COUN 2000

Living and
Communicating
in Diverse Societies

Presented By:
Check In
[Link] color best
represents how you are
feeling today? Explain.
[Link] and at what stage in
your life did you first
become aware of concepts
related to race and racism?
Agenda

I. Unpacking the Historical and

Contemporary Impact of Colorism
II. Reviewing Forms of Racism and
Reflecting on Our Involvement
[Link] Personal Racial Identity
Development
 Written Reflection
As we enter today's lecture, check in
with yourself.
Discussion Board Post: Self- Reflection
In 5-7 sentences reflect on the following
prompts:

1. Describe how your life was before

you realized race and racism existed?

2. What individuals or experiences played the

most significant role in shaping this
realization for you?

You will have about 15-20 minutes to complete

this activity. Once you are finished, please begin
Colorism
• A pervasive form of discrimination
• Involves prejudicial attitudes based on skin
tone, with lighter skin often associated with
societal advantages, including perceived
privilege, power, and beauty.
• Is traceable back to colonialism and
entrenched in caste systems, colorism has
deep historical roots that shape societal
perceptions.
• This nuanced issue permeates various aspects
of culture, from literature to media and social
norms. Its influence is evident in the portrayal
of individuals with different skin tones,
shaping beauty standards and reinforcing
societal biases.
• Colorism highlights the complex interplay
between various social categories, such as
race, gender, and class. (Brown, Williams, & Williams, 2023)
• Sojourner Truth's speech, 'Ain't I A Ain't I A Women
Woman,' stands as one of the
greatest speech's in American
history.
• She embraces the clear themes of
intersectionality as she describes
navigating the challenging
decision between supporting the
women's movement or the
abolitionist cause.
• Her speech raises awareness that
such a choice should not be
necessary.
• Truth highlighted that women's
(ZinnEdProject, 2018)
 Intersectionality, What Is That?
• Intersectionality, not new!
• Theoretical framework for understanding how aspects of a person’s
identities might combine to create unique modes of discrimination
and privilege.
• First appeared in an article by Kimberle Williams Crenshaw in 1991
• Articulated and discussed the relationship between sex, gender, nation,
race, and class
• A big part of intersectionality is about taking into account people’s:
• Experiences
• Identities

(Causadias et al., 2023)

CONTENT WARNING:
- This video includes images
of his body
- It also includes images and
videos of violence

PLEASE TAKE CARE OF

YOURSELF:
- Water
- A moment for air
- Self-soothing in your seat
- Any other suggestion?
The Urgency Of
Intersectionality
Description: Kimberlé Crenshaw
uses the term "intersectionality"
to describe this phenomenon;
as she says, if you're standing
in the path of multiple forms of
exclusion, you're likely to get hit
by both. In this moving talk, she
calls on us to bear witness to
this reality and speak up for
victims of prejudice.

Posted: 2016
Length: 18:49
Let's Take A Moment To Breath
Small Group Discussion
In small group reflect on the
following questions. Remember to practice your skills.

1. How has the concept of

intersectionality applied to your life?
2. What emotions came up for you while
watching this clip?
3. Practice how you would describe the
concept of intersectionality to a friend.

Your group will have an opportunity

to share out to whole class.
Intersectionality
Is the understanding
that inequalities and oppression cut
across different identity categories,
and that social identities have
multiple dimensions; for
instance, sexual orientation
and gender identity and constituted
differently in relation to a number
of other social subjectivities, such
as age, ethnicity, region or country
of origin.

(Causadias et al., 2023)

Layers Of Intersectionality
Let’s take some time to reflect on the
information the wheel diagram
provided about intersectionality.

• The innermost circle represents a person’s

unique circumstances.
• The second circle from inside represents
aspects of identity.
• The third circle from inside represents
different types
of discrimination/isms/attitudes that
impact identity.
• The outermost circle represents larger
forces and structures that work together to
reinforce exclusion.
• Obviously, it is impossible to name every
discrimination, identity or structure, so the
wheel provides a sense of what
intersectionality is.
RACIAL IDENTITY DEVELOPM
ENT
Racial Identity Development
Please review your peers Discussion submissions, identify 2
student submissions that stood out to you, and share either an
emotion/feeling, thought, or behavior that was sparked by those 2
student submissions

Take 10 minutes to do this activity and then we will review.

Systemic Racism
Explained-
Refresher

Description: You’ve likely heard the term

“systemic racism,” but do you know what it
means? KGW talked to the experts to break
it down and to give us the tools to address it

Posted: 2020
Length: 7:12
Racial Identity Development:
White People
The schemas of racial identity development for White people
are conformity, acceptance, resistance, retreat, emergence, and
integrative awareness (Helms, 1990).
Let’s discuss what each of these developmental moments
involves:
• Conformity
• Acceptance
• Resistance
• Retreat
• Emergence
• Integrative Awareness
(Johnson, 2018)
Conformity
• Both White individuals and People of
Color experience this stage. The stage
looks differently based on the experience.

• In this stage, Whites and People of Color

both feel that they are “regular Americans”.

• There is an unconscious piece, with

all individuals.

• All groups strive to emulate

Whiteness- through actions, speech, dress,
and attitudes.

