchenna Ekpe, East Texas A&M University

• Jonathan W. Crocker, Denver Public Schools