Journal of College & University Student Housing Volume 50, No. 1 - 16

The Impact of White Supremacy
ALTHOUGH BARRIERS TO WORKPLACE LEARNING are well documented in
the literature, the intersection of organizational theory and White supremacy is
underexamined, resulting in a White-neutral lens. As described by Tema Okun,
there are several characteristics of White supremacy cultural norms that manifest
in organizations, and the purpose of this study is to examine how they impact
organizational learning. This action research study involved two cycles of inquiry.
In Cycle 1, interviews were conducted with housing practitioners to understand
the conditions impacting learning in the workplace, and the findings indicated
that White supremacy cultural norms negatively impacted learning. Cycle 2 involved
the development, implementation, and evaluation of an online learning
module focused on defensive routines, a characteristic of White supremacy cultural
norms, which participants described as negatively impacting their learning.
Post-intervention interviews were conducted with university student affairs practitioners.
Findings from Cycle 2 showed that the online module was effective in
helping practitioners develop the knowledge and skills to identify and disrupt
defensive reactions in themselves and others. For Black, Indigenous, and People
of Color (BIPOC) participants, in particular, the module created feelings of validation.
These findings provide a potential road map for future equity training and
offer housing practitioners insight into specific barriers to organizational learning.
A
s influencers in students' learning experience, housing practitioners must be
learners themselves. Understanding the barriers that impact workplace learning
enables housing organizations to not only disrupt these barriers but also
to maximize learning potential. Dominant cultural norms shape individuals' mental
models, " the deeply held images of how the world works, images that limit us to ways
of thinking and acting " (Senge, 2006, p. 163). Developing insight about one's mental
models empowers practitioners to have agency over the forces that guide behaviors,
interactions, and decisions. " The inertia of deeply entrenched mental models can overwhelm
even the best systemic insights " and " impede learning " (Senge, 2006, p. 167),
making the unraveling of mental models an imperative for learning organizations.
Grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT; Ladson-Billings, 2013), this action research
study aimed to illuminate how White supremacy cultural norms that manifest in organizations
impact workplace learning and how individuals can develop the knowledge,
skills, and motivation to identify and disrupt these norms in their daily practice. Findings
reveal that White supremacy cultural norms negatively impact workplace learning
Volume 50, No. 1 * 2023 13

Journal of College & University Student Housing Volume 50, No. 1

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Journal of College & University Student Housing Volume 50, No. 1