Racist? Who, me? Seattle's liberal race guilt

Berit Anderson

Berit Anderson Jun 16, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>Racist? Who, me? Seattle's liberal race guilt</h1>
                <h2><p>Author/scholar/activist Sharon Chang has a piece in the Seattle Globalist this week that points out something polite Seattle hates acknowledging: Progressives can be racist too.

"Statements pushing Seattle’s diversity and 'leftyism' mask the reality that despite being a liberal city, Seattle’s racial outcomes</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/berit-anderson-crosscut-com/">Berit Anderson</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <p>Author/scholar/activist Sharon Chang <a href="http://www.seattleglobalist.com/2015/03/02/race-in-seattle-progressive-mystique-integration/34402?ref=cascadepbs.org">has a piece in the <em>Seattle Globalist</em> this week</a> that points out something polite Seattle hates acknowledging: Progressives can be racist too.</p><p>"Statements pushing Seattle’s diversity and 'leftyism' mask the reality that despite being a liberal city, Seattle’s racial outcomes are perhaps no better than anywhere else," writes Chang.</p><p>"Racism is not a problem that 'other' people need to deal with. It’s our problem too; something we all need to acknowledge, address and undo.</p><p>Wake up Seattle and shake off your 'progressive mystique.' We still have a lot of work to do."</p>
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Author/scholar/activist Sharon Chang has a piece in the Seattle Globalist this week that points out something polite Seattle hates acknowledging: Progressives can be racist too.

"Statements pushing Seattle’s diversity and 'leftyism' mask the reality that despite being a liberal city, Seattle’s racial outcomes are perhaps no better than anywhere else," writes Chang.

"Racism is not a problem that 'other' people need to deal with. It’s our problem too; something we all need to acknowledge, address and undo.

Wake up Seattle and shake off your 'progressive mystique.' We still have a lot of work to do."

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By Berit Anderson

Berit Anderson was Managing Editor at Crosscut, following tech, culture, media and politics. She founded Crosscut's Community Idea Lab.   Previously community manager of the Tribune Company’