When you’re being “nice” as a white person, you: • Believe that means you can’t possibly be racist • Set me up as the mean Black person if I call you on your racism • Smile as a shield against genuine vulnerability • Assume that your whiteness/white space is comfortable for me • Are just being “professional” and following “the rules” because “nice” people don’t make waves • Think it’s not fair that I’m not being “nice” back (you’ve been magnanimous to include me; why am I not granting you the benefit of the doubt that you are not racist?) • Justify not interrupting racism because you didn’t
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