Dr. Robin DiAngelo (left) and Dr. Anthony Asadullah Samad (right) at the conclusion of wednesdays lecture. Photo by Brian Hinchion.
By Brian Hinchion, Staff Reporter
California State University, Dominguez Hills hosted author and University of Washington professor, Robin DiAngelo last week in the latest installation of the Dymally Distinguished Speaker Series.
DiAngelo is an Affiliate Associate Professor of Education at the University of Washington and focuses her research on whiteness studies and critical discourse analysis. Over the past few years, DiAngelo has authored numerous successful books highlighting racial discourse in the United States today. Her 2018 book “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism” was on the New York Times best-selling list for over a year. DiAngelo’s latest book “Nice Racism: How Progressive White People Perpetuate Racial Harm” was released in 2021.
In an hour-long slideshow to hundreds of attendees, DiAngelo presented some of her research and concepts from her recent books, such as the challenges of educating white people about racism and reflecting on past and current forms of racism in America.
At times, DiAngleo spoke directly to white people in the audience; Other times directly to the Black attendees. The subject matter was no doubt difficult for some and painful for others, but she managed to interweave important racial concepts while still managing to get the audience to laugh a couple of times at amusing and relatable examples of experiences everyone has been a part of.
In the question and answer portion after the lecture, DiAngelo was asked numerous questions including if racism played a role in the recent police brutality case where Tyre Nichols, a Black man, was killed by five Black police officers in Memphis, Tennessee. DiAngelo in her answer referenced a disagreement between her and author Ibram X. Kendi about whether Black people can be racist, but referenced Kendi’s claim that Black people can uphold the tenets of white supremacy.
DiAngelo credits her initial engagement in whiteness studies and critical discourse analysis, areas she has dedicated her life’s work to, to an essay by Peggy McIntosh entitled “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” She remarked how it completely resonated with her at the time she read it and influenced her to research and study these topics in the future.
The Mervyn M. Dymally African American Political & Economic Institute is a non-partisan public engagement think tank housed at CSUDH. The institute stages and supports cultural events for CSUDH students and the community at large that highlight the Dymally influence on the African diaspora.
The organization has hosted anti-racism lectures from Tim Wise and Dr. Ian Haney Lopez, as well as Cornel West and Angela Y. Davis as part of their Dymally distinguished speaker series in the past.
Through reflection exercises, personal anecdotes, and introducing concepts and analysis from her recent books, DiAngelo delivered an engaging, thought-provoking and question-inducing lecture that resonated with attendees.
