‘Examining White Privilege’: University Holds Retreat ‘Specifically For White Students’ On How To Be Inclusive


The University of Vermont wants to ensure that white students “understand white privilege from an individual experience,” therefore, students that “self identify as white” were given the opportunity to go on a free retreat to discuss their whiteness and learn more about how to be inclusive and stop racism. The program was put on by the ALANA student center, which is composed of “proud people of color.”

University of Vermont
Students attending the “White Privilege” retreat at the University of Vermont. (Image via ALANA)

White students at the University of Vermont were given the opportunity to attend a free retreat designed to help them better understand their whiteness and the issues involving white privilege. The ALANA student center hosted the event, and is an organization that prides itself in being a group of “proud people of color who actively seek and create opportunities for self-development and personal understanding.” As a group of people of color, the organization often leaves out people who “identify as white.” However, with the creation of the white privilege retreat, the organization attempted to open dialogue against racism and help the students learn how to interrupt racism at large.

The retreat was called “Examining White Privilege: A Retreat for Undergraduate Students Who Self-Identify As White.” The organization promised to address a number of issues including how to “articulate whiteness” and build a community dialogue against racism. According to the ALANA organization, students at the retreat were given the opportunity to do the following.

  • Conceptualize and articulate whiteness from a personal and systematic lens.
  • Recognize and understand white privilege from an individual experience as well as the impact of white privilege on the UVM community and beyond.
  • Build a community of dialogue and support in taking action against racism.

Along with material about what the retreat would cover, the website also features a number of testimonials from students that have attended the retreat. The testimonials include statements like it helped me “understand privilege and systems of oppression,” and it was “a great opportunity to talk about an identity that I had not previously felt equipped to comfortably discuss.”

“EWPR gave me the chance to explore my own identities more deeply, to learn more about systems of privilege and oppression, and to connect with other students who are interested in discussing social justice and working to create change here on our campus.” said Emily of the Class of 2015.

All the expenses associated with the event were covered by the university, and students who attended were given free food while they learned more about their white privilege and discussed their whiteness with other self-identifying white students. However, some commenting on the retreat note that it is just another way to make white people feel as though they are racist even when they aren’t.

“Being white means that when you’re just as poor as the next minority who’s paycheck to paycheck, you have the added bonus of being told you get to do it while subconsciously being racist. That’s white privilege. All of the blood, sweat, and tears that got me to where I’m at was actually privilege pouring out of me.”

The Blaze reports that the white privilege retreat is the only one hosted by the organization that discusses the attendees’ “privilege,” as the other retreat offered by the group is a retreat for “women of color” that focuses on building leadership and providing a space that allows attendees the freedom from fear to be yourself. Though the organization only holds the two retreats, they are also associated with numerous student groups including Muslim Student Association, Black Student Union, Asian American Student Union, and Alianza Latina.

University of Vermont Racism
The Black Student Union participating in a protest alongside other organizations. (Image via Black Student Association)

What do you think about a student retreat specifically for white students?

[Image via ALANA Student Center]

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