Graphic with images of workshop sessions on left and text on right that supports racial equity work
equity school leadership

Workshop: Using Racial Affinity Groups in Schools – May 5th & 19th

joetruss

No, racial affinity groups are not racist. They are an essential strategy for transforming schools and organizations into equity-centered spaces. Join us for our next workshop on May 5th & 19th, so that you can experience first hand what it looks, sounds and feels like to engage in racial affinity work. Register here!

 

Description:

We need to be prepared to engage in and support critical conversations about race in the classrooms in order to work toward antiracism in our schools. However, not every conversation or activity should happen in mixed racial groups. This is where racial affinity groups come in as an essential strategy for those with a shared racial identity to convene for learning, support, reflection, healing and personal connections. 

After leading thousands of folx in racial equity work, we’ve learned that most participants have never experienced working in racial affinity. Some shared that they “never knew the power of these spaces” or “how to engage in equity work without harming and retraumatizing BIPOC.” Participants also asked, “How do I get these going?” and “What if it goes wrong?” 

This inspired us to create an overview training and year-long follow-up series for folx who want to continue their learning and receive ongoing support and coaching. We offered this workshop the past two years, and have had over 400 educators participate. While you can enroll in this introductory workshop as a standalone experience, it also serves as a prerequisite for a year-long follow-up course that we offer for anyone interested in learning how to support racial affinity work in their context. We are currently in the final stages of wrapping up our second year-long course that includes close to 100 participants. The format for this year’s introductory workshop is a hybrid learning experience, consisting of 2 hours of asynchronous pre-work followed by one 4 hour synchronous session.

Facilitators:

 

Outcomes:

  • Use a research-based framework and other equity-based resources to understand and discuss how racial identity development influences our beliefs and behaviors as educators.
  • Actively participate in a supportive space for healing, reflection, learning, and personal connections.
  • Experience how racial affinity groups serve as an essential strategy for working toward antiracism in our schools.

 

Target Audience: 

  • Classroom/School/District Leaders and/or Teams 
  • Anyone interested in learning how racial affinity groups can support racial equity work in their schools 
  • Anyone committed to critical dialogue, inquiry and reflection about racial equity

Registration:

https://forms.gle/EpcjWXzXdkxQahN88

 

Platform:

Zoom

 

Dates/Times:

May 5th & May 19th

4pm-6pm Pacific Time

Cost:  

  • $120 per participant ($100 each for teams of 5 or more)

Testimonials:

 

2022-2023 Year-Long Cohort Follow-Up Course

Description:

Rather than a “train the trainer” model, this course is designed for participants to expand their understanding of racial affinity work by engaging with one another in racial affinity groups. This will be an opportunity for participants to truly experience what it looks, sounds and feels like to engage in racial affinity work so that they can engage others in the work upon returning to their schools and organizations. Through monthly touch points, participants will have opportunities to participate in and facilitate racial affinity work while connecting and building relationships with other like-minded educators. Our goal is to set you up for beginning to support and sustain racial affinity work in your context.

Outcomes:

  1. Receive support for launching racial affinity groups in their context by experiencing the work together;
  2. Review readings, research, and other resources to support racial affinity work in their context;
  3. Learn how to troubleshoot common pitfalls and dilemmas that go along with leading racial affinity work;
  4. Examine the relationship between racial identity, student outcomes and school transformation; and
  5. Develop next steps for laying the foundation for racial affinity spaces in their context.

Target Audience:

  • Classroom Teaches, School and District Leaders
  • Grade-Level, School and District Leadership Teams

Details:

Registration: coming soon

Platform: Zoom

Dates/Times:

Starts in August 2022
Time and date to be determined