It doesn’t even mean the work you are doing is actually good work, in the same way a white person working with youth of color in a service or philanthropic capacity doesn’t by any means disqualify them from being racist. One of the ideas we have to get beyond is the idea of someone being inherently moral or just or generally “good” because of the nature of the work with which they are involved. First we should interrogate the colonialist history of philanthropy within the construction of the United States. One of our most violent, detestable presidents, Andrew Jackson, was also a self proclaimed philanthropist. Jackson (who referred to indigenous peoples as “savage bloodhounds” and “blood thirsty barbarians”) famously killed 800 Creeks, including women and children; he and his soldiers then made bridle reins from the flesh of the dead. Violence such as this led Jackson to the presidency in 1828. As president, conveyed here by Ronald Takaki in his work “A Different Mirror, “Jackson Claimed his goal was to protect the Indians from the ‘mercenary influence of white men.’ Seeking to exercise ‘parental’ control, he regarded himself as a ‘father’, concerned about the welfare of his Indian ‘children’. But if these ‘children’ refused to accept his advice, Jackson warned, they would be responsible for the consequences. ‘I feel conscious of having done my duty to my red children, and if any failure of my good intentions arises, it will be attributable to their want of duty to themselves, not to me” (Takaki, 1993. Pg. 82). Takaki goes on to quote Jackson as saying, “Humanity has often wept over the fate of the aborigines of this country, and Philanthropy has been long busily employed in devising means to avert it” (82). What we have to understand is that the very need for service work and philanthropy comes out of capitalist and colonialist contexts. The same people in positions of power within these philanthropic industries historically either directly construct(ed), or benefit from, the context of oppression and violence which necessitate services in the first place. In the case of Andrew Jackson he very literally committed some of the worst atrocities against indigenous folks in our country’s history and then later positioned himself as a caretaker over the same people against whom he committed calculated acts of genocide. The colonialist model of philanthropy: destroy a people’s way of life, then make them dependent upon you for their continued survival, be both villain and savior. This is the spirit in which American philanthropy was born. Let’s fast forward to today. I worked for a non-profit serving homeless youth in Minneapolis for nearly six years. These were some of the best years of my life working with some of the best, most caring people I have ever met. I also met some of the most selfish, self-serving, and low key racist individuals serving primarily youth of color. This reality must be interrogated. First, the stats: around ⅔ of homeless youth in MN are youth of color, the youth we served at the specific shelter at which I was employed were, at any given time, about 85% youth of color (most often black youth). The administration and board shared roughly an equal percentage of white representatives-this statistic matches the national pattern of nonprofits which see around 84% of leadership as being white. The fact that the demographics of administrations are almost exactly inverse of the demographics served should be reason for pause and deep reflection. I once was speaking with a youth about oppression and racism, this particular youth was a 17 year old, queer black womyn. She said to me she had never experienced racism. I asked her how many youth were at the shelter (20), I asked how many were black (at the time all the youth living there were black). I asked her why there weren’t any white youth there, her answer was that white people were better at making money. I asked if that were really true, and if so why might that be? Was that inherent to white people or had there been certain historical advantages in place which assisted white people in their acquisition and proliferation of capital and material wealth? After a long conversation of unlearning, mapping and remapping local and national histories this young person came to see that the very fact she lived in a shelter, in which not one other white person lived, as an experience of racism. Thus, the shelter’s very existence was the result of capitalism and systemic racism, not mere unfortunate, un-identifiable, events in the lives of individuals tied neither to past nor present racial and class politics. One of the things I heard many white administrators and board members say about our work was that we hoped to “work ourselves out of a job one day”. This was said most at fundraising events; it was a nice idea, one that was fun to say and fun to believe. I even said it for my first few years of working there. I even believed it. However, the work was responding to the effects of systems of oppression. The work was not addressing, pushing against and re-imagining the systems which result in the majority of homeless youth being queer youth of color. The work was direct care work with youth experiencing homelessness, with survivors. That work needs to be done, and will need to be done for the foreseeable future, and is work I will likely return to in some capacity. However, the questions of “who should be doing this work?” and “how should this work be done” must be asked, additionally we cannot pretend this work is inherently actively engaging in a radical reimagining of a society which requires service work. A society which requires a homeless shelter is an inherently unjust society. A service organization which depends upon unpaid internships and volunteers (who can afford to be unpaid interns and volunteers? Generally young, privileged, often white, college students or just as often elderly, retired, white folks) rather than investing in paid employment for the immediate community is an organization not dedicated to reimagining systems necessitating service work, but one which positions the “clients” as capital and job creation for the ruling class. The organization serves as a means to further advance the financial and professional lives of its interns more so than its clients. A service organization dependent on money from rich donors outside of the community is not committed to reimagining systems