• Unconsciousness of “White” being perceived (Johnson, 2018)

Acceptanc
e
• White individuals still dismiss or invalidate comments
or actions that indicate that racism still exist.
• They expect People of Color to “get over it”.
• These may be people who subscribe to colorblindness.
• They may express views that “everyone” has struggles
and people should try to conform which will make
things better.

(Johnson, 2018)
Resistance
• White individuals into this stage after acceptance
when they profess that racism is a thing of the past.
• They may start expressing that their belief is that
there is a new racism- racism against Whites.
• They may refer to “reverse racism” as something that
White individuals may face.

(Johnson, 2018)
Retreat
• When their assumptions about People of
Color and their own lack of privilege is
proven false, they may go into the retreat
stage.
• White individuals may start to feel guilty
or ashamed by how hard life has been and
still is for People of Color.

• They tend to start getting frustrated,

annoyed, and impatient with other White
individuals who do not understand or “just
don’t get it”.

(Johnson, 2018)
Emergence
• After feeling guilty and ashamed, White individuals
may start exploring and understanding their
privilege and how it has continued to benefit them.
• They start taking control over what type of White
individual they want to be.

(Johnson, 2018)
Integrative Awareness

• This is the last stage for White individuals.

• White individuals come to the conclusion that there is
much more to them as an individual besides their race
and gender.
• They start acknowledging other aspects of their
identities and how they can continually contribute to
their personhood.

(Johnson, 2018)
Racial Identity Development:
People Of Color
Racial identity development models share a few of the same
schemas, however, the experiences of white people is different
than people of color.
Let’s discuss what each of these developmental moments
involves:
• Conformity
• Dissonance
• Immersion
• Emersion
• Internalization
Conformity
• Both White individuals and People of Color
experience this stage. The stage looks
differently based on the experience.
• For People of Color, exploring what race
means to them individual probably has not
taken place.

• They are just going along and

take assimilation as a normal part of life.
(Johnson, 2018)
 Dissonanc
•eDissonance occurs for People of Color when they desire
to “get along” like Americans but realize that their
race or gender may be excluding them from
the privileges they notice White men receive.
• They feel confused about past ideas they have held in
the past.
• They start thinking about how racism and sexism may
have played a role in their life.
(Johnson, 2018)
Immersion
• The last stage has left People of Color with a lot
of questions.
• Now People of Color, and Women of Color may be angry
and frustrated about racism and sexism.
• They start to feel that White individuals and men
are racist and sexist and part of the problem.
(Johnson, 2018)
Emersion
• The fourth stage is where the anger about racism is
directed towards White individuals leading them to feel
that they can only belong with others in their own racial
groups who understands them.
• They may start avoiding White individuals and seeking
out others of their own race.
• They may be experiencing discomfort and feeling
unsettled about what the world looks like from their
perspective.

(Johnson, 2018)
Internalization

• This occurs when they realize that there are

negative qualities among their own people and that all
White people are not the enemy.
• They start to see racism and sexism as the enemy
that can be fought against.
• They desire to be more in control over who they want
to be.
(Johnson, 2018)
Integrative Awareness

• For People of Color, they come to the conclusion that

there is much more to them as an individuals besides
their race and gender.
• They start acknowledging other aspects of their
identities and how they can continually contribute to
their personhood.
• They are committed to doing the work while also
learning to how to manage and balance the emotional
labor that is to come.
(Johnson, 2018)
 Hoffman Integrated Identity Model
• Figure developed by McGrail and
Rowe Gorosh (2018) which portrays
Hoffman and Hoffman’s 2004
integrated racial identity
development model.
• The schemas of racial identity
development are rarely linear, so it
is possible that one can experiences
more than one part of the model.
• Keep in mind, these models are just
a general starting point for
understanding your own racial
identity.
Self-Reflection:
Take a moment for a personal reflection on the following
questions:

1. Over the last few weeks, what is something you have

learned?
2. Do you have any questions about the material we have
covered over the last couple of weeks?
3. How are you feeling thus far?
 Conclusion
• This week, we explored the concepts of intersectionality and colorism.
• We also delve into our own racial identity development which will further be
explored in your next assignment reflection.
 Assignment Review
Reflection Assignment- Racial Identity Models: 500
words (10 pts)

Write a paper addressing the following prompts after

reviewing all the Racial Identity Development Models
and viewing the lecture that incorporates Racial
Identity.

Rubric and assignment details on Canvas

 We will pause here for today.
Remember to take care of yourself by reflection or self-
soothing.
I will see you next class period!
 References
Any content from today's lecture was taken from the following academic resources:

Causadias, J. M., Anderson, R. E., Ryu, E., Tein, J.-Y., & Kim, S. Y. (2023). Innovative theory and methods for the next generation
of diversity, equity, and inclusion sciences: Introduction to the special issue. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority
Psychology, 29(1), 1–5. [Link]

Brown, L. C., Williams, B. M., & Williams, Q. S. (2023). Melanin messages: Black college women’s experiences and reflections on
navigating colorism. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 16(4), 457–470. [Link]

Johnson, A. (2018). Privilege, Power, and Difference (3rd Ed). McGraw Hill.

ZinnEdProject. (2018, December 13). Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman” performed by Kerry Washington [Video]. YouTube.
[Link]