Our Whiteness is not Connected to Our Humanity with Maleeka Jihad

The Proximity Process

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Today's conversation with Maleeka Jihad (MJ) dives into the difference between whiteness (white ideology), white identity, and humanity. MJ is the Executive Director of the MJCF: Coalition and runs a consulting business. She's also earning her PhD in Leadership and Development and Social Change. When we first met, she was co-facilitating a training I attended and in one of the breakout sessions she said, "your whiteness is not connected to your humanity." It was one of those comments that stays with you and has a real impact. I wanted to have this conversation to better understand the difference between my whiteness as an ideology that contributes to the harms of racism and my white identity. We also talked about how we can begin to move out of our whiteness, into our humanity, and begin to express ourselves through empathy, kindness and love for one another.
If this episode sparked your curiosity and you want to learn more, here are a few resources that MJ shared. Unfortunately, I was not able to provide links.

• The Social Construction of Whiteness: Racism by Intent, Racism by Consequence, Teresa J Guess
• White Identities: Historical and International Perspectives, Alastair Bonnett
• The Primacy of Anit-Blackness, Adam Bledsoe

You are invited to join the Proximity Podcast Club, a growing community of people supporting one another through their process of becoming who they want to be in this work. We meet every Monday morning at 9am est. Message me, Matt Anderson, on LinkedIn for the meeting link.

Please connect with me, Matt Anderson, on LinkedIn - Matt Anderson | LinkedIn