'Southern Charm's' Kathryn Dennis Talks White Privilege, How Boyfriend Supported Her Amid Racism Scandal

"Southern Charm" star Kathryn Dennis got candid about her controversy and how she has been learning from her mistakes after facing massive backlash over her racist actions last year.

Dennis was slammed throughout "Southern Charm" Season 7 after sending a monkey emoji to Black activist and radio show host Mika Gadsden during a heated fight over a boat parade in support of Donald Trump's reelection in Charleston, South Carolina, last summer. The reality star also accused the activist of using her "minority claim as a platform to harass people."

In a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, Dennis spoke about white privilege and admitted her mistakes, insisting that she has been working on improving herself.

"I think it would be really cool to see someone who did have to realize that they very much had white privilege and then turn that into the other side. Once you realize that, what do you do with it? That's where I'm at, and I'm working on it," she explained.

"This is not me saying what I did was OK, or any of that. It's just acknowledging I made a mistake and, yeah, I didn't really have to grow up thinking about these types of things or having difficult conversations like this. I know that speaks to my privilege, but that's why I say this was a wakeup call for me," she continued.

Dennis said she is serious about educating herself and has been reading a lot about race and privilege since the Black Lives Matter movement surged following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and more Black Americans at the hands of police. She also said that her boyfriend, Chleb Ravenell, who is Black, has been instrumental in her new understanding of her privileged bubble.

"Being around Chleb and his friends and his family that are, honestly, mostly Black, I've learned the way they do things and move [in the world], and the conversations they have amongst each other, and the struggle," she continued. "There's really no class you can take about this matter, you know? Just experience.”

Dennis said it has been "a long road" for her, but she is thankful that the events last year had led her to the place where she is now and allowed her to learn new lessons.

"I'd like people to know that I'm truly sorry for what happened. I'm obviously very ashamed of what happened and what went down. I know better. I know better, now I do," she said.

Dennis made her relationship with Ravenell Instagram official in October. She shared a snap of them embracing and simply captioned it, "You."