MTV put together a documentary called White People, which highlights the perceived struggle of white people in America as they explore their racial identity. The show will follow the lives of five young people as they confront their white privilege head-on. This trailer features white people talking about how hard it is to “be careful.” Why? “You say the wrong thing, and suddenly you’re a racist.”
The concept sounds ridiculous, but the documentary comes from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas. He covered the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings, so he presumably knows how to package difficult subject matter. This is MTV, but there’s no better time for a discussion on race than right now.
Will these young white people learn from their experiences during filming? Vargas will force them “to internalize what they’ve done in America.” We’ll find out when White People premiers on MTV on July 22.
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