For two straight weeks, protesters across the country have taken to the streets to demand justice and equality after George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was killed by police in Minneapolis. People of color in America have called upon the rest of us to broaden our understanding of what it means to be treated differently in this country and how the major social, cultural, and economic institutions perpetuate inequality via insidious and long-standing policies and practices that stack the deck.
Social media has been flooded with pieces that help explain what privilege really means and how it is ingrained in our culture, and numerous pro athletes have used their clout and their influence to bring greater awareness to a problem that still persists despite incremental progress.
Lakers star Kyle Kuzma added his voice to the mix via The Players’ Tribune on Tuesday, offering his own analogy of what white privilege means to him.
That’s why white people have to realize, it’s not just about your “heart” or your individual mindset. Like how some people say, “I don’t have a racist bone in my body.”
Well, the system does, and you can’t see it because it benefits you.
The best analogy I’ve heard that explains white privilege is that it’s like an invisible backpack that every white person wears. If you’re white and you’re ever in a situation where you might need help, you can take that backpack off, open it up, and pull out all sorts of sh*t.
Kuzma, who is biracial, also talked about what it was like growing up in an environment where he was caught between two worlds. Other athletes throughout the country have joined rallies and/or spoken out via social media and will continue to do as the protests now enter their third week.
