During the 2018-19 school year, the University of Vermont (UVM) will host a three-day weekend retreat that specifically targets White students in order to discuss topics such as privilege, inclusivity and racism.
This will be the fourth time that the Asian-American, Latino, African-American and Native American (ALANA) Student Center will host “Examining White Identity: A Retreat for Undergraduate Students Who Self-Identify as White.”
On average, 15 to 20 students attend the free retreat annually alongside UVM staff members.
“UVM’s Examining White Identity Retreat is a voluntary initiative that explores issues of identity, diversity and culture,” said Enrique Corredera, director of news and public affairs at the University of Vermont. “This noncredit-bearing retreat is designed to engage students who want to become more understanding and effective allies in confronting racism and supporting students of color at UVM.”
According to the retreat’s website, students will “conceptualize and articulate whiteness from a personal and systematic lens, recognize and understand White privilege from an individual experience, focus on the impact of White privilege in the UVM community and beyond and build a community of dialogue and support in taking action against racism.”
The retreat’s activities consist of personal reflection time, small-group discussions and big-group discussions in order to focus on designated topics. Students are expected to answer questions such as “What does it mean to be White?” and “How can we make UVM a more inclusive community?”
“Self-awareness is a critical component of learning how to develop empathy for others,” said Dr. Amer F. Ahmed, founder and CEO of Massachusetts-based AFA Diversity Consulting. “Just as there is a great need for men to discuss masculinity and privileges with regards to gender identity and inequity, there is a value in White students doing so, as well. When one is part of a historically privileged group, it is normed in a manner in which we tend not to think about it as much as those who have been historically marginalized.”
