Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., is sponsoring a “White Privilege Conference” next month where students, educators, and others will be empowered and equipped “to work for equity and justice through self and social transformations.”
Conference participants will discuss “how white privilege, white supremacy, and oppression affects daily life while giving strategies for addressing issues of privilege and oppression and advancing social and economic justice.”
According to the event’s website, examples of white privilege include: “Being able to … assume that most of the people you or your children study in history classes and textbooks will be of the same race, gender, or sexual orientation as you are; assume that your failures will not be attributed to your race, or your gender; not have to think about your race, or your gender, or your sexual orientation, or disabilities, on a daily basis …”
Grand Valley State University has offered scholarships for students to attend under the guise of “educational and professional development opportunities.” Other public schools in the state, such as Ferris State University, are also promoting the conference to students. Conference participants will be able to obtain either Continuing Education Credits or Academic Credit by attending.
Sponsors include the Transgender Training Institute, the Institute for Racial Awareness and Equity, “the Racial Justice Educator and Writer” Debby Irving, as well as Grand Valley State University’s Division of Inclusion and Equity. Grand Valley State University is listed as a “Conference Partner Sponsor” which requires at least $5,000 in support.
The conference will take place in Grand Rapids, Mich., from April 4 through April 7.
Grand Valley State University did not respond to request for comment in time for publication.
