April Book & Film Discussion: Waking Up White: Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving
In the April SDARJ Book & Film Discussion we’ll be featuring the book:
Waking Up White: Finding Myself in the Story of Race
by Debby Irving
The remarkable story of Edward McCabe, a Black man who tried to establish a Black state within the United States.
“I’ve learned that when it comes to race, there’s no such thing as neutral: either I’m intentionally and strategically working against it, or I’m aiding and abetting the system.”
– Excerpt from the book Waking Up White
Founder, Dr. Aimee Wiest.
Hosted by Lewes Public Library
Please register to attend *either* In-Person or Online. You will receive a confirmation email within minutes of registering. If you do not receive an email from LibCal, check your spam filter. Or you call the library (302-645-2733) during business hours (M – Th from 10 AM to 2 PM, F from 10 AM to 5 PM, and Sat from 10 AM to 2 PM) and ask a staff person to check on your registration. DO NOT register again.
ABOUT THE BOOK
A personal account of author and racial justice educator Debby Irving’s journey from a sheltered, privileged upbringing to an understanding of systemic racism and her own white privilege.
Waking Up White is the book Irving wishes someone had handed her decades ago. By sharing her sometimes cringe-worthy struggle to understand racism and racial tensions, she offers a fresh perspective on bias, stereotypes, manners, and tolerance. As Irving unpacks her own long-held beliefs about colorblindness, being a good person, and wanting to help people of color, she reveals how each of these well-intentioned mindsets actually perpetuated her ill-conceived ideas about race. She also explains why and how she’s changed the way she talks about racism, works in racially mixed groups, and understands the antiracism movement as a whole. Exercises at the end of each chapter prompt readers to explore their own racialized ideas. Waking Up White’s personal narrative is designed to work well as a rapid read, a book group book, or support reading for courses exploring racial and cultural issues.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debby (Kittredge) Irving has worked since the 1980s to foster diversity, inclusiveness, and community-building. As general manager of Boston’s Dance Umbrella and later First Night, she developed both a passion for cross-cultural collaborations and an awareness of the complexities inherent in cross-cultural relationships. She has worked in public and private schools as a classroom teacher, board member, and parent. Her approach is to use authentic dialog to connect people through shared interests and divergent backgrounds. A graduate of the Winsor School in Boston, she holds a BA from Kenyon College and an MBA from Simmons College. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with her husband bruce where they are raising two daughters and an assortment of pets.
Source: GoodReads
Subscribe to get event notifications:
The 2026 Schedule
View the books and films we’ve discussed in previous meetings.
