Columbia University to Hold Five Week ‘Deconstructing Whiteness’ Lecture Series For White Students

Columbia University is holding a five week long series of lectures for white students on “deconstructing whiteness.”

The workshop series is titled “From Ally to Accomplice at Columbia: Working Group for Examining and Deconstructing Whiteness to Mitigate Racial Trauma.”

According to the Facebook page for the series, the aim is “for white-identified students to engage in exploration of their white identities and build community and accountability around deconstructing whiteness and white privilege to facilitate the development of an anti-racist lens.”

The description adds that it “will not be a support group for white students. Nor will it be comfortable or easy.”

Campus Reform reports that the sessions, which will be held over Zoom, had filled up following “overwhelming interest!”

“There are numerous ways to address the issue of structural racism. This program is intended to engage students from a public health perspective,” Columbia Health Associate Director of Communications Gayle Gatchalian told Campus Reform. “The intent is to provide an alternative angle by which to tackle the issue.”