White Savior Complex artwork

White Savior Complex

20 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago -

Reflections on becoming an effective ally in the fight for racial justice.
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White Savior Complex examines anti-racism with the understanding that ending racism is the responsibility of white people. Through discussions of current events, historical contexts, interviews with black voices and white allies, WSC unpacks the complexities and pitfalls of combating racism as a white person.

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Episodes

Ugh Everything's Racist!

October 09, 2021 19:14 - 18 minutes - 17.2 MB

These days it seems like EVERYTHING is about race. And it is! While it can feel overwhelming, the number and variety of ways everything is about race these days, its important to pause and to recognize the ways we ourselves may be used to reading race into things without ever realizing it. It can be as simple as they way we respond to a play like James Baldwin's The Amen Corner.

Olympic Racism: Disqualifying the Black Body

July 15, 2021 13:12 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MB

Over the past few months Canada has been rocked in scandal over multiple mass graves found at the sites of so-called residential schools run by the Catholic Church throughout the 20th century. These schools operated to erase indigenous culture and languages from Canada by kidnapping indigenous children, separating them from family and community, and forcing them to abandon their cultural practices. Moving on to the Olympics, we have a few stories to unpack. A swim cap designed to accommodat...

Juneteenth, Critical Race Theory and Teaching Anti-Racism with Clifford Cartel

June 19, 2021 19:54 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MB

You can find Clifford Cartel's latest album Today Pigs Fly on most major streaming platforms. In addition to that, Cliff is always busy around Washington DC, including establishing a summer education program for kids, and applying his distinct philosophy to the practice of yoga. Follow him on social media @ClifordCartel.  Find the Kentucky education legislation here. Its only 7 pages, so make sure you check it out! We'll be referencing this language in future episodes. 

Apartheid in Palestine, with ANSWR Coalition's Richard Becker

May 22, 2021 06:00 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MB

Thanks again, so much, to Richard Becker, West Coast Regional Coordinator with ANSWER Coalition! Here's a few resources to support the conversation 1. Learn more about ANSWER Coalition at their website 2. Check out Richard's book Palestine, Israel and US Empire 3. At (7:58) of the podcast Richard references "putting Palestinians on a diet"  4. At (14:55) of the podcast Richard references Israel "mowing the lawn" in Gaza

Apartheid in Palestine

May 22, 2021 06:00 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MB

Thanks again, so much, to Richard Becker, West Coast Regional Coordinator with ANSWER Coalition! Here's a few resources to support the conversation 1. Learn more about ANSWER Coalition at their website 2. Check out Richard's book Palestine, Israel and US Empire 3. At (7:58) of the podcast Richard references "putting Palestinians on a diet"  4. At (14:55) of the podcast Richard references Israel "mowing the lawn" in Gaza

Apartheid in Palestine, with ANSWER Coalition's Richard Becker

May 22, 2021 06:00 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MB

Thanks again, so much, to Richard Becker, West Coast Regional Coordinator with ANSWER Coalition! Here's a few resources to support the conversation 1. Learn more about ANSWER Coalition at their website 2. Check out Richard's book Palestine, Israel and US Empire 3. At (7:58) of the podcast Richard references "putting Palestinians on a diet"  4. At (14:55) of the podcast Richard references Israel "mowing the lawn" in Gaza

Tim Scott, Is America a Racist Country?

May 08, 2021 16:57 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MB

This episode relies upon the transcript of Senator Scott's rebuttal. We used this article. We also referenced Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neill, which can be purchased here.  

Reflecting on #StopAsianHate

April 24, 2021 02:48 - 32 minutes - 30 MB

The murder trial of Dereck Chauvin came to an end last week. In past episodes we've discussed extensively the ideas and tensions underlying police brutality, so in this episode we simply consider, very briefly, what's next after the guilty verdict. Then we move into some deep reflection on the role of anti-Asian bigotry in our collective conscious, and how that informs the bright but brief publicity of #StopAsianHate. Finally, we take a quick look at how our white savior complex can disguise ...

We're Back!

