“Because my main objective was to learn about how not to screw up around people of color, my mind was trained away from what I really needed to learn. Had I understood racism as a social system, or explored the way race had shaped my identity, my perspective, my values, and my achievements, I would have made more progress sooner. Instead, I made the mistake of overlaying my cultural values, such as “Say the right thing,” and “Be a good person,” on a new, markedly different social situation. I now understand that fear of doing or saying something offensive perpetuated my cultural incompetence.”
-Debby Irving Chapter 23 (pg. 129)
