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Alicia Wargo, Ph.D. is a 2025 graduate of the PhD Program in Leadership and Change at Antioch University.

Alicia Wargo at her Dissertation Defense.

From L-R: Dr. Harriet Schwartz, Committee Chair, Dr. Lemuel Watson, Committee Member, Dr. Maureen Walker, Committee Member

Dissertation Committee

  • Harriet Schwartz, PhD, Committee Chair
  • Lemuel Watson, EdD, Committee Member
  • Maureen Walker, PhD, Committee Member

Keywords

whiteness, racial equity work, antiracism, grounded theory methodology, white supremacy, White facilitators, White racial identity, White race talk, White racial identity development, Critical Race Theory, race, racism, leadership, antiracism, social change, social justice, Relational Cultural Theory

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

This study focuses on the lived experiences of seasoned White facilitators of racial equity workshops to understand how they navigate the complexity of occupying a White racial identity while working to challenge the belief systems of white supremacy ingrained in themselves and others. Through applying Critical Race Theory as a framework to grounded theory methodology, this study examined whiteness as a sensitizing concept in micro, meso, and macro levels of analysis, situating this dissertation in the theoretical exploration of the multifaceted and pervasive nature of whiteness. Much of the research on racial equity work examines White participants in nascent stages of engagement, concentrating on the external behavior and impact of White race talk during conversations about race and racism. Applying dimensional analysis to 18 in-depth interviews of White facilitators, whose experience in racial equity work ranged from 7 to over 30 years, this study identified two co-core, interrelated dimensions of engaging on a learning journey to embrace the both/and. In addition to these co-core dimensions, four primary dimensions depicting the phenomenon of whiteness emerged from the findings: colluding with whiteness, stirring whiteness, unraveling whiteness, and interrupting whiteness. Through analysis of these findings, this study presents four theoretical propositions and a theoretical model representing variations of the social processes White facilitators move through to interrupt whiteness in themselves and others. The methodological exploration used in this study provides an opportunity to explore the fullness of what it means to be White and engage in racial equity efforts, potentially contributing to the literature on utilizing grounded theory as a process to explore social justice efforts. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

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Alicia Wargo

ORCID: #0009-0000-4625-8072

Alicia Wargo began her racial equity journey seventeen years ago when she attended her first Undoing Racism Training facilitated by The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond. The experience of this 5-day workshop created the space for Alicia to think deeply about the ways she, as a White woman, was complicit in upholding racist structures that perpetuated societal inequities for the students at the Bronx high school where she worked.

Since attending that pivotal workshop, Alicia has received training from the Center for Justice in Education, Morningside Center for Social Responsibility, and Pacific Educational Group to continue to understand her White racial identity and become a stronger advocate for social change. Alicia served as the Principal of DreamYard Preparatory High School for eleven years. During her tenure, DreamYard Prep was designated by the NYC Department of Education as a Respect for All School, serving as a model in New York City for the implementation of restorative practices and racial equity work.

As a former member of the Bronx District Equity Team, Alicia supported the design of professional development grounded in racial equity for school leaders in her district, serving as a facilitator of an affinity group for White school leaders in the Bronx. Alicia currently works as an educational consultant, school leadership coach, and racial equity facilitator in organizational contexts.

Alicia received her Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University, an M. Ed from Bank Street College of Education, and an M.F.A from Rutgers University. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Alicia is passionate about supporting other White people on their respective journeys to unpack and understand their whiteness to embody the humility necessary to interrupt whiteness in themselves and others. She co-leads this work with an open heart, creating space for authentic connection, reflection, and opportunities to learn together.

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