What White People Don’t See

It’s easier to point out racism in others than see it in yourself. (Woodcut by author.)

I’m white. For much of my life I’ve been oblivious to racism. I grew up in a Jewish suburban neighborhood in Studio City. I did not have friends of color until high school. I did not have a meaningful conversation about race with a black person until college. My family’s politics were left leaning. I followed suit.

During my sophomore year at UCLA, I joined an anti-apartheid student group. I participated in…