Tochluk and Saxman provide an enlightening guide for white people navigating their own racialized, white identity journeys. The authors utilize Janet Helms’s model of white identity development, which includes various roles white people experience on their personal identity journey: contact, disintegration, reintegration, pseudo-independence, immersion/emersion, and autonomy.… By illustrating how common far-right and anti-racist messaging can hinder a person’s white identity development, the authors provide ideas for disarming tactics that typically shut down conversations about race. They offer suggested approaches adapted to different roles, such as building relationships, offering perspective, cultivating curiosity, engaging in critical thinking, practicing self-care, and many others. Although the focus is on developing a healthful, positive, anti-racist white identity, the book also untangles ideologies leading to the rise in white nationalism. Being White Today is a must read for white educators and racial justice facilitators committed to sustaining their white identity journeys. Highly recommended. Faculty; professionals; general readers.― Choice Reviews
Being White Today is more than a book! It is a vital navigation tool, helping readers unpack white racial identity and the sense of responsibility and accountability required to dismantle racist ideologies and concepts. Christine and Shelly expertly take take their readers on a journey that is authentic, vulnerable, and full of self-reflection. Using evidence based research, this book engages your critical thinking and provides a road map to guide you through cycle of transformation. — Fadzi Whande – Chief of Section – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
In the myriad of recent books centered on Whiteness and antiracism, Being White Today: A Roadmap for a Positive Antiracist Life by Tochluk and Saxman stands at the top of the must-read list. Through humanized narrative, real life examples, and multiple resources, White readers will engage in a life changing journey to becoming, and supporting, an antiracist society. — Eddie Moore Jr., PhD, Founder, The White Privilege Conference
“Whiteness” is an acute field of battle in the political and cultural wars of this country. It continues to govern how we think, act, and interact. Can we move forward? Can we be un-trapped? Tochluk and Saxman say yes! Any further clarity on how we got here and where we need to go must consider the exhaustive and complex work they’ve contributed in this important book.—Luis J. Rodriguez, author of Always Running, La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A. and From Our Land to Our Land: Essays, Journeys & Imaginings of a Native Xicanx Writer.
Based on their years of working with white people, Saxman and Tochluk’s Being White Today offers keen insight and a wealth of suggestions for creating a positive, antiracist white identity and provides extensive practical tools for deepening our understanding and increasing our effectiveness in inviting other white people to join us in antiracism activism. Read this book to develop a white identity that will make you a more effective ally to people of color in the urgent multiracial struggle for racial justice. —Paul Kivel, educator, activist and author of Uprooting Racism: How White People Can Work for Racial Justice and a founding member of SURJ—Showing Up for Racial Justice
Magnificent! Challenging and affirming, Being White Today is a brilliant, must-have guide for people who care about ending racism. Capturing the feeling of a kitchen table conversation, it combines a theoretical framework with relatable scenarios and realistic responses that add to our toolbox for “doing the work.” Practicing what they preach, Tochluk and Saxman remind us that all people, regardless of racial background, deserve compassion as we heal from the effects of race and learn to do better. In fact, the authors make a strong case that we are more likely to achieve our vision of a racially just society if we center dignity, humanity, and compassion in our work. This includes supporting white people to develop healthy racial identities. —Aisha Blanchard-Young, Lead Coordinator of Human Rights Education, California Teachers Association
Throughout my career, white friends and colleagues have asked me fora “next level” resource to help them be better allies. Even after reading the most popular books on antiracism, they felt confused about a range of issues. I always struggled with how to respond, until now. Being White Today is filled with practical and insightful applications for white people who struggle with race and whiteness and want guidance on what to do.I highly recommend it —Vincent C. Flewellen, AVP Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer, Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri
Being White Today is a breakthrough contribution to the antiracism field. It brilliantly connects longstanding scholarship on racial identity and contemporary developments on the far-right with practical guidance for effective messaging in the one-to-one conversations that are the foundation for social change. The book uses a throughline of compelling characters that will keep any reader’s attention so that experienced as well as novice antiracists will deepen their understanding of how to apply this comprehensive, unflinching, analytical, and compassionate way of understanding how white folks should call each other in to antiracism. A great book for antiracists of any racial background! —David Campt, founder of The Dialogue Company and author of The White Ally Toolkit
What does it mean to develop a positive, anti-racist white identity? One where we actively and effectively partner with colleagues of color to create true racial equity and liberation? Authors Tochluk and Saxman offer pragmatic, strategy focused processes to help educators, trainers and change agents more effectively meet white people at varying places on their racialized journey, build enough connection to support white colleagues to question their racist socialization, and then shed white supremacist beliefs they still hold. Their practical strategies can help all of us to find new ways of being productive, anti-racist white change agents and take responsibility for doing our part to dismantle racist systems and co-create true racial justice for all.—Kathy Obear, Trainer for The Center for Transformation and Change and author of …But I’m Not Racist!: Tools for Well-Meaning Whites to Dismantle Racism
Being White Today: A Roadmap for a Positive Antiracist Life is a much needed book for White people at all stages of engagement with antiracism. Tochluk and Saxman take a creative and insightful approach to this work by introducing us to White characters with different mindsets related to race. Through scenarios that reveal the characters’ White racial identity development, reader reflect on their own journey. Being White Today will prompt reflection, introspection, discussion, and action and should be included in community book discussions, teacher preparationprograms, social work education, church groups, and more. —Karen Gaffney, Professor of English at Raritan Valley Community College and author of Dismantling the Racism Machine: A Manual and Toolbox
As a white person working to notice and understand how racism lives within me in order to destroy it; and as a white person working with other white people on the same, Being White Today has helped me understand the feelings, thoughts and actions that can become detours in becoming anti-racist. It is revealing and helpful in learning how even my good intentions can be off-putting and alienating despite wanting to do the opposite. Being White Today has put words where confusion and obfuscation were, so that I can relearn who I am as a white anti racist person and so that I can work in community with other white people to build movement towards positive identity and change. – Jena Doulas
Saxman Consulting, LLC 