Ocasio-Cortez makes rare appearance with her boyfriend to talk about ‘combating racism as a white person’
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her boyfriend Riley Roberts took to Instagram on Friday to offer a three-step approach for helping white people do their bit to fight racism in the country. Ocasio-Cortez, during her latest Instagram Q & A session, fielded questions on multiple issues, including one on how white people can help "chip away" at racist beliefs among their white friends and family.
The couple then offered their followers "tips on combating racism as a White person," and responded to questions pertaining to generational wealth and the "hot mess" of Iowa caucuses. The caption of the first step offered by the New York Democrat and Roberts read "Talk to other White people".
"Most people don't want to be/think they are racist, but they also don't know or believe that some of the things they say/think can be racist," the caption read.
"Approaching the conversation in a 'right vs. wrong' frame *before* a 'racist vs. not racist vs. anti-racist' discussion can help create progress with folks who are prone to defensiveness," read the caption for step number two. "And always being open to learning about racist things we may have said or done without judgment or defensiveness," the Congresswoman added.
Roberts, on the other hand, said: "One of the most helpful ways is just to talk and try to help teach them about why some of the things they say or think are 'wrong' and not necessarily 'racist,' but that they're wrong, and that will sort of chip away and contribute to some sort of development in this area."
Roberts met AOC during their time at Boston University.
The pair, in their third step, called on pushing for an incremental change of people's opinions about race than attempting to force one's opinion over someone's potentially long-held beliefs and positions.
"Focus on 'chipping away' at racist paradigms in a given conversation instead of trying to take someone all the way from racist to not racist or even admitting racism. Let people sit and reflect with the conversation you've had with them -- it takes time," the self-described socialist democrat added.
Ocasio-Cortez also gave her take on impostor syndrome saying that many people do not acknowledge the help they have received along the way.