Tochluk, Shelley

Shelley Tochluk

Wanted: a healthy anti-racist white identity

4 July 2021Feature Shelley Tochluk

If you don’t want white nationalists to recruit clueless young white people, you need to create a movement that welcomes clueless young white people

Speaking to a public meeting on white nationalism in Los Angeles in August 2019, white anti-racist educator Shelly Tochluk said: ‘I have to be honest and tell you that I don’t think white anti-racist people have been paying enough attention to how savvy and effective white nationalists are at taking advantage of the shame that continues to be a foundation for many white anti-racists’ approach to conversations about our racial identity.’

Shelly pointed out that white…

Racial justice work with heart, not a hammer

4 July 2021Feature Shelley Tochluk and Christine Saxman

Two white anti-racist educators argue for a different approach to working with white folk

On 18 November, Shelly Tochluk and Christine Saxman appeared on Eyes on Whiteness, a US anti-racism, anti-patriarchy podcast hosted by Maureen Benson (also a white woman). Here are some edited excerpts from their conversation.

Christine Saxman: As you both know, I have always struggled with being kind of righteous in my anti-racism work as a white person. I name that as whiteness! The competitiveness that comes up in me....

I think about how intentional I have to be, myself…