Undoing Racism: A Two-Day Workshop Hosted by OAR
*IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT- Due to the pandemic, we are not accepting applications for the Undoing Racism Workshops until further notice. If you have any questions, please email racialequity@oaronline.org.*
Undoing Racism is the signature workshop of the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond (PISAB). Through dialogue, reflection, role-playing, strategic planning and presentations, this intensive process challenges participants to analyze the structures of power and privilege that hinder social equity and prepares them to be effective organizers for justice
About the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond (PISAB)
PISAB believes that racism is the primary barrier preventing communities from building effective coalitions and overcoming institutionalized oppression and inequities. Through Undoing Racism®/Community Organizing Workshops, technical assistance and consultations, The People’s Institute helps individuals, communities, organizations and institutions move beyond addressing the symptoms of racism to undoing the causes of racism so as to create a more just and equitable society.
Founded in 1980 by long-time community organizers Ronald Chisom of New Orleans, and Dr. Jim Dunn of Yellow Springs, Ohio, The PISAB has impacted the lives of nearly 1,00,000,000 people both nationally and internationally. Through this process, it supports a cadre of anti-racist organizers who build leadership and accountability in the communities where they are organizing. Today, The PISAB is recognized as one of the foremost anti-racism training and organizing institutions in the nation. In a 2002 Aspen Institute survey of eleven top racial justice organizations, five credited The People’s Institute with having the most effective anti-racist analysis.
About the Undoing Racism Workshop
The multiracial team of organizers/trainers includes more than 100 men and women whose anti-racist organizing expertise includes years with civil, labor and welfare rights struggles, educational, foster care, social service and health reform movements, as well as youth and grassroots community organizing. An average of 10-15 groups per month nationwide participate in The People’s Institute Undoing Racism®/Community Organizing process.
The workshop addresses the following areas:
1) Analyzing Power: Effective organizing requires accurate analysis of the systems that keep racism in place. The training examines why people are poor, how institutions and organizations perpetuate the imbalance of power, and who benefits from the maintenance of the status quo.
2) Recognizing The Internalized Manifestations Of Racial Oppression: The training explores how internalized racial oppression manifests itself both as Internalized Racial Inferiority and Internalized Racial Superiority.
3) Defining Racism: In order to undo racism, organizers and educators must understand what racism is, and how and why it was constructed. The training explores how the idea of race was created to implement systems that benefit some people and oppress and disadvantage others.
4) Understanding the Manifestations of Racism: Racism operates in more than just individual and institutional settings. The training examines the dynamics of cultural racism, linguistic racism, and militarism as applied racism.
5) Learning From History: Racism has distorted, suppressed and denied the histories of people of color and white people as well. The training demonstrates that a full knowledge of history is a necessary organizing tool as well as a source of personal and collective empowerment.
6) Sharing Culture: The training process demonstrates that even as racism divides people, sharing culture unites us. Cultural sharing is a critical organizing tool, and is central to the training.
7) Organizing to Undo Racism: The training explores principles of effective organizing, strategic techniques of community empowerment, the importance of community accountability, and the internal dynamics of leadership development.
*We are no longer accepting any applications for the Undoing Racism workshops until further notice due to the pandemic. If you are still interested in learning more about OAR’s Racial Justice Training and work, please click here to learn more about OAR’s 3-month Racial Justice Virtual Cohorts. For additional questions, email raciaequity@oaronline.org.*