Humans who learned to identify with the experience of Whiteness, learned to see themselves and one another as superior to people of other races and have received unearned privileges about which they may feel guilty, anxious, angry, sad, and/or powerless to do anything about. It is important for people who are considered White to reclaim their place simply as human beings, without the label of Whiteness which implies injustice, privilege to some, and disadvantage to others.

On the other hand, people who have learned to identify with the experience of People of Color, Blackness or Otherness have often learned to see themselves in the one-down position, and have been denied privileges afforded to the White majority race. Feelings associated with this experience may include anger, rage, sadness, anxiety, depression.

Masks are worn by all who are trying to fit into these unnatural categories that leave us feeling drained, exhausted, isolated, disconnected, inauthentic, and confused about who we are in truth. We learned to wear the masks for our own survival or perceived survival needs, and they have left us misshapen, searching for the real, authentic self.