Debby Irving brings to racial justice the perspective of working as a non-profit manager and classroom teacher for 25 years without understanding racism as systemic or her own whiteness as an obstacle to grappling with it. As a GM of First Night Boston, and later as a classroom teacher, she struggled to make sense of racial dynamics she could feel but not explain. In 2009, a graduate school course, Racial and Cultural Identity, gave her the answers she’d been looking for. Debby now devotes herself to working with people exploring the impact white skin can have on perception, problem solving, and creating equitable, racially diverse work teams and communities. Be it a keynote presentation, interactive workshop, or ongoing consulation, Debby models and facilitates self-reflection, skill building, and cultural awareness. A graduate of the Winsor School in Boston, she holds a BA from Kenyon College and an MBA from Simmons College. Her first book, Waking Up White, tells the story of how she went from well-meaning to well-doing.