as the ruling class is positioned again as the gatekeepers to wealth and socio economic advancement, rather than developing alternative funding sources within the community committing to the proliferation of the local economy. A service organization whose administration is not, at the very least, representative of the immediate community it serves is not dedicated to reimagining systems necessitating service work as decisions made are still made from a disparate positionality, one which must report to wealthy donors before those it "serves". These notions might be a grim and pessimistic way to view non-profit work, but it is the reality. No one enters the work with these intentions, but doing work and how the work is done is where the difference lies in defining whether or not one, and the work, is truly good. Thus, I do not position anyone as inherently good for doing “good” work, least of all those of us who benefit most from systems of inequality. Especially when that “good” work can, and often does, quite literally reify the power dynamics which created the need for that work in the first place. I routinely witnessed and pushed back against white co-workers working harder for the white youth we did serve, or youth of color who fit more conveniently into a white, middle class respectability realpolitik. I saw white staff fighting to keep a white girl housed despite her sexually predatory behavior, while having just pushed for putting three black youth back on the street for smoking weed on the shelter’s property. I saw white staff, and staff of color, position vocal, rambunctious, disruptive youth of color as violent and disrespectful while positioning vocal, rambunctious, disruptive white youth as “having been through so much”. The latter statement was not untrue, but it was equally true of all youth though often unequally applied. Now, put any one of us as social workers at a dinner party and when it is discussed what we do for work, we will each be championed as “selfless” or “generous” or “courageous” without any inquiry into how the work is being done. The subject matter of a lesson plan or the nature of the work does not transcend pedagogy or interpersonal relationships. Some staff members were very much selfless, generous and courageous-are those I look up to most in this world-and they did the work in a way that truly fought back against institutional, ideological, interpersonal and internalized pillars of oppression which constructed the social ecology requiring the work; on the other hand, others were closer to the opposite of all that and behaved in a way which reified these systems and power dynamics, and yet to the world we were all doing equally “good work”. We were all “good”. Though we weren’t, not all of us. Michael Lee is a Norwegian-American writer, performer and educator. He has received grants and scholarships from the Bread Loaf Writers Conference, the Minnesota State Arts Board, the LOFT Literary Center, & the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council.He is an Ed.M candidate at Harvard University. You can help support his writing HERE.
36 Comments
Hoda
1/11/2016 04:06:55 am
This world needs more people telling it as it is!
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michael lee
1/11/2016 05:25:31 pm
Thank you! Follow along on facebook, new essays every week!
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Judy Talaugon
1/15/2016 09:43:36 pm
Excellent.
Kristin Appel
1/11/2016 05:59:55 pm
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. I hope to one day get involved in macro level social work and reading things like this remind me why I have a passion for it, so thank you.
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Amrita
1/14/2016 11:50:51 am
Perfect expression of thoughts that so many of us have in such situations. Just yesterday, I interacted with another professional who referred to non-white students as "out of culture" kids. Sometimes, I'm just at too much of a loss for words to even describe my disgust. Thank you for putting it down so eloquently.
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Jay A.
1/14/2016 02:17:30 pm
Yesssssssssssss, this so much. Thank you for articulating so well my own experience of social work and systems of racism.
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Liana
1/14/2016 03:01:18 pm
I really enjoyed reading your post! I am currently getting my master's in social work and the racial gap that you mentioned in the non-profit sector is definitely present within graduate programs as well. MSW programs do not typically provide much financial support (i.e./ students pay for the majority of their degree with loans) so they generally attract middle to upperclass, white women (full disclosure, that would be me). This makes it extremely difficult for non-profits (and state-run clinics) to hire providers that reflect their patient population. I'm not justifying the fact that organizations are not hiring diverse/ representative employees, just pointing out that the issue is present on multiple levels. Also, I've noticed that a social worker's level of awareness regarding social justice issues, internal biases and privilege within is largely dependent on their generation and the graduate program they attended. UT integrates social justice into almost every class, and I think raising awareness (similar to your stories above) is a crucial component to cultural humility and quality care. Finally, I'm not sure about the level of public assistance or quality of health insurance programs in Minnesota, but being in Texas, I can tell you that the State spends very little $$ on social services. In fact, the state touts that non-profits and private sector organizations can adequately serve constituents and fill in the gaps (spoiler alert: no they can't). I guess what I'm trying to say is that I agree with you: our current system was born out of capitalism, and I really like that you tied that in. Many of our politicians do not seem to think that basic social services (healthcare, paid leave, pre-K education, etc.) are worthy of investing in, which creates the "need" for homeless shelters, welfare, medicaid, SNAP, etc. Unfortunately the majority of social work students complete a clinical degree and "macro" level work like policy writing or analysis is largely undervalued, but this is probably the best way to make larger, systematic changes to address oppression.
