For better or worse, "whiteness" can NOT be "renounced."

First of all, there is no such thing, scientifically, as "White" or "Black" or any other supposed "race." More important, these made-up racial identities are not up to us to decide.

In the time and place I live, I pass for "White," with all the privileges that entails. The family my grandparents left in Europe were not so privileged. They were considered the "race" of "Jews" whether they identified as such or not. Nearly every single one left there was murdered.

What people confuse (including many of the comments here) is the difference between heritage and identity. We don't decide our heritage, but we should explore it, and be proud of it. Identity, on the the other hand, is what we choose to do with that heritage, in the circumstances we find ourselves.

My heritage may include both those who spread racism and those who suffered from it. My identity - who I am - is what I choose to do, I choose to fight racism itself, the best I can with the privileges given to me. I can only strive to the example of the heroes I have chosen.

https://medium.com/the-audacity-project/an-anti-racist-hero-is-something-to-be-8e522f05276