11 anti-racist workshops in support of the Movement for Black lives (M4BL)

· by · in

A multi-racial facilitator group will offer 11 anti-racist workshop for “free,” with 100% of donation-based registration going directly to the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL). (The Movement for Black Lives is made up of over 150 organizations that coordinate actions, messages ,and campaigns.)

Workshop topics range from a focus on parenting to leadership to adult-to-adult conversations to personal reflection/growth…and even a workshop for kids! Scroll down for details on workshop offerings.

How it works: The easiest way to “register” is to make a donation to the Movement for Black Lives. Suggested donation amounts are as follows, but no one will be turned away for lack of donation:

  • Individual registration for one workshop: $45
  • Two-parent registration for one workshop: $85
  • Individual registration for up to three workshops: $125
  • Two-parent registration for up to three workshops: $245

After making a donation to M4BL, forward your proof of donation email to:  (If you are unable to support M4BL but would like to participate, send an email requesting to register.)

Within one week of sending your proof of donation, you will receive a Google Survey that will enable you to choose the workshop(s) for which you would like to register. This website will be updated on a weekly basis to reflect workshop availability (each workshop has a a maximum number of participants that varies) but you may register for any workshop (that has availability) until two days prior to the workshop date.

Workshops are as follows, ordered by date/time:

1) Lessons from Anti-Racist Parenting for Collective Liberation: a discussion with anti-racist/racial justice parents and their young adult social justice leader kids
 
by Chris Crass
with Attica and Ashanti Scott, and Lijah and Cate Fosl
 
Sunday, August 30th, 4-5:30 PM, EST
This workshop was recorded and a link will be shared on https://www.facebook.com/raceconscious. 
 
Chris Crass will lead a workshop on anti-racist parenting for collective liberation that will feature a discussion with Mother and Daughter, Attica and Ashanti Scott and parenting for racial justice as a Black family, along with Cate and Lijah Fosl, Mother and adult kid, anti-racists in a white family.
 
The lessons and stories that we will be focusing will draw from the experience of the parents and their kids, on what worked, what was helpful, over years of childhood and now adulthood.  Attica, Ashanti, Cate and Lijah will reflect on their experiences within their family anti-racist cultures and also on bringing courageous public leadership for racial justice and collective liberation.

 

2) Sifting through the Smog of Racism… 
by Blanca Ruiz
Thursday, September 3rd, 3-4:30 PM, EST
 
Dr. Blanca Ruiz is a Brooklyn born and raised Nuyorican, wife, mother, and racial justice warrior. Blanca has served in education for over 20 years as a teacher, principal and leadership coach. Blanca pursued and completed a doctorate in Educational Leadership with a focus on Authenticity in Latina Leadership, and the necessary structures needed to create that space. Blanca currently works independently to blend her leadership development experience with her racial justice and racial consciousness lens as a trainer for organizations, companies, teachers, leaders, and parents, as well as serving as a leadership coach. She is also a co-host with Rai King on a podcast called W.O.C. at Work.
 
Session Description: In her book, Dr. Beverley Daniel Tatum says, ““Cultural racism … is like smog in the air. Sometimes it is so thick it is visible, other times less apparent, but always, day in and day out, we are breathing it in.” How have we breathed in messages stemming from racism? What messages have we received? What is our role in disrupting in our selves and in systems? During our time together, we will engage in reflective and interactive experiences to deepen our racial literacy, practice disruption, and create a community of introspective dialogue and commitment to action.
3) Courageous Conversations with The Journey Theatre Project
 
by Esther Triggs-Camacho, Chelsea Hanawalt, and Nicole Kontolefa
 
Saturday, September 5th, 10-11:30 AM, EST
 
The Journey Theatre Project uses creative and performative activities to engage participants on a physical and emotional level. We work to create a brave space where all voices can be heard and unconscious bias can be challenged as we explore the roots and repercussions of living in a white supremacist society. Founders, Chelsea Hanawalt, Nicole Kontolefa, and Esther Triggs-Camacho earned masters in applied theatre, a field where socially engaged artists practice community building and education.
 
Expect to leave your camera and mic on while we take you on a creative and reflective journey. In this participatory workshop JTP will offer a series of exercises and prompts that will encourage you to engage personally with issues of implicit bias, systemic racism and courageous conversations.
 
4) Change Begins at Home: Tools for Nurturing Anti-Racism and Anti-Bias Attitudes in Your Child
by Michelle Harris
Saturday, September 5th, 2-3:30 PM, EST
 
 
 
Michelle Harris, LCSW, MA is a school social worker and play therapist with over 15 years of experience working with children and families in various therapeutic settings. She is the Director of Elementary School Social Work at Community Roots Charter School in Brooklyn, NY and a facilitator of family workshops through Roots ConnectED.  Michelle is the founder of Parenting Pathfinders, a consulting service that provides parents and caregivers with online support and practical tools that are rooted in mindfulness and build upon their family’s strengths.
 
Michelle’s workshop explores how families can create a home culture that values inclusion, challenges biases, and promotes anti-racism. Participants will learn how to proactively address racism and bias at home, and how to engage in honest conversations about these topics with their child.
 
5) The Little Lawyers:The Power of One Workshop
by Professor Ally
Saturday, September 12th, 10-11AM, EST
 
Allison Matulli (aka Professor Ally) is a children’s historian, lawyer, educator, and founder of The Little Lawyers.  Professor Ally is the writer/illustrator of Plessy, A Shoemaker Makes his Mark – the only book about a real Supreme Court case for kids.
 
Ally’s workshop is a virtual journey that takes kids (ages 6-10) on an empowering walk through history right into the Supreme Court case which established systemic racism. Let’s create conscious citizens together!
6) Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) Calling In Workshop
 
by Meghan Grover and Danyel Addes
 
Saturday, September 12th, 12-2:30 PM
 
SURJ is a national network of groups and individuals working to undermine white supremacy and to work for racial justice. Through community organizing, mobilizing, and education, SURJ moves white people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for justice with passion and accountability.
 
The SURJ Calling In Workshop: In the wake of uprisings around the country and world in reaction to the police murder of George Floyd, do you feel urgency around calling your friends, family members, and community into the movement for racial justice? These workshops are designed to help us do exactly that: to improve participants’ ability to engage in conversations around race, racism, and police brutality.
 
Please use this link to officially register for Saturday’s event: https://actionnetwork.org/events/surj-calling-in-workshop-september-12-2020/.
 
Currently, there is room in this workshop and while this workshop is part of a fundraiser for the Movement for Black Live (http://www.raceconscious.org/2020/08/m4bl/) , we also want to serve as many people as possible so please feel free to invite interested friends/colleagues to participate!
 
Co-facilitator Meghan is a Brooklyn-based theater-maker and educator. She is currently getting her MA in Applied Theatre at CUNY. Co-facilitator Danyel is a service-learning professional and educator. She holds master’s degrees from the University of Georgia in anthropology and in conservation ecology and sustainable development.
7) Raising Race Conscious Children
by Sachi Feris
Sunday, September 13th, 8-9:30 PM, EST
 
Sachi blogs for and facilitates workshops with Raising Race Conscious Children. Sachi founded the educational nonprofit Border Crossers (now the Center for Racial Justice in Education) and was a career Spanish teacher in elementary schools until the birth of her third child.
 
Sachi’s workshop will be geared towards anti-racist White parents of children ages birth through early childhood elementary years. Participants will consider what it means to shift from a “color blind” to a “race conscious” framework and develop confidence to proactively talk about race with young children by practicing various strategies. Ultimately, participants will challenged to engage young people to take action and become a change-makers. If  you would like to participate in this workshop as a Virtual Race Conscious Gathering of up to six individuals, the suggested donation amount is $180. Click here to register.
8) Creating and sustaining white anti-racist learning spaces that are not just another book group
by Ali Michael
Monday, September 14th, 7:00-9:00 PM, EST
 
As the Director of the Race Institute for K-12 Educators, Ali Michael works with schools and organizations across the country to help make research on race, Whiteness, and education more accessible and relevant to educators. Ali is the author of numerous publications, including Raising Race Questions: Whiteness, Inquiry and Education (Teachers College Press, 2015). When she is not writing, speaking, or training, Ali is striving to be an anti-racist co-parent to two amazing young kids.
 
Creating and sustaining white anti-racist learning spaces that are not just another book group is for any white people who want to join with other white people to create deep and effective learning spaces that help them stay on an anti-racist path. Ali is white and will share many stories from her life. Click here to register.
9) Racial Equity & Justice
by Tracy L. Gray
Tuesday, September 15th, 1:30-3:00 PM, EST
 
Tracy L. Gray is an education consultant, an academic advisor for the Center of Gravity Early Education School, an adjunct professor at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, and Founder & President of the Sankofa Global Project, with a mission to increase the number of women and people of color in science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Sankofa Global Project was recognized by the Obama Administration at the White House for the commitment to expanding STEM learning for students nationwide. 
 
Tracy’s workshop is an introduction to the Sankofa Global Project’s Racial Equity ⚖ Justice Initiative which is leading hearts and minds to actively pursue truth, reparations, and reconciliation. The Racial Equity ⚖ Justice Initiative (REJI) is a ten-week course that includes modules, videos, guided activities, instructors with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and a virtual community.  This workshop will frame the initiative and challenge participants to face and address issues of racism, inequity, and injustice.
 
10) Raising AntiRacist White Kids: a Six Session Online Course
by Jennifer Harvey
Deadline to register: Tuesday, September 30th
 
Jennifer is a writer, educator, and activist who is a Prof. of Religion at Drake University and author of several books, including the New York Times Bestseller Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America. She has written for the NYT, CNN and other outlets and has made appearances in a variety of media–from being interviewed on All Things Considered with Michel Martin and It’s Been a Minute with Sam Sanders, to CNN/Sesame Street’s Town Hall on Racism.
 
Jennifer’s six-session online course includes a workbook, video presentations, written reflections, exercises, and more. This course has significant content (the equivalent of almost two full days of in-person workshop offerings). Suggested donation amount for this course is $125 for individuals or $245 for a two-parent team. See details here.
11) Anti-racism for Education Leaders of all kinds!
by Martha Haakmat
Wednesday, September 30th, 6:00-7:30 PM, EST
 
Martha is an experienced educator who has spent her 33-year career teaching and leading in New York City independent schools. She brings a depth of understanding and perspective to her work, having held various faculty and leadership positions in a wide variety of school communities. She is now the Executive Director of Haakmat Consulting, LLC providing leadership coaching and support for DEI strategic planning for schools and other organizations. 
 
Martha’s workshop will provide a some grounding work in gauging one’s awareness and readiness to lead the work of strategic anti-racism, in building a common language, skills and competencies for engaging in honest dialog about racism, and in defining strategic goals and action steps for interrupting structural racism.