Have you ever been in a conversation and been accused of playing the “race card”? Or been asked “Why do you have to make everything about race?” or “Why do you have to bring race into everything?”

There is a simple answer to this. Every time someone is referred to who is not white, their race or culture is used to describe them. Indigenous, East Indian, African American, Asian American, Latinx, BIPOC, etc. We use people’s race right up front to identify them, how could that not already be a part of the conversation?

How about we start doing the same thing when describing white people. I saw a headline go flitting across my fb feed recently about using the term White American. The article disappeared before I had a chance to read it, but it sounds like a fine idea. I’m going to start doing it. It’s only fair, right?

I mean, seriously, why should white people be the only ones that can simply called Americans? That constant unspoken, but very clear, privilege is why we can continue to center ourselves and our experiences in conversations with others, even when we claim to be “woke”. I think calling each other White American is one very easy step we can take toward dismantling that privilege.

What do you think?