Coming to know one's privilege.

In 1989, Wellesley College professor Peggy McIntosh compiled a list of privileges she felt she had because she has white skin.

In her journey to understand her own privilege, Dr. Sharon Anderson realized that many people who have recognized their privilege haven't shared their stories. An associate professor of robotics at Colorado State University, she presented at the University of Nebraska's Women in Educational Leadership conference in 2005 in Lincoln. She offered insight into how to know and realize privilege, which affects personal as well as professional interactions.

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Invisibility

As a native of Wyoming, Anderson grew up in a homogeneous town. Her day-to-day interactions were with other white, middle-class, able-bodied churchgoers. With limited exposure to differences, she was blind to her privilege. "Inadvertently, I was taught to not see my privilege as a white, middle-class person." Through educational experiences and her work, Anderson started to recognize that she was afforded certain privileges that others weren't.

"Sometimes we cannot recognize our own privilege until we see it through a shared experience with another who does not share in that privilege," she said. Much of her exploration to understanding her own privilege has included having what she calls "difficult dialog" with a good friend. Professional colleagues, they have different skin colors and cultural backgrounds.

As friends, they began to engage in the difficult dialogs. Anderson listened to her colleague's stories of hardship and injustice. The conversations were delicate, because while Anderson had to be open to seeing her friend's day-in and day-out experiences, her friend also had to be willing to let her see her world. "To let me hear from her, she had to be vulnerable herself," Anderson reflected.