Antiracism
We learned from the 2020 & 2021 sessions & educators that we all inhale prejudiced ideas and we do so at every systemic level. In 2022, we have to actually take active steps to check our assumptions and learn how to not comply with racism. Together, let’s become better ancestors—a few chapters at a time.
Antiracism book club
In most book clubs, you read the whole book and then discuss whether you liked it. Our bookclub is different:
We meet monthly and dive deeply into only a few chapters (or essays, articles) at a time in order to ensure that we really integrate what we’ve learned. This also works well for slow readers like me!
We have hired extraordinary, passionate, open, knowledgeable diversity educators to facilitate our conversations, help us reframe how we think, and bring us to a deeper level of discussion.
It matters less whether we liked the readings, and matters more what we can learn from it. As Maya Angelou said, once we know better, then we can “do better” at no longer being complicit with systematic racism. Let’s break the cycle.
Shy?
If you’re really too shy to speak, that’s okay. It’s still very powerful for you to sit and listen to the rest of us trying to teach our tongues to form these awkward words. Our bookclub discussion is an opportunity for us to grapple with enormous topics (in a safe group where we can make mistakes) and figure out how to integrate this information into our new lives going forward (“Does this mean that I…” and, “I had no idea...”, and, “now i’m realizing that..”, and so on).
What’ll we read?
We’re reading books about antiracism that are highly recommended by diversity educators and people of colour and are written (with the exception of White Fragility) by authors who are people of colour. We already read several incredible pieces (White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo, The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King, and How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, as well as several blogposts, essays, articles, podcasts, and videos). This past summer we studied Canadian-based essays/videos to understand Anti-Asian racism in Canada. We’ll be reading My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem for Sept, Oct, Nov (a few chapters at a time).
Diversity educators
I want this to be sensational. This topic is too important to just do it halfway. Those of you who have taken any kind of antiracism course before know exactly why it shouldn’t be me facilitating all of our sessions. So I am continually searching for, interviewing, and booking several experienced “diversity educators” to facilitate most of our sessions. Believe me, once we start our bookclub, you’ll be so relieved that there’s a racism-savvy professional at the helm! And I am trying my best to hire facilitators who are Black, Indigenous, and people of colour. So far, I have landed on six (6!) extraordinary educators who are funny, brilliant, experienced, passionate, communicative, and a perfect fit for us. They have each graciously agreed to facilitate one or more of our discussions, even though this is the busