Save the dates: 10:00 to 11:30 am AND 1:00 to 3:00 pm on Saturdays, August 1, 8, 15, and 22.
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-V98tGE8S3yWn7SRSOQNbQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Now that you’ve been awakened to the violence against African Americans, what do you do?
Why is there such misunderstanding and mistrust between black & white folks in this country?
Didn’t the election of President Obama prove that racism is no longer a significant problem?
Is racism really the issue? Isn’t it more of an economic issue?
What can I as an individual do to promote racial justice?
What if I say and do the wrong thing?
Do I have white privilege?
Working in Solidarity with the African American Community answers these questions and more.
African American culture is distinctively different from European American culture. This reality, along with a truncated version of American history, as well as a lack of truth-telling, has led to varying perspectives on race and racism among Black and White people in this country. When white folks fail to connect racism to white supremacy, when they fail to see the residual and generational impact of systemic oppression, and when they fail to rightly acknowledge Black aesthetics and cultural distinctives, they contribute – though often inadvertently – to on-going misunderstandings, miscommunication, and missed opportunities to effectively collaborate with Black folk.
In this workshop, participants will learn the “truths” that highlight these differences and as such, help White folk avoid making false assumptions and unintentional microaggressions towards Black folk – especially when both communities come together to address racial injustice. Central to the discussion is the spiritual call to be in right-relationship with God and all of God’s creation. Thus, guided by faith and framed by personal experience, participants will be encouraged to engage spiritually and emotionally as they connect newly informed historical and cultural insights to anti-racism efforts.
It is important to note that this presentation is designed to pinpoint ways to build authentic relationships between White Americans and African Americans. Though many of the guidelines will be helpful when working in solidarity with all people who are oppressed. We will call upon God to bring justice and mercy to all
August 1, 2020
Driving While Black-Living While Black
PERSPECTIVES ON RACE & RACISM
Learn some of the ways African Americans experience and cope with racism on a daily-basis - from unintentional personal insults to the life altering consequences of systemic racism. Participants will be challenged to shift their perspectives on race by gaining a deeper understanding of implicit bias, white privilege, and white fragility. The facilitator shares her parents’ stories of growing up in the Jim Crow south and then migrating to the north only to confront racism in Chicago.
August 8, 2020
Racism? I’m Not Racist
SYSTEMIC RACISM
You may not be racist but if you are not working to dismantle systemic racism you are contributing to the injustice. Martin Luther King’s said it best, “Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.” Learn how various forms of systemic racism continue to be obstacles for African Americans.
August 15, 2020
Please, Don’t Touch My Hair
STRATEGIES FOR ADVOCACY, ALLYSHIP & SOLIDARITY
This unit combines tools to improve communication with strategies to address individual and systemic racism. Attention will be given to skill-building around authentic communication, progressive cooperation, and mutual trust. Includes an honest and direct list of “Do’s & Don’ts” on how to avoid awkward moments during interpersonal communication.
August 22, 2020
More Than February
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, CULTURE & SPIRITUALITY
Black History is celebrated each February, but in most communities, the same Black s/heroes are recalled and applauded. To gain a better understanding of African American history and the cultural distinctives that emanate from that history, participants will explore Black music, visual art, literature, and spirituality. We are not victims but amazing survivors.
Pre-workshop and post-workshop assignments will be provided for each unit.
Each presentation will close with a 30-minute Q/A followed by prayer/reflection.
TESTIMONIALS
“Joan is an educator and minister who serves from a heart of hope while sitting comfortably with the complex set of issues facing our world. She values and recognizes the importance of engaging across differences.”
“… deeply emotional material. Hard to walk away without being touched.”
“It was great. Thank you…for opening your heart and life to us. I never realized the depth of fear, pain, death and danger in history of African Americans.”
“Marvelous, meaty, intelligent and fearless.”
“…honest, transparent, open, generous Thank you so much.”
“I especially liked the integration of music and the arts!”
“…participants felt a personal connection and warmth while hearing challenging things…”
“Joan was an excellent presenter and engaged people…you could feel the energy in the room open up.”