As people who benefit from racial privilege, whites can support the leadership of people of color by first challenging these deeply-ingrained myths about racism before entering into a conversation about it, especially with people of color:

1) “You’re racist for making this an issue of race.”

2) “I don’t see race. I only see the human race.”

3) “Talking about issues in terms of ‘white people’ and ‘white privilege’ is reverse racism.”

4) “You [person of color] clearly don’t know what racism is. According to Webster’s Dictionary...”

5) “You [person of color] said something about white people doing racist things, so I demand you explain this to me right now.”

6) “But my [person of color] friend said it was OK if I did it [racially problematic thing].”


7) “Stop attacking me for having privileges just because I’m white. It’s racist and hurtful.”

8) “I’m sick of pretending that [people of color] need special rights and programs just because they aren’t white. We have problems too, you know.”

9) Insert tear-filled expression of white privilege guilt or denial here.