Mabel Sodeinde

"As somebody who cares about racial justice and racial equity, I am so excited to be a part of this community of people that care as much as I do."

Katie McCormack

"I’m not only learning from the content of the meetings, but I’m also learning from the other participants...It’s been a really wonderful chance for me to be a better anti-racist.”

Noah Kline

"It's the rare space for collective and community learning...we're supporting community members as they teach each other about their experiences."

COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS

These agreements are offered to help create a respectful and brave space for community participants to navigate conversations and discussions in this learning and action community. An Open Dialogue Guide to talking about Race

1. Be intentional in language; The best way to engage in conversations about race is to be intentional in the words we choose to use in discussions. Taboo words in American society such as "Racism","White Supremacy", and “White Privilege” are a necessary component for having these discussions.

2. Acknowledge the history; The institution of slavery lasted for 400 years, Jim Crow laws and segregation continued for 90 more years. We must recognize how this history has limited, and continues to oppress the Black and Brown community, in order to understand where we are now and ways to dismantle its effects.

3. Understand that racism is Systemic and Structural; Racism shows up systemically through culture, education, policy, and other socioeconomic disparities. Understanding that racism exists through these overt measures in our systems is necessary for effective dialogue.

4. Listen effectively and DO NOT discredit experiences or gaslight people of color; When participating in discussions about race it is important to allow people of color and allies to highlight their experiences with racism (if they chose to). “Gaslighting” is when someone manipulates information to make another doubt their experience, memories or perception of reality.

5. Understand that talking is not enough; Do your own research and educate yourself about effective allyship. Be active. It is not enough to not be racist, you must also take action to be anti-racist.