Guidelines To Submit Your Story

Your story matters. Your journey from inherited racism to conscious anti-racism can light the path for others walking the same difficult road.

We're looking for honest, personal narratives from white people who are willing to share their experiences with racism, privilege, and the ongoing work of unlearning harmful beliefs. These aren't perfect redemption stories—they're real accounts of struggle, growth, and the messy process of becoming better.

What We're Looking For

Personal experiences that include:

  • Moments of awakening or realization about your own racism/privilege

  • Childhood memories that shaped your understanding of race

  • Mistakes you've made and what you learned from them

  • Conversations that changed your perspective

  • The process of unlearning harmful beliefs

  • Challenges you've faced in doing anti-racism work

  • How you've approached difficult conversations with family/friends

Stories that help others by:

  • Showing that change is possible, even from deeply racist beginnings

  • Illustrating what the learning process actually looks like

  • Providing hope without minimizing the difficulty of the work

  • Offering practical insights others can apply to their own lives

What We're NOT Looking For

  • Stories that center white feelings without accountability

  • Narratives seeking absolution or praise for "doing the work"

  • Graphic descriptions of racist violence (focus on your internal journey instead)

  • Stories written primarily to criticize or call out others

  • Content that could harm or re-traumatize people of color

Guidelines for Your Submission

Length: 500-1500 words You don't need to cover your entire life story. Focus on specific moments, conversations, or realizations that illustrate your growth.

Tone: Honest, reflective, accountable Write like you're talking to a friend who's also doing this work—with vulnerability but without self-pity.

Focus: Your internal journey, not others' actions What did YOU learn? How did YOU change? What do YOU wish you'd understood sooner?

Specificity over generality: Include concrete details Instead of "I realized I was racist," tell us about the moment, conversation, or experience that led to that realization.

Submission Process

Before you write:

  • Read through some of the existing stories on our site to get a sense of tone and approach

  • Consider: What's the main insight or lesson you want to share?

  • Think about your audience: What would have helped you when you were starting this journey?

When you're ready:

  • Submit your story using the form below

  • Include a brief bio (2-3 sentences) if you'd like it published with your story

  • Let us know if you prefer to use your real name, first name only, or a pseudonym

After submission:

  • We'll read your story within 1-2 weeks

  • We may reach out with questions or suggestions for minor edits

  • If your story is selected for publication, we'll work with you on any final revisions

  • You retain all rights to your story and can withdraw it at any time

Writing Tips

Start with a scene: Instead of beginning with background, drop us into a specific moment that illustrates your point.

Show, don't tell: Rather than saying "I was ignorant," describe what you said or did that revealed your ignorance.

Include your learning process: What resources, conversations, or experiences helped you grow?

End with insight, not resolution: You don't need to have everything figured out. What are you still working on?

Be specific about impact: How has your growth affected your relationships, parenting, or daily choices?

Privacy and Safety

  • We understand this work requires vulnerability. You control how much identifying information to include.

  • We will never publish your story without your explicit consent.

  • If you're concerned about family or community reactions, we can work with you on anonymization.

  • We reserve the right not to publish stories that don't align with our community values.

Content Warning

By submitting your story, you acknowledge that:

  • Your story may include references to racism, discrimination, or harmful language

  • Readers will be warned about potentially triggering content

  • Your story should prioritize healing and growth over trauma exposure

Ready to share your story?

[SUBMISSION FORM BUTTON]

Questions about the submission process? Contact us at [email] or ask in our community forum.

Need inspiration? Read the original Little White Lives series or browse our existing story collection.

Thank you for your courage in sharing your journey. Your honesty helps create the change we all need to see.

Submit My Story