2020 Racial Truth & Reconciliation Week
Retelling of History
Knowing our history is a critical component for understanding racial inequities and structural racism. The history of the United States is usually taught in school from the perspective of the dominant culture (that is, from a colonizer’s perspective). The typical story about race in the U.S. lays out some of the struggles, but without fully explaining the causes – particularly the racist policies and actions of the U.S. government. Racial Equity Tools provides an overview and timeline of the history of colonialism and racism in the U.S. as well as of resistance and movements.
Racial Reconciliation & Truth
Race Equity Tools and Resources
Racial Equity Tools is a website designed to support individuals and groups working to achieve racial equity. This site offers tools, research, tips, curricula, and ideas for people who want to increase their own understanding and to help those working toward justice at every level – in systems, organizations, communities, and the culture at large.
The Stages of Racial Equity are discussed in depth and illustrated in an accompanying diagram on Dismantling Racism.
Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities is increasingly called upon to help schools, businesses, and communities across Virginia achieve success through inclusion. Take a look at their expanded programming and how the organization is widely recognized locally, regionally, and nationally.
Coming to the Table provides leadership, resources, and a supportive environment for all who wish to acknowledge and heal wounds from racism that is rooted in the United States’ history of slavery. Their approach is grounded in theories and practices of Strategies for Trauma Awareness & Resilience (STAR), with a particular focus on Transforming Historical Harms and their trans-generational transmission; working toward racial justice and equity through a Restorative lens; and utilizing Circle Process and Touchstones to create space in which participants feel safe enough and motivated to do the work.
The Implicit Association Test from Project Implicit helps us to recognize our own implicit biases in order to begin building a more just and equitable world.
We Can’t Work Toward Racial Justice and Equity Without Working on Relationships from CompassPoint is the third part in a series about the organization’s journey to center racial justice, equity, and a vision for leadership in service of liberation. Project Director Kad Smith notes the ways that changing our culture in service of equity isn’t an abstract idea—it’s rooted in relationships and community.
Voices for Racial Justice’s Principles for Authentic Community Engagement can help guide organizations and coalitions, as well as individuals, toward inclusive collaboration and intentionally co-creating solutions to social problems.
White Dominant Culture and Something Different is a worksheet based on Tema Okun’s White Supremacy Culture handout. You can use this to take a look at the characteristics of white dominant culture and think about how they might apply to you as an individual or play out in your organization, as well as then considering some antidotes, or, alternatives.
The Praxis Project is a national non-profit organization that works in partnership with national, regional, state, and local partners to achieve health equity and justice for all communities. Their website provides examples of ways to build power and center community, such as videos on their Learning Circles and Roots & Remedies Convenings.