Helping White People See White: Creating a Social Movement

Abstract

Whites benefit significantly from privilege economically, politically, and socially; yet, they also suffer because of it. Privilege affects the quality of life for all people living within a community and feeds the causal loop of systemic social injustice. These factors indicate the need for an intervention that raises awareness and educates Whites as to the negative effects and costs of privilege. An intervention using social media, as well as building partnerships with human service agencies, was designed to satisfy the recognized need. The intervention consists of educational posts to a Facebook page, which encourages readers to comment and participate in online discussions. Establishing partnerships with key municipal and social organizations ensures that educational messages are reinforced and the information is disseminated throughout the community. The Facebook page has been implemented and active with several views but few responses. This social media intervention can impact change at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels by improving relationships between individuals that will benefit communities, states, and the nation at large.