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St3ll-a
1/18/2016 08:30:58 am
Dude Atella fucking suxxxxxx. What's her mom's name again? Is it Damnnit? Like,,, Damnnit Janet? 😜😝😣
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Sarabinthia
1/15/2016 11:49:30 am
The story you told about being a non-black dude in authority lecturing a queer black girl about her oppression was a real eye-opener. Let's just confirm - that Patreon fund is compensating her for your embarrassing lack of self-awareness and then repaying her for the $$$ you stand to make off it... right? Or is there one "selfish, self-serving, and low key racist individual" you didn't quite find time to teach?
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Roman
1/16/2016 11:24:03 am
In other words, "Just because you write blog posts about 'The Good' doesn't mean you're good"
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Jo
1/18/2016 04:17:49 pm
Thank you for this comment! Well said.
Atella the Hunnnn$
1/18/2016 08:33:57 am
D0000d that $t3lla fuckin bitch has a lot to learn about looking people in the eyes and learning their fuckkkkin names. Like seriously what the duck is problem with this dabbed out fuxki f person? She needs to drink some ducking coffee and do some real studying I gues$s. Stupid ho
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Kael
3/3/2016 10:08:56 pm
Woah, Sarabinthia -- that was an extraordinarily perceptive comment. I was just about to write all these comments off as an annoying positive feedback loop when yours sent the whole train screeching to a halt, passengers falling everywhere, hair ruffled, suits wrinkled. I even took a brief moment of silence to make sure I was still in tact afterwards.
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Jonathan
1/15/2016 12:51:52 pm
With the basic premise of this piece, I agree: being employed to perform what is intended as "social good" work does not make a person inherently good, nor does it guarantee that the work being done is itself good.
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Joseph Dwyer
1/17/2016 07:08:58 pm
Well said Jonathan.
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Hilah
1/15/2016 01:05:10 pm
My first real visual example of this disparity was actually on my MSW graduation day. I sat on the stage surrounded by roughly 70 other graduates. In that group, there were 6 males. The rest were females, mostly white but other races as well. Of those 6 males, only 4 were white. Of those 4, only 2 were heterosexual.
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Elizabeth
1/15/2016 07:30:20 pm
With people like this, there is no hope! His world is literally black and white. This kind of thinking about people who do share their time, talents, and money is absolutely ridiculous. Many people who help society through these organizations have much more humility than this author would ever give them credit for, though he will sit on his moral high horse and judge them. Sickening and sad.
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Raven
1/15/2016 08:59:16 pm
Good job Michael. :D
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Daniel Murray
1/16/2016 02:33:32 am
The inability of an individual to succeed in a society cannot and should not be blamed on a caring and just society.
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Scott Garner
5/24/2016 12:58:51 pm
This.
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Jeannette
1/16/2016 09:16:32 am
the best texts i know on the unintended (and intended) catastrophes of philanthropy are alex de waal, Famine Crimes, about live aid, and mary b. anderson's Do No Harm.
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Jennifer
1/16/2016 10:55:24 am
It's true. I'm a grad student in social work. I went in intending to do macro social work, but I'm doing clinical now. I actually really love clinical, though changing systems is my other passion. I don't know what being a macro social worker looks like though. There are grassroots organizers, lobbyists, but it seems difficult to use an MSW for those things. I'd love advice on where to find macro connections if you know any, thanks.
