White Privilege

I found this quiz at :

http://www.mollysecours.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19:pop-quiz&catid=9:blog&Itemid=13

White Privilege Pop Quiz: The Test You Can't Fail by Molly Secours (Copyright Molly Secours 2012) 

A) When was the first time you were made aware of your

racial identity and realized that your 'race' would play a

pivotal role in the challenges you faced on a daily basis.

1) 1-5 2) 6-10 3) 11-present 4) never

Discuss: How old were you? What happened? What kind of Impact did it have on you? How did it change your hopes, dreams and goals?

B) How often are you reminded about being the race with

which you identify?

1) several times a day 2) once a day 3) several times a week

4) once a month 5) never

Discuss: Tell a story about a recent situation where you were reminded of your race. What caused you to think about it?

C) As a child how often were you given safety instructions

on how to walk through a department store or public

establishment in a way that did not foster suspicion or

attract attention?

1) frequently 2) sometimes 3) rarely 4) never

Discuss: Tell a story about feeling watched, followed or suspected of wrong doing and how it affected your sense of safety.

D) How often have you been (or are you now) coached by

parents or guardians or family members on how to behave

or what to say in order to avoid being perceived

as dangerous or menacing when confronted by law

enforcement, teachers or authority figures?

1) frequently 2) sometimes 3) rarely 4) never

Discuss: Describe the last time you were detained by authority figures and felt unsafe. Describe the time before that. And the time before that.

E) How often do you talk with close friends and family

members (or just wonder to yourself) whether or not your

racial identity is negatively impacting your daily interactions

with others.

1) everyday 2) once a week 3) once a month 4) once a year

5) never

Discuss: What was the last situation? Did you feel comfortable confronting or discussing with the other people involved?

F) How often have you wondered if your race negatively

impacted a job interview, a grade, a confrontation with a

co-worker or a friend?

1) too many to count 2) periodically 3) seldom 4) never

Discuss: What were the circumstances? How have you learned to cope with the uncertainty?

G) How often are you the only person (or very few) of

your identified race in daily activities? Including Church,

school, bars, nightclubs etc?

1) always 2) frequently 3) seldom 4) never

Discuss: What are the circumstances and does your behavior change when you are no longer in those environments?

H) Have you ever been tempted to deny your racial identity

in order to feel more comfortable in a particular setting or

to have an advantage?

 1) always 2) frequently 3) seldom 4) never

Discuss: Describe the situation.

I) Have you ever found yourself feeling frustrated, invisible or ashamed in a history class because you felt ‘your people’ weren’t represented (or represented accurately) in “His-story”.

1) yes, always 2) yes, often 3) yes, sometimes, 4) never

Discuss: Describe the circumstances. Were you able to express your concerns with teachers and classmates? Were you penalized for speaking up? How was it received?

J) While watching television or movies do you often feel that people who look like you or are racially/culturally connected to you are not represented (or misrepresented) in the media?

1) yes, always 2) yes, often 3) yes, sometimes, 4) never

Discuss: What was the last movie or program you viewed that left you feeling this way? Why?

K) How often have you been challenged and/or corrected by someone about how ‘you identify’ racially?

1) more than 5 times 2) several times 3) once 4) never

Discuss:

L) How often have you adjusted your behavior out of concern that people might assume or suspect you to be lazy, inarticulate, untrustworthy, criminal, or unintelligent because of your race.

1) more than 5 times 2) several times 3) once 4) never

Discuss: Explain your answer

M) How often do you notice that the majority of authority figures in your school career or work environment--who sign your checks or supervise your daily activities--are identified with another race and/or culture?

1) always 2) often 3) sometimes, 4) never

Discuss: How (if at all) does this affect your performance and/or comfort level?

N) How often do you feel in need of reassurance (or to reassure other family members) you/they are ‘just as good as’ (not better) than someone of another racial group because of a negative experience?

1) Always 2) Frequently 3) Seldom 4) Never

O) How often have you wondered if something you said or did in a public setting might reflect negatively on your identified race?

1) frequently 2) sometimes 3) seldom 4) never

Congratulations! You just took the first step.