On Nov. 13, Racial Justice Allies hosted a free virtual event to talk about the status of reparations for African Americans in California, and ideas for taking individual and collective action. Below are links related to issues we discussed, as well as for further research. California Reparations Report: https://oag.ca.gov/ab3121/report Presentation …
(image by Jana Curcio) Years ago, I had a conversation with two white women about the daily burden of being nonwhite in a world of whiteness. My ultimate point was we cannot understand because there is nothing like it in our white reality. We can empathize but the visceral aspect …
A Gift Poem for an Elder I Just Met by Christopher Bowers I come from a people whose burden was a big story that abhorred storytelling and thus secrets ruled with invisibility. I come from a people who thought the center of the universe was in the perpetual west and …
At our last Racial Justice Allies dialog in July with the community, we talked about what to do as white people when we observe or are a witness to racial discrimination. Bystander intervention is crucial now more than ever. Weekly we are hearing about stories of violent discrimination, verbal and …
Thanks to all the people who attended our screening of 13th, a documentary directed by Ava DuVernay which featured Jelani Cobb, Angela Davis, Michelle Alexander, Malkia Cyril, Bryan Stevenson, Van Jones, Henry Louis Gates Jr., and James Kilgore. We had a packed house (maybe 35-40 people?) followed by a lively …
by Judy Helfand Recently various friends have asked me if I’m scared about the upcoming presidential election, which prompted some self-reflection as to why I’m not. There’s nothing surprising to me about the outpouring of hate and racial invective. Trump does not seem like the devil incarnate, simply another manifestation …
Use this ‘cheat sheet’ to guide your reading into the amazing 85 pp document from the Movement for Black Lives. Also, check out Disability Solidarity: Completing the “Vision for Black Lives” a criticism of the platform by Black disability thinkers and activists. ~a quick view of the demands~ Created by Nikki Pyle …
“By resisting (or even embracing) fear, guilt, and shame, we can open ourselves up to conversations about race that actually create a deeper understanding.” Amelia Shroyer How do you feel when you receive feedback that your behavior as a white person looked or felt racist to someone else? As a …
by Judy Helfand At a recent gathering someone asked if there was more activism in the 60s than today. I felt strongly that there is as much today, but it’s not as visible on mainstream media. Then he asked a question about what was happening in the 60s, …
I teach at a community college and this morning had in my email a long letter from another faculty member who found the shooting at Umpqua College to be a “clarifying moment.” This caught my attention but as I read through I became more and more angry and puzzled. My …