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n.a.b
1/16/2016 01:57:27 pm
An unbelievably pompous and sanctimonious screed. If only we could all strive to reach your lofty standards of philanthropy. Thank you, Michael Lee, for suffocating everyone with your mutated brand of liberalism. You let us know that no matter how hard we work to serve marginalized communities, or help those in need, that we will just never be good enough. I especially enjoyed the part where you let the girl in the shelter know just how discriminated against she really was."After a long conversation of unlearning, mapping and remapping local and national histories this young person came to see that the very fact she lived in a shelter, in which not one other white person lived, as an experience of racism." Hilarious coming from a privileged academic with an obvious guilt complex. It's people like you, Michael, people that look to "out-good" everyone else that make the world a LESS inclusive place. Figure it out.
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Amrita
1/16/2016 02:48:24 pm
Whoaaa...I'm not really here to draw this out (nobody ever really changes their mind based on a comment-section debate), but I just wanna gently put it out there, that perhaps, the article wasn't about YOU. The way I see it, the article highlights actual experiences and events more than specific whole people. There are times when I read things that encourage me to be more introspective. It can be painful, but it's important. Sometimes, we just gotta remember not to take things so personally and just stay in our own goddamned lane (perhaps with a bit more attention to the path).
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Aom
1/20/2016 06:46:51 am
Judging by how defensive you are, I think we've identified at least one of the people he's talking about.
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Don Fardo
1/17/2016 12:42:08 am
From now on, white people will not be involved in non-profits... this will really help the people in need. You're so right! We should deprive non-profits of white-based talent. Even though this may hurt people in need, it is definitely necessary in order to make sure sensitivities are respected.
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Aom
1/20/2016 06:51:17 am
If that's what you read from his post, then you must have a vested interest in keeping the system how it is -- to the benefit of white people.
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Cory Wenger
1/17/2016 09:36:09 pm
This essay boils down to ideas that are not new. For example, privilege and ethnocentrism shape one's world view. Class inequality structures interventions in social services to reproduce existing status quo conditions. What I have an issue with is the judgmental attitude, almost a diatribe or on-high edict of some kind, that so-called "privileged people" (as if there were only one kind/aspect of privilege) have the sole responsibility of changing the system/abolishing oppression. This isn't realistic nor does it give respect to the "privileged."
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Scott Sumner
1/18/2016 05:02:44 am
Disparate positionality? HooHaw! Sit around and demean those who try to help. You're remedy for this racist system that we have is a Marxist workers(peoples) utopia. How about letting people who have benefited from our system give back to it without attacking or guilting them for wanting to do it. There is no system, made by man, that will give equality to all. It simply isn't possible. Continue benefiting from our system while trashing it. SMH
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Camille
1/20/2016 04:46:14 am
Michael, thanks for this. As a woman of colour social worker who trained and worked in the US and is now working internationally (ranging from local authorities and the NHS in the UK to international non-governmental organisations in Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa), I appreciate your insight and willingness to share it. Just to add another layer to a very complex discussion, I must comment that I have found the ability to have these kinds of authentic and insightful conversations often feels like an American phenomenon. Although we (Americans) may be perpetuating a lot of what needs to be changed, I often feel that we are in the vanguard in at least the conversations that can lead to change. In other places (and I'm not talking about any place remote...I'm talking about the UK and continental Europe), often there is not even a recognition that there needs to be a conversation. It's as if racism originated in the US and thus Americans should be the only ones responsible to hold the space to talk about racism and privilege. I often experience the concept of privilege being so interwoven, unconscious and a part of everyday life and decision making that even introducing the word into a conversation seems to be a revolutionary act. Privilege is so accepted as how the world works and into the identities of those with and without varying levels of privilege. The lack of conversation about race and privilege outside of the American context leaves a deafening silence and leaves so many voiceless and marginalised and so many unknowingly perpetuating post-colonial / imperialistic ideals. My time working in some of the most "liberal" places and environments have often been the most challenging. This is all to say that I truly appreciate you putting the issue out there, and to contribute that it is not just an American issue but I'm proud that I often hear American voices at least trying to unpack it and deal with it. I'll be sure to follow and share your writing.
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Jonathan Silin
2/27/2017 02:57:34 pm
Michael,
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Lola
4/13/2018 11:08:05 am
I think a lot of people are missing the point of this article. Was it perfect? Of course not. I agree that when he explained racism to a queer black youth, that certainly came off as a little elitist, enacting the same kind of "saving" and power dynamics he claims to want to dismantle.
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tom
10/16/2019 02:24:13 am
l would like advice
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1/14/2021 05:03:19 pm
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Writer. Performer. Youth worker. Educator. What I know is eclipsed by what I don't. Working and writing for justice in all the ways I know how. Radical imagination. Deconstructing Whiteness.
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