April 17, 2021 18:37 - 3 minutes - 3.29 MB

Just dropping in to say hi, touch bases, and announce new content on the horizon!

Picking Factions

October 16, 2020 02:19 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MB

Why does a podcast about white supremacy need to talk about table top gaming? As you may be able to imagine (queue the stereotypical image of white nerds in their moms' basements!) there isn't much diversity in the gaming industry. While there are many black gamers, game developers (and therefore games) are typically limited to white cultures and imaginations which is very odd for an industry focused so far from the limitations of reality.  This is both a result and a continuation of white p...

Hacking Racism w Angel Rich

September 15, 2020 03:16 - 26 minutes - 24 MB

To get involved in Hack Racism, send an email with subject header “Hack Racism” to [email protected]. You can also find more information about this event by clicking here. Be sure to check out Angel’s book History of the Black Dollar and download her award winning financial literacy game Credit Stacker Pro on iOS and Android.

Is Violence Progress?

August 28, 2020 14:08 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MB

In this episode, Steve reflects on what the past 6 months of tension and violence (like accused multiple murderer Kyle Rittenhouse) mean in the struggle against white supremacy, and asks, Is this progress? Or is this a setback? Its been a very difficult week with the tension and pain surrounding Wisconsin police officer Rusten Shesky's shooting of Jacob Blake, and the subsequent multiple murders of protestors by alleged shooter Kyle Rittenhouse, a teenager from Illinois. How do we process e...

Whiteness at Work

July 23, 2020 05:54 - 34 minutes - 32.1 MB

Companies all across the country are attempting to grapple with the issues raised by the movement for black lives. In this episode we explore diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. We speak with two women who have taken leadership roles in confronting these issues in their careers, as they help us unpack the challenges black and other people of color face in the office and the obstacles white people face in coming to terms with our roles in a work culture that systematically empow...

On the Killing of Rayshard Brooks

June 15, 2020 06:15 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MB

Recorded on June 15th, 2020 On June 12th, 2020 Atlanta police responded to a call from a local Wendy's that a man was asleep in his car in the drive through line. When police encountered Rayshard Brooks, they ended up taking his life. Is this the outcome we as a society desire? Who is to blame? And was it avoidable?

Solidarity and Sensibility

June 13, 2020 06:40 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MB

Recorded June 12th, 2020 As we grapple with the concept of defunding the police, what does it look like to stand in solidarity with black led solutions and tactics? Are we imposing our sensibilities on black people when we critique their messaging and strategy, or are we just being helpful?

Defund Police?

June 12, 2020 06:40 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MB

Recorded June 11th, 2020 What does it mean to defund the police? A lot, from minor tweaks to abolishment. But its not a rash response to recent murders. There is research and precedent to follow. What do we do after the protests subside? It isn't sexy or fun, but the answer is to engage in our local government, like many of the protest leaders do every other day of the year.

Self Examination

June 08, 2020 06:40 - 20 minutes - 19.2 MB

Recorded June 7th, 2020 In episode one we explored some immediate tips for engaging in the current demonstrations. In episode two we step back from the topic of action to examine how white allies should orient our mindset as we begin to enter the space of anti-racism and engage issues of racial justice.

The Urgency Of Now

June 06, 2020 06:40 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MB

Recorded June 6, 2020 As we launch the first episode, we realize a lot of folks are newly energized to engage in the recent demonstrations against police brutality. People want to make an impact, and that enthusiasm is amazing! However there are some potential pitfalls to be aware of. We explore a couple best practices for becoming an ally in the anti-racist movement.

1: The Urgency Of Now

June 06, 2020 06:19 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MB

As we launch the first episode, we realize a lot of folks are newly energized to engage in the recent demonstrations against police brutality. People want to make an impact, and that enthusiasm is amazing! However there are some potential pitfalls to be aware of. We explore a couple best practices for becoming an ally in the anti-racist movement.

Introduction to WSC

May 29, 2020 06:39 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MB

As protests against police brutality erupt around the country, more than ever people are awakening to the urgency of confronting racism. For white people, we must confront our roles in the status quo and grapple with how to move forward.