Smith ScholarWorks Theses, Dissertations, and Projects 2009 An exploratory study of the life experiences and motivating factors of White antiracist organizers and educators Anne E. Bachrach Smith College Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses Part of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Bachrach, Anne E., "An exploratory study of the life experiences and motivating factors of White antiracist organizers and educators" (2009). Masters Thesis, Smith College, Northampton, MA. https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses/462 This Masters Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in Theses, Dissertations, and Projects by an authorized administrator of Smith ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Annie Bachrach An Exploratory Study of the Life Experiences and Motivating Factors of White Antiracist Organizers and Educators ABSTRACT This study was undertaken to explore the life experiences and motivating factors of White people who organize and educate for racial justice. The research was a qualitative study with a sample of 13 White self-indentified antiracists who spent at least five hours per week on antiracism work. Through face-to-face interviews, participants were asked to reflect on life experiences relevant to the development of an antiracist identity and to identify sources of hope and motivation in doing this challenging work. The findings of the study increase our understanding of what it means to be a White antiracist, the complex process of developing a White antiracist identity, and the many ways that Whites can work towards a more racially just world with the leadership of People of Color. Many of the participants pointed to the existence of structural racism within social services and the need for transformative changes in the way social workers understand and attempt to help oppressed communities.