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 …
by Judy Helfand A friend offered us an evening of respite from dealing with the aftermaths of the fire—come over and do our laundry, take a good, long hot shower, eat turkey soup, and watch Netflix. Taking her up on it we arrived with our dirty clothes, shampoo, appetite 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 …
Review by Judy Helfand In From #BLACKLIVES MATTER to Black Liberation Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor complicates and disturbs many of the current understandings of racism, racial history, and whiteness in the U.S., especially as these understandings are applied to organizing for freedom and justice for Black people. In the process she provides …
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 …
“What if our response to the crisis is part of the crisis?”- Bayo Akomolafe Bayo Akomolafe is globally recognized for his poetic, unconventional, counterintuitive take on global crisis, civic action and social change. He is the Coordinating Curator for The Emergence Network, and host of the online course, “We will …
Racial Justice Allie’s April dialog was on the topic of Reverse Racism. Below you’ll find the agenda, notes from the facilitators, and some of the outcome of group discussions. Also, a list of resources for exploring the topic of reverse racism. Lillie Dignan and Wendy Millstine facilitated this dialog. …
Be the Resistance: White people Showing up for Immigrant Rights March 15 dialog Opening: Talked in pairs about what we would have to put in place to take care of things if we suddenly were removed from our family. Communal responses were: Get kids’ passports, sign guardianship documents Find a …
Book review by Judy Helfand I am writing about the Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks about Race, edited by Jesmyn Ward, because I want folks to read it. But I barely know what to say. When I finished “Message to My Daughters” by Edwidge Danticat, the final essay …
How did you learn that white privilege exists? (Or have you?) How do you convince your friends and family that white privilege exists? In what circumstances do you still resist hearing about racism? What type of statements about racism or whiteness make you defensive? Racial Justice Allies called a community …