Tears of a Clown: Weaponized Victimhood

This workshop blends historical research, cultural analysis, and modern examples to trace how white women’s tears have justified lynchings, shaped courtroom outcomes, and fueled viral 911 calls that have often ended lives. It’s an unflinching examination of how white women have weaponized their tears to instigate violence, manipulate systems, and uphold white supremacy and patriarchy from slavery to the smartphone era.​

• • From the deadly ripple effect of Carolyn Bryant’s lie that led to Emmett Till’s murder.​
  • How the “Karen” phenomenon is rooted in centuries of racial power dynamics.​
  • How we can take action to dismantle the myth of white women’s purity and build a more honest, accountable future.