A close friend of mine believes that all white people are racist. Historically, racism comes from social structures in the U.S. that have made it possible for whites to back up prejudice with power, while the oppressed can never exert that same power and therefore can never be racist. So goes the argument.

She and I have discussed this many times, because I’d like to believe that we are all, regardless of skin color, capable of overcoming our prejudices. I agree that we are socialized within racist structures, and by benefiting from these structures without always being aware of them, white people are often complacently, if not always overtly, racist. On the other hand, I think it is possible to raise awareness and fight against the institutionalized racism that reinforces racial hierarchies in the U.S. While the recent election may be a sign of progress, racism is still deeply rooted in our society, and we must be vigilant in working to eradicate racism in our own lives, and in society at large.

The racialized history in the U.S. complicates cross-racial relations, but it’s a problem when that knowledge manifests into “white guilt.” Feeling guilty is unproductive, though it’s an important step in realizing how much we benefit today from pre-existing racist institutions. Still, we need to be able to take our historical knowledge and use it productively to educate ourselves on the structures of oppression and learn to be self-critical. From there we can begin to contribute positively to change those institutions and to live in a way that breaks with the past and brings us to a different future.

At Ithaca College we are privileged to have access to an entire department dedicated to culture, race and ethnicity. It is one way to open ourselves to the questions and issues surrounding race in our society. Still, there is only so much to be gained from formal learning. It is also important to take advantage of opportunities to meet new people and to attend events where people want to be engaged in open dialogue about diversity. We each have the potential to face our prejudices head on and work to break them down.

When we begin to see how we fit into the bigger picture, we can create a future that is less racialized, if not “post-racial.” Overcoming a long history of racial oppression will take true dedication to dismantle the structures that have perpetuated it. The election of President Barack Obama is just one step in that direction. We still have a long way to go. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. ... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”