Professors 
and 
people 
in 
power 
at 
the 
University 
of 
Michigan, 
in 
order 
for 
any 
of this anti-racist activism to 
work, you all need to constantly 
be 
checking 
your 
privilege.
That means not telling your 
students they will not succeed 
because of where they are from.
Looking at you, University of 
Michigan, 
Residential 
College 
That means not castigating a 
Black student on her tone and 
thoughts in front of 80 of her white 
peers for saying what she thinks.
And you, University of Michigan 
Professor 
Elisabeth 
Gerber, 
Ford School of Public Policy
That 
means 
not 
ignoring 
students 
when 
they 
assert 

“Black Lives Matter” in class.
And 
you, 
University 
of 
Michigan 
Graduate 
Student 
Instructors, 
ECON 
330, 
Ford School of Public Policy 
That means inviting both the 
Black woman and white woman 
to your class to discuss the 
pieces written in The Daily 
that you list on your syllabus.
University 
of 
Michigan, 
Professor 
Blasey, 
Residential 
College 
Do not create class activities 
about race that require the 
Black kids to pretend to be the 
victims in horrible tragedies, 
i.e., the Philando Castile trial.
I’m looking at you, University of 
Michigan Associate Professor Ann 

Lin, Ford School of Public Policy
That means listening to the 
concerns of your students of color.
That 
means, 
being 
more 
conscious of the people who 
occupy space in your classroom, 
and how they occupy that space.
The 
classroom 
is 
an 
immensely 
powerful 
place 
where 
learning 
about 
power 
and 
privilege 
is 
central.
Be 
mindful 
of 
how 
you 
choose to understand privilege.
Privilege isn’t about what you 
have to go through – it’s about what 
you haven’t had to go through.

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Michigan in Color
Wednesday, November 7, 2018 — 5A

How Not to be Racist: Chapter 2 
Compliments and Comments

Microaggressions, also known 
as the shit white people have 
been doing for years but until 
recently, we never had a name 
for it!
Microaggressions are not an ex-
aggeration of liberal feelings.
They are an insidious and per-
vasive part of American culture 
that repeatedly denigrate the 
efforts and strides of people of 
color and women toward equity.
Columbia University professor 
Derald Wing Sue coined the 
term microaggression to refer 
to “brief and commonplace dai-
ly verbal, behavioral, or envi-
ronmental indignities, whether 
intentional or unintentional, 
that communicate hostile, de-
rogatory, or negative racial 
slights and insults toward peo-
ple of color.” 

A.B.
MiC Contributor

Microaggressions
Common Examples

 
Saying this to a person of color is 
particularly demeaning.
Calling someone articulate can 
be a nod toward racist ideas that 
a Black person isexceptional for 
being well-spoken, whereas it is 
expected and normal for white 
people to be.

It’s rude to assume someone 
isn’t from where they tell you 
they’re from just because they 
don’t look like you.

A wealth of research suggests 
that people with difficult-to-
pronounce names have a harder 
time finding work and are 
considered less likable. When 
you ask someone their name, 
don’t judge it. Try to learn it. 
You can say Tchaikovsky and 
Rachmaninoff. 
Maybe 
you 
should try unpacking your 
white supremacy instead of 
enforcing it on other people.

“Wow, is that your real hair?” / “You mean you don’t wash 
your hair every day?”/ “So do you take those out at night? 
”/ “Like how do you wash your hair?”

Damn, Becky! Mind your own 
damn business! Please be 
mindful of your comments. 
Nobody likes to be perceived 
as weird, exotic or strange. 
Never ask someone why they 
wear something — whether 
it’s a hijab or hair extensions. 
Let them live.

You probably sound racist/
homophobic/sexist. If you have 
to preface a statement with
saying you don’t want to sound 
a certain way, it’s probably
because you’re about to sound 
that way.

See above.

“I went to the beach the entire weekend 
and look, I’m almost as dark as you!”

This is not a compliment. I am 
not ashamed of my race, and 
there is nothing of which to be 
ashamed for identifying with 
one race or another. There 
are good and bad people of all 
races.

“You all” / “You go, girl” / “Yo,” “Word” and “What Up” 
as an introduction whenever you’re greeting your 
Black peers / saying phrases that end with the term 
“girlfriend” when you’re not referencing a woman 
you’re dating

 “All Lives Matter – not 
just Black people.”

Saying All Lives Matter is like 
saying all diseases matter at a 
breast cancer rally.

All Black people do not do the 
same things.

“I have a white coworker who dates Black men. She 
and her boyfriend at the time were having issues. 
So, she was venting to me about him and called him 
a nigger. Nigger this. Nigger that. After regaining my 
composure, I asked her why she think it’s OK to say 
nigger in my presence. She replied that she should 
get a pass because she acts Black, dates Black and 
considers herself Black.”

Stereotyping Black women as 
sassy is bad. It is damaging to 
Black women, and can even 
lead Black women to have 
health issues, despite them 
telling the truth.
The hell I do. “My African-
American over here”?
“Shithole countries”? Bitch, 
please.

If you need to know why calling a 
Black girl “pretty” is wrong, read 
Mic’s article “9 Things Everyone 
Needs to Stop Saying to Black 
Women Immediately.”

“You should join our company basketball 
team.” (They’ve never seen you play.)

 “Are you real Black?”
“Are both of your parents 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Black?”

For the record, most Black
people in America are mixed 
with something.

Cultural Appropriation 

Cultural appropriation isn’t a 
fuzzy line.
It isn’t hard to discern. It’s 
quite simple.
Cultural appropriation is the 
adoption of elements of a
minority culture by members 
of the dominant culture.

* White people who go to all 
white fraternity parties and play 
all Black music.
* White people adopting AAVE 
to sound funny or “urban” (also 
known as Ebonics).
* White people wearing dread-
locks.
* White people wearing

mockery of a traditional
cultural dress without
expressed permission or
cultural exchange from a
member of that culture.
* White people profiting off of 
culture without a meaningful 
exchange and understanding of 
privilege and power.

Examples Include

Hey, Karen. I Just wanted 
you to know you might want to 
change your Halloween costume 
from Pocahontas to basic bitch.
Please 
stop 
doing 
problematic 
things.
 It’s annoying and I’m tired 
of writing articles about it.
Cultural appropriation turns 
cultural elements into a costume.
 It often goes unchecked in 

beauty. Culture is erased and 
belittled. 
The 
repackaging 
of 
products 
as 
“cool” 
or 
“trendy” 
marginalizes 
those 
whose 
culture 
to 
which 
they belong. Think of Kylie 
Jenner’s 
“birthday 
braids” 
making 
headlines, 
even 
though 
they’re 
the 
same 
cornrows that have been worn 
by Black women for ages.
Or the idea of laying baby 
hairs, even though it’s been 

a staple of Black hairdos for 
ages. Or the use of bindis as 
a “trendy” culture. Or the 
adoption of Tibetan Buddhism 
by mainstream, middle class 
Han Chinese folk to seem 
cool. Or the trend of the large 
beauty supply earrings for $2 
that were sold in H&M for $20. 
This trend is nefarious when 
the cultural appropriation is 
used for profit, which is why it 
may 
soon 
become 
illegal.

Blackface and a short history

Ah, blackface. Old buddy, 
old pal.
We haven’t seen you in a 
while…Oh, wait. That was 
last year.
Blackface is wrong.
It’s not funny. It’s not cool. 
It’s not quirky.
It’s just racist.
So:
From minstrel shows, to 
golliwogs, 
to 
scientific 
racism –
Blackface is used to make 
fun of and demean Black 
people.
Just don’t do it. It’s not that 
hard.

PHOTO COURTESY OF A.B
Last semester, a University of Michigan student posted this 
Snapchat.

Halloween Costumes

How to not be racist: Chapter 3

“Devil’s 
Advocate” 
and 
“All sides of the argument”
Chad, 
nobody 
wants 
to 
hear you say, “Well, if I was a 
slave owner, I would be mad 
my 
property 
is 
gone 
too!”

Devil’s 
advocate 
can 
be 
used as a tool to know what 
traditionally 
racist 
and 
bigoted 
people 
would 
say.
But please don’t say “If I were” 
to things and then say a sentiment 

of things that are vehemently 
repulsive, or actively threatens 
the livelihood of people of color.
My life is more important 
than your shitty hypothetical 
attempt to devalue my life.

Classroom Etiquette

Power Dynamics: Voices in the Room

Recognizing 
power 
and 
privilege in a room is absolutely 
paramount 
to 
having 
more 
fruitful discussion and discourse.
Meaning, you should step back 
for a second when you’re in the 
classroom talking about racism.
Listen to the people of color 
in the room. The Indigenous, 
Black 
and 
Brown 
voices.
Acknowledge 
how 
you 
move throughout the world 
and 
your 
experiences.

“There is nothing glamorous 
about 
being 
subjected 
to 
racism, and certainly no social 
rewards to be reaped from being 
the victim of oppression in a 
society that heaps disadvantage 
on 
historically 
marginalized 
groups,” Atlantic journalist Simba 
Runyowa wrotein an article 
about 
microaggressions. 
“So 
why would people willingly 
designate themselves as victims 
if they do not truly feel that way? 

The only people who benefit 
from oppression are the ones 
who are exempt from it — not 
the ones who suffer through it.”
Do not talk over women. Do 
not talk over women of color. 
Do not talk over people of 
color when they try to speak 
about 
their 
experiences, 
no 
matter how “offended” you feel.
This 
country 
would 
benefit 
from 
a 
lot 
of 
listening. Please try to do so.

Professors, and People in Power

What is the purpose of saying this? Why are you using your 
perceived darkness as a lighthearted comment to compare 
to your whiteness? Newsflash, you can’t wash my Black off. 
It’s different.

Not all Black people play basketball.
Stereotyping is wrong.

Stop with the foolishness. Do not try to use African-
American Vernacular English as comedic relief.
It’s not your culture, stop saying that shit. I don’t over 
exaggerate my code switching/white accent when I’m 
talking to you.

Not that it’s any of your business, but we can go various amounts 
of time without washing our hair because not all of us get greasy 
and nasty. 
Asking people of color if their hair is real is intrusive and rude. 
This is especially rude because there’s a long history of oppress-
ing women of color in public spaces like schools and offices for 
wearing their hair naturally.

 “You’re so articulate.”

“Why do you wear that
(insert item)?”

“I don’t want to sound 
racist/homophobic/sexist 
but …”

Any phrase starting with 
“So, do Black people …”

“Your name is
impossible to pronounce!”

“No, where are 
you really from?”

“You’re different, not 
like them, the other 
ones …”

 “I want you to be nice
 today… not sassy.”

“You have to
understand Trump.”

“You’re the prettiest black 
girl I’ve ever seen.”

“Not to make it a 
race/gay/gender thing 
but …”

Read more at 
MichiganDaily.com

