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Author and activist Tim Wise explained March 17 how the poor are blamed for their poverty through the myth that they havent worked hard enough to gain success, despite blatant inequalities in society.

In his talk at City College, Wise critiqued the cultural belief that there is a correlation between hard work and success. He called meritocracy a myth, imposed upon the public to disguise the mechanisms of inequality intrinsic in society.

This concept of meritocracy, it doesnt just hurt people of color, Wise said. Its a dagger pointed at every single one of us.

Wise emphasized that without intervention, people will defer to the default myth about inequality they witness and blame the poor for their poverty, rather than cultivate authentic justice.

To be an educator, you need to be a revolutionary now, Wise said. We have an education system that produces inequality because we have an economic system thats predicated and rooted in inequality. Woodrow Wilson said we need one group to prepare themselves for the receipt of a liberal education, and one group, much larger by necessity, to forego the privilege of a liberal education and to prepare themselves for the performance of certain difficult, manual tasks.

Wise argued that unless white people recognize that a section of society is deliberately drained of opportunity and culturally excluded from the education system, they wont address the same causes at the root of their own depreciating quality of life.

Quoting activist James Baldwin, Wise argued those who write their own history to favor themselves become incapable of learning from it. Wise said that even on a personal level, people cannot be released from their history if they deny how it still affects them. Wise explained socio-economic and political problems, like an injury that requires surgery, for which politicians like Trump promise to treat with pain-killers.

You know what one of the most highly correlated factors with Trump supporters was? The percentage of people in that community who are addicted to opiates, Wise said. When a politician comes along and says, I can take away your pain, that person is a walking, talking, breathing, human version of an opiate.

Thats what were seeing today, Wise said. Were seeing white folks that are in real trouble, but theyre misdiagnosing their pain, or letting it be misdiagnosed, and maintaining faith in a system that wasnt set up for most of them either.

Wise has written a new book titled Under the Affluence: Shaming the Poor, Praising the Rich and Sacrificing the Future of America. Wise signed copies of his book after his speech, and then led a workshop for faculty and staff, who consulted him on ways to assist disproportionately impacted students.

Teach with an eye toward what the least powerful people need, and everyone will benefit, Wise said.

Wise claimed, for example, that positive feedback by the teacher is statistically much more vital for black students than white students because of the comparative deficit in encouragement black students receive from society. Wise said strategies like increasing positive feedback are ideal. Such strategies dont force teachers to teach differently to disproportionately impacted students, but incorporate changes that, at worst, wouldnt be as beneficial to white students as their under-privileged peers.

That is students of color, that is former foster youth, particularly African American and Latino students, said Mark Dennis, professional development coordinator for the Office of Student Equity, whose office invited the author through a state grant to address the achievement gap between specific populations of students and the rest of the student body. Those are the students that are having the hardest time achieving here.

Dennis said he hoped the talk catalyzes an ongoing effort to develop allies and make the City College curriculum more responsive to the diversity of cultures that make up the student body.

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Author and Activist Tim Wise visits City College; debunks common myths on the poor - Sac City Express

Its a personal act, one that everyone should do, anti-racist essayist and educator Tim Wise instructed.

Take a critical autobiographical account of your life, trace it back as far as you can. Think about how you ended up where you are now, and benefited from things you didnt earn because of your whiteness, gender, class, sexual identity or sheer luck.

I think the first order of business is to get clearer on our own stories. The myth of rugged individualism is not a national problem, its an individual problem, Wise responded to a question about how to combat racial inequality on an individual level.

We still do buy into this notion of individual merit as to Why Im here, and youre not.

Wise addressed a crowd Thursday evening in Ivy Tech Community Colleges Shreve Hall as part of the schools diversity speaker series. Wise has authored seven books, including his recent Under the Affluence: Shaming the Poor, Praising the Rich and Sacrificing the Future of America.

He discussed the concepts of race, privilege, inequality and activism in the aftermath of Donald Trumps rise to the presidency, a time in American history Wise called both dangerous in regard to race and full of potential.

How did America get here, and how do we respond? We have to really interrogate the very premises of this movement, he said, referring to Trumps Make America Great Again campaign slogan.

White people are trapped in a history they do not understand, because they dont grasp the context of exclusion and privilege. Until white people understand the predicate, understand the history that whites have mis-remembered, we are all doomed to stay trapped in inequality, Wise said, sharing quotes by writer James Baldwin and anti-apartheid activist Randall Robinson to illustrate his point.

Wise told the audience a story about driving his daughters to their dance class in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Their car was stopped at a red light in a public housing neighborhood. His youngest daughter asked why black people lived in this neighborhood.

Before he could answer, his eldest daughter responded, Redlining. Yes, but not entirely, Wise told his daughters.

Banks that practiced redlining of neighborhoods based on race or ethnicity starved those neighborhoods of capital, often leaving such areas underdeveloped or left to decay. In the 1930s, public housing was intended for working-class white families. But other government financial programs afforded to whites helped subsidize white flight from urban public housing into the suburbs.

Of course he knew how to respond to his daughters question about race in the projects. But what about the families and teachers who dont?

People will go to default thinking: to the American myth of rugged individualism, the belief that you start with nothing and wherever you end up is up to you and your hard work. And to the default assumption that there must be something wrong with others.

Wise asked the audience to consider the history between police officers and black people. It dates back to white men being hired to enforce slave codes, and to enforcing Jim Crow-era segregation. It is punctuated by violence during the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

And it is documented today in the war on drugs: Studies show whites participate in drug activity at the same, or at a greater, rate than blacks. But black people are four times more likely to be imprisoned on drug charges than whites, he said.

If you dont know that history, youll come back with some All lives matter nonsense, Wise said, speaking about his two white daughters again. He doesnt need anyone to tell him the lives of his children matter.

The difference is, every cop in America, teacher, boss, banker giving out loans, knows that their lives matter. You dont have to specify that which is ignored. America has a history of saying all but not meaning it, Wise said of inequality and injustice.

The election of President Trump should not be shocking. Wise said Trump followed a 400-year-old playbook of Rich white men telling white folks, who are definitely not rich, all their problems are those folks right over there, black and brown folks.

Elite whites have appealed to the whiteness of the poor to divide and conquer, even when inequality works against the best interests of the working class.

White Americans have had the luxury to believe in the myth of rugged individualism and have faith in horizontal mobility. Black and brown folks are now being scapegoated for the pain, self-doubt and shame of struggling white people, Wise said.

If we ignore this, the problems that millions of white folks are facing wont get solved, he said. They wont get solved for anyone.

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Speaker: To combat inequality, we must be clear on our own stories - The Herald-Times (subscription)

ATLANTA, March 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Norcross, GA, March 29, 2017 Advocate has been awarded a 2017 Top Workplaces honor by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Advocate, an IT consulting and lifecycle management services firm that helps enterprises optimize their technology infrastructure, is proud to be recognized for the loyalty and affection of its employees.

The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including Alignment, Execution, and Connection, just to name a few.

"The Top Workplaces award is not a popularity contest. And oftentimes, people assume it's all about fancy perks and benefits." says Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics. "But to be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every daythe employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that what's most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it's going to get there and the feeling that everyone is in it together. Claffey adds, "Without this sense of connection, an organization doesn't have a shot at being named a Top Workplace."

Tim Wise, President and Co-Founder of Advocate, commented "Advocate is delighted to be included on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Top Workplaces list again. Our hats are off to our employees! We make it a priority to hire great people and provide them with an environment where they can grow in their careers and have a lot of fun along the way. Our reward can be measured by happy employees, satisfied clients and the bottom line."

About Advocate

Advocate is a consultancy of IT advisors and data scientists dedicated to helping companies optimize their technology infrastructure. Utilizing marketplace intelligence, decision analytics and acceleration capabilities, Advocate partners with its clients in innovative ways to save money, improve performance and deliver crucial insight to help them make the best possible decisions related to their cloud and network technology. That's why we work, Smarter. Together. Connect with the Cloud & Connectivity Insiders on LinkedIn or visit AdvocateInsiders.com.

About WorkplaceDynamics, LLC

Headquartered in Exton, PA, WorkplaceDynamics specializes in employee feedback surveys and workplace improvement. This year alone, more than two million employees in over 6,000 organizations will participate in the Top Workplaces campaigna program it conducts in partnership with more than 40 prestigious media partners across the United States. Workplace Dynamics also provides consulting services to improve employee engagement and organizational health. WorkplaceDynamics is a founding B Corporation member, a coalition of organizations that are leading a global movement to redefine success in business by offering a positive vision of a better way to do business.

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Thursday night, the University Activities Board held a screening of Dear White People, a movie about black students experiences at a fictional, predominantly white university. Following the movie was a panel discussion, with some students coming to voice their concerns about the event. UAB also screened the film from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Stafford Commons, accompanied by signs with quotes from the movie, all opening with the phrase, Dear white people

UAB leadership received at least two email complaints from students who took offense to the signs, while other students took to Wolfpack Students to air their concerns publicly. After UAB screened the movie in the Witherspoon Campus Cinema, followed by a panel discussion, students also showed up to the discussion to share their thoughts with the audience and panel.

Before the evening screening, UABs Diversity Activities Board Chair Nyla Ruiz said in a Facebook post in Wolfpack Students that the signs were meant as a novel approach to promote dialogue about race. Ruiz, a senior studying biological sciences, also addressed students upset about the signs directly.

You as a white person being upset because it's in your face and you don't want to deal with it, talking about this is 'reverse racism', which doesn't exist, that is the epitome of white privilege, Ruiz said in the post.

After the evening screening, the panel, which included student leaders and university faculty and staff, opened by answering prepared questions on their initial thoughts about the film and how the struggles of the characters in the movie related to the struggles of people of color at NC State.

Among the subjects covered by the panelists were personal encounters with racial discrimination on and off campus, aspects of the movie that accurately reflected their own experience and the complexity of having a multiracial identity.

President-elect of UAB Kam Risku was on the panel. She spoke about the backlash to the event, and how it reflected a broader pattern on campus.

[The backlash] is just one of many examples of students of color, especially black students, expressing themselves in ways that is looked at as retaliation or negative when in fact its just a freedom of speech, said Risku, a junior studying political science.

Students were then invited to ask questions to the panel at a microphone at the front of the cinema. Assistant professor of psychology Elan Hope answered a question about reverse discrimination, which one student said was being used by students complaining about the signs.

People may feel that theres prejudice against them and may feel upset by the signs; thats their legitimate feelings, Hope said. Is it a systematic type of oppression based on culture and laws? No.

Student questions continued, with one about colorism, which is discrimination against individuals with a darker skin tone than is typical among people of the same ethnic or racial group. Another student asked about the disparity between the common usage of the term racism and its scholarly definition.

Jordan White, a senior studying business administration, brought up his disagreement with the UABs signs. After explaining his own understanding of the word racist, he asked Hope whether somebody whos not white in America can be racist.

In America today? No, Hope said. Prejudiced? Yes. Biased? Yes. Racist? No. And, to further your question, can one white person in America today be racist? No.

After Jordan White finished his questions and comments, his brother Jeremy White, a facilities maintenance technician for NC States utilities and engineering services, also spoke. He expressed his disapproval for the signs on Stafford Commons, calling them disgusting, and responded to the idea of America having a system of racism.

Im not saying there was never racism in America, Jeremy White said. Look at history, obviously these things happened. Were past that point. Theres always going to be individual racism somewhere. The idea that the whole country by itself right now is racist is ludicrous.

Jeremy White continued his remarks, at one point attacking the event itself.

Tuition money is going to dumb stuff like this, Jeremy White said.

After a vocal audience response, Hope implored the audience to let Jeremy White speak.

This is important that you respect his time at the microphone and let him speak, Hope said.

Jeremy White also refuted the idea of white privilege. Risku responded to Jeremy Whites statement about students paying for the event, downplaying the cost of the UAB fee and per-student cost of the event, which she estimated to be about 75 cents.

This one program made you upset and I understand that, but theres a lot of other opportunities and spaces for you to feel comfortable and safe to learn some more, Risku said.

After Jeremy White finished, students and panelists spoke about personal experiences with discriminatory behavior, media portrayals of black people and homophobia in the black community.

UAB Vice President of Communication Lexi Hudson, a senior studying business administration, spoke in response to the earlier question about reverse racism, sharing part of an essay by Tim Wise, an anti-racist activist and writer.

UAB Director of Social Media Imani Starling-Brown, a sophomore studying fashion and textile management, went to the microphone to speak publicly to Jeremy White, who had since left, apologizing for being among the people who interrupted as he was speaking.

I want everyone to feel like they can come to this space and learn, Starling-Brown said. I want people to feel like they wont be attacked when they do come into these spaces because I respect the fact that he even came.

After Starling-Brown left the microphone, the audience moved upstairs to a conference room in the African American Cultural Center. The discussion continued there, covering topics such as the experience of being a part of both the black and LGBT communities, the privileges afforded to black people who are straight and/or Christian, and the historical underpinnings of modern systems of oppression.

Michael Hoxie, a junior studying biological sciences, responded to a comment about colorism by saying that he believed such prejudice is related to preferences. He later clarified his comment.

I disagree that its all socialized, Hoxie said. Im actually studying biology, and I think theres actually a lot of biological evidence that we have preferences for people who look like us.

Hoxie also said that the forum left some people with a different view on the matter of race feeling uncomfortable to speak publicly.

This whole time, there is not this freedom of opening up and being able to share your opinions, Hoxie said. Its really attacking and maligning people because they have a little bit of a different view.

After he finished his comments, the moderator asked the audience to move onto another subject. Another participant later responded to Hoxie by describing colorism as another form of racism. Risku also responded to Hoxie.*

If you actually study biology, you know that race is a social construct; its not biological, Risku said.* Race isnt a real thing; its something white people made up to make people of color feel inferior so, I think you should go back and study some more biology.

After almost two hours of discussion following the movie, the UAB and the AACC drew the event to a close.

*Editor's Note: This story originally misattributed a quote from Dawn Morgan.

Continued here:
UAB's 'Dear White People' discussion prompts race dialogue | News ... - N.C. State University Technician Online

Eric Davies

Megan Majercak, Asst. Campus Life Editor March 23, 2017

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Tuesday night in the Student Union Multipurpose Room, Tim Wise, an anti-racism activist and writer, came to speak to SRU students, faculty and community members.

Wise revolved his speech on racism and racial justice in US history and white privilege in the US. Wise has spent the last 20 years of his life traveling nationally and internationally to speak to over 1,000 college campuses on racism and how we can learn to embrace diversity. Wise was named one of 25 Visionaries who are Changing Your World by Utune Reader and is author of many books and essays.

To understand racism, you must understand white privilege, Wise said. I want you to understand the concept of what white privilege is, and have a better understanding of whats not happening in the world rather than what is happening, Wise said.

Some people may fear the change that a world without racism will have, Wise explained. Sometimes, people cant help but think that putting other people down elevates their own self. However, Wise said we must focus on the benefits of the change which we may disguise as losses.

What do you think it is that people are afraid of? Wise asked.

People have been afraid of bringing up race for a long time and it is nothing new, Wise said. In his career, ever since the beginning until now, people admit that they feartalking about race because they find it awkward. Some people fear they may be perceived as racist if they ask questions about diversity.

Wise explained this is not the case. Wise shared a study done that showed people actually perceive people who are silent about the subject of race to be racist.

The most important thing is to understand people will have different lenses through which they see the world, Wise said. Lets ask less of Are you racist? and more of Are you doing things to perpetuate race?

Some fears of a world without racism people may have are the changes they will see. White people may become a minority, which they arent used to and arent comfortable with, Wise explained. The more privilege someone has, the less in life they have dealt with change and the more uncomfortable they will be with change, Wise said.

SRU President Cheryl Norton explained how it is easy to be blind to your privilege. Norton grew up having to work hard for everything she has achieved, but has realized that she had a leg up by being white she was not even aware of.

Wise wanted to share that we need to get to a place where everyone is educated about race, and where everyone knows the benefits of equality for everyone.

If we are going to have equity and justice, some people will have to give up some things like ability to take privilege for granted, the mindset of being the norm and the privilege of unearned advantage, Wise said. He sees these changes as gains.

Race affects everyone, Wise said. Student activism is one of the best ways to talk about issues and make a difference for the next generation.

Figure out for yourself how it affects you when the target is someone else, Wise said. Whether you are a woman, a man, heterosexual, homosexual, poor, rich, white or black, it affects you.

We need to have the difficult conversations. It is okay to say something wrong so we can have a real conversation, Tina Moser, SRU faculty member said.

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Tim Wise, anti-racism writer and activist, speaks at SRU - SRU The Online Rocket