I would say it depends on how much wealth and how the money was made and whether they gave back. Generally, I think too much wealth accumulation in general is a problem. So we can start there. Wealth should be distributed far more equitably, preferably from the outset. But if it’s not from the outset, it necessitates some form of redistrbution in my estimation, which is why it is important to have a wealth tax in place and high income tax rates at upper income levels, for all types of income/wealth. Also, this is why I support systemic reparations to address the legacy of white supremacy.
As for whether a white person should accumulate wealth doing antiracism work, I’m not sure it’s actually possible to accumulate much wealth doing this work. I think it is possible to make a good income, but wealth is somewhat different. So, for instance, a tenured white sociology professor who teaches about racism — as I would hope they would, since it’s hard to teach sociology without doing so — can easily make six figures from their job. And if their books sell they could make even more, etc. So too, a civil rights/anti-discrimination attorney who is white can make a high income assuming they win their cases, I suppose. But I’m not sure there are that many such persons with substantial wealth, as in net worth/assets. Plus, if they use their position to amplify POC, move money and opportunity towards POC, thereby increasing the income and potential wealth of POC, that too would have to be considered in the discussion of personal ethics.
There are obviously more and less ethical ways to a) make money, b) do antiracism work, and thus c) make money from antiracism work. I think if those of us who do this work in any capacity — and especially a professional one — follow certain principles (including but not limited to the ones in this code), that work can be done ethically.
What would make it unethical, I think, is if whites doing this kind of work, and accumulating income/wealth as a result were, by virtue of doing that work, crowding out opportunities for POC in whatever field/endeavor. Sometimes that might be the case. Other times it wouldn’t be.
Ultimately to declare a hard and fast notion that it is always unethical for a white person to accumulate income or some limited degree of “wealth” from doing this work would establish a criteria whereby a white person BORN into wealth, who didn’t have to receive income for their work, but just did antiracism work and lived off their trust fund, would be deemed more ethical than one who wasn’t already wealthy. That would be a weird moral calculus I think.
