Historically, a gift of a white elephant from the king was a sacred blessing that could not be refused - but in that blessing lay a hidden curse. The upkeep for the elephant was so costly that it would eventually bankrupt its owner.
In the West the term “White Elephant” came to mean an expensive burden, something that fails to meet expectations, despite exacting higher and higher costs. In a very real sense, the colonial concept of white supremacy and the racism it fosters, can be seen as the White Elephant.
Like a White Elephant, racism and doctrines of white supremacy are extremely costly to our society. The longer we hold on to these concepts, the longer we wait to confront the White Elephant of racism and white supremacy in our communities, the more we all stand to lose.
Confront the White Elephant. Join us for conversations about racism and actions we can take to become an anti-racism community.
Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future, and renders the present inaccessible.
- Maya Angelou, Poet, Civil Rights Activist
