White Youth Workers in Communities of Color

The following g-chat conversation is one between a friend of mine and me. Both of us have jobs of social service at non-profit organizations. I'm a Cambridge youth worker at a local youth center for the rough neighborhood of Area IV in Central Square. She is a program coordinator for a leadership development program dedicated to assisting overlooked high school students into colleges across the nation. We both directly work with youth- she, for almost 3 years now and myself, for about 6 years this August. (I know, I know...how the hell does she have the corporate job? :p) As experienced social leaders, my friend and I have come to translate in our own ways the presence of white youth workers with inner-city youth, the majority of whom is of color. Yes, this is 2010. We have a "black" president, even though he's actually bi-racial. We're past racial issues, at least here in America....but not really. Not completely, anyways- some of us still carry individual racial prejudices and stereotypes, sometimes making how we present ourselves less than respectable. And this is especially dangerous when working with children. What do you think?

This conversation is based around a co-worker of her's who, through his actions and individual presentation, rubs the students and fellow workers the wrong way. Some of the best and most productive racial conversations happen between two different ethnicities, in this case- Mexican vs. Mexican-Irish (I look very white, so by societal standards- I AM more white). Names have been changed for confidentiality purposes...and pardon the french.

ok... whats wrong with him

 Leila: He's just sooo degrading

  and corny!

3:09 PM and i dont mind corny people...when they own that they are corny...but he thinks he's sooo cool with them

  and slips into slang when talking to them

  its unbelievable

9 minutes

3:19 PM me: well

  hes white

  at least hes tryin

  question

 Leila: ughh

 me: did you ever think i was corny?

3:20 PM cuz you know im half white

  and you saw me around the kids

 Leila: no

 me: and you said i was cool

  but was that a lie?

 Leila: you were yourself with them

  thats what i dont get...why people think they have to be someone else arounds kids of color

3:21 PM me: because they think that's the only way they're gonna get the kids respect

  by acting not white

 Leila: but see, what does acting white mean?

3:22 PM me: i mean shit..its gotta be a fact. it takes longer for kids to warm up to white staff then it does for any staff of color

  shits all relative

  should it be like that?

  no

  but thats what some white people fear when they work with kids

 Leila: right....then be aware of that

3:23 PM be aware of how a student might see you differently

  and like you said...gain their respect

  dont disrespect them even more by talking down to themme: well talking down to them is an entirely different converstaion

 me: when its your job, its kinda hard to admit that its gonna take longer for you just cuz ur white

 Leila: then you are just reinforcing what kids already think about white people

 Leila: no its not hard...you face it

  you go in knowing its gonna take you longer

3:24 PM and you are probably gonna have to work harder

  and thats it

  its like oh for once things arent handed to you...and you have to work for them

  im not talking to you directly btw

  just generalizing

3:25 PM me: i know

  its...

  no its not like that

  you have to work for something, its not handed to you

  from experience, kids ive worked with have made fun of staff not for tryin to act differently, but for acting white

3:26 PM and they have little to no respect for them

  "white people be tellin"

 Leila: b/c staff dont have respect for them

 me: sayin shit like that

 Leila: ok so deal

 me: im not sayin its the kids fault

 Leila: deal that these kids all their life have been given these messages

 me: its not that easy

  

3:27 PM Leila: and yes themselves have been given stereotpyes of white people

  its a cycle i get that

  but ive also seen a lot of ugly behavior coming from staff (white staff)

  its unexcusable

  youre the adult

  

  they are the kid

3:28 PM you have dealt with identity and at this point should know your privilege and work towards navigating this system if this is the kind of work you want to be in

  not then play victim to a kids behaivor

  i dont know

 me: so say something to him

  if you see this from him

 Leila: im not his supervisor

3:29 PM thats not my place

 me: but its your concern as a co worker

  and yea, its ur place to voice your concerns

  with people you have to work with and more so, people the kids work with directly

  thats ur place

3:30 PM no?

3:31 PM Leila: yea

  we have already received feedback from students about him

  and how he puts too mch pressure on them and is mean

 Leila: we have relayed that to his supervisor

 me: isnt this a non profit?

 Leila: yea and?

 me: focused around kids?

3:32 PM it shouldnt be about who is who's supervisor

  have a fuckin meeting!

 Leila: this is still a professional job

 me: yea i get that

  be professional about itme: dont use the work fuck

 Leila: while we are a team i cant just say i want to have a meeting about his behavior

 me: why not?

3:33 PM if it affects the kids

  those are all of ya'lls clients

 Leila: right

 me: thats who youre working for

 Leila: i get that

 me: technically ur supervisors..

 Leila: youre preaching to the choir

 me: lol

  i know

  so if they dont like it, figure it out...as a team

  

 Leila: we're trying

 me: ya know obama is just as white as i am

 Leila: yea

 me: i find that fascinating

  cuz by no means would he be labeled white

  but i would totally be

 Leila: funny how race plays into it...its about how you look

  race is socially constructed based on color

  thats it

3:38 PM me: fucking stupid

  i hate that game

  

  

  good luck with him