Obama brought liberal white people forward in their thinking on race & racism. There were things he said throughout his presidency that made white liberals reflect on their own biases. Many who believed themselves to be perfect anti-racists dug deeper. This is part of his legacy

There are complex conversations w/in Black communities about Obama's approach to race & racism. These are convos in which I do not belong. I also do not wish to say that Obama did enough. That's not my estimation to make. I will say: he did convince some white people to be better

Specifically, I think about Obama's comments on the murder of Trayvon Martin. Both in the immediate aftermath & after Zimmerman was acquitted. The older white liberals I know heard these specific words & began to think, "Do I do this?" Hearing this description changed them.

I still see older white liberals refer to these specific examples. Asking if they lock their car doors or clutch their purses more often. Thinking about micro-aggressions. Again, there are a lot of estimations that are not mine to make. But I can say: Obama did change some minds.

Obama did make white liberals who believed themselves to exist outside of racist systems and society reflect and discover that perhaps they were not so innocent. That racism is infinitely more complex. This is a part of his legacy we should honor.