Week 6 Recap- Healing/Celebrating Pro-Blackness (Thursday, June 4, 2021, 1-4pm EST)

Week 5 Recap- Damian John, Guest Speaker, First Nations History (Thursday, May 27, 2021, 1-4pm EST)

Week 4 Recap- Ebony Janice, Guest Speaker, How to Be Free People (Thursday, May 20, 2021, 1-4pm EST)

Week 3 Recap- Appropriated Racial Justice Oppression and Inferiority/White Culture/Whiteness (Thursday, May 13, 2021, 1-4pm EST)

Week 2 Recap- History of Race as a Concept (Thursday, May 6, 2021, 1-4pm EST)

  • Bringing in Ancestors each session 
    • We introduced something new last week and wanted to continue doing this for every session moving forward. We will start off each session with our check-ins and when we introduce ourselves, we will bring in our ancestors into this shared space as well. We will introduce ourselves by stating our name/what we want to be called, and then acknowledging our parents’ names (if you know them), and bringing in any and all ancestors we would like to share the space with. After your turn and answering all the check in questions, please pass it on. By passing in the circle you are receiving the love and joy and the history of those before you. When we pass say thanks and that you are receiving. We also want to encourage everyone to bring in an item that you love from your ancestors.
    • Ex. “My name is Stephannie, you can call me Stephannie/Stef. I am the daughter of Heakyoung Lydia Ku and Stephan Bonsung Ku. I would also like to bring into the circle, both of my grandparents from both my mom and dad’s side who are now all ancestors watching down on me and my family. Thank you and I pass it on to…”
  • Weekly Check In Questions: 
    • How are you feeling today?
    • What is one thing you did between now and the last time we met that brought you joy?
    • What, if anything do you need from the group today in order to fully participate?
  • Meditation
  • Resurfacing Topics from last time – 
    • Discussing the stereotype  of being an “angry” POC and why it is okay for us to feel angry and validate our anger/emotions/reaction to injustices (see notes taken from the discussion below)
      • You should be angry. You have the right to be angry. “As long as you don’t beat someone in that moment… the reaction you have is totally fine.” If your reaction to the injustice in that moment is to stay quiet, that’s fine. If your reaction is to speak out. That’s fine. Whatever your reaction is, is fine. We are going to back you up.
      • Moving away from the burden of portraying something in particular and whatever the other individual thinks. Whatever and however you are feeling in that moment of injustice, we want to validate that feeling for you.
      • The goal is to come into this space (and any space) as your authentic self. And whatever your authentic self presents that is fine.
      • Anger management classes – we do that for the jail. What we were telling people in the class is “don’t be angry.” When the reality is “how could you not be angry?” The systems are failing you, it makes perfect sense to be angry. That is actually what a mentally stable person would feel in this situation and telling someone not to be angry in this kind of situation is not the appropriate response or teaching.
      • Painful part of this work is horizontal, not vertical. People are usually harmed by the people closest to them in their community, their family, coworkers, community members, etc.
  • Race: The Power of Illusion, The Story We Tell (VIDEO) 
  • Historical Fact:
  • Close Out Song:
  • Journal Question: 
    • What is something new you learned after watching today’s video/one takeaway from the video (Race as a Power of Illusion: The Stories We Tell)? When was the first time you realized what “race” is? At what age, and what was that experience like? What does race mean to you?
  • Postwork:
  • ADDITIONAL RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Week 1 Recap- Introduction (Thursday, April 29, 2021, 1-4pm EST)

  • Introduction Questions: 
    • How are you feeling today?
    • What, if anything do you need from the group today in order to fully participate?
    • Now that you are here, what are you hoping to learn or get out of this cohort?
    • What scares you about this (racial justice work)?
  • Meditation
    • “Connecting with our Ancestors” meditation by Jor-El Caraballo via the Shine App
  • Breakout Room Questions: 
    • What do you think of when you hear “racial justice journey?” Where do you feel you are right now in your racial justice journey?
    • What does this work mean to you and what motivated you to join this cohort?
    • What is one of your favorite books/tv shows/songs? (pick any or all!) We love art/music/book/tv/activity suggestions in this cohort so would love for you to share with each other and also share with us too : )
  • OAR Racial Justice Journey Resources/Materials:
  • Historical Fact:
  • Close Out Song:
  • Journal Question: 
    • If you imagined a world without racism, what would it look like?
  • Post-Work:
    • Please email your best mailing address to Stephannie at sku@oaronline.org so we can send you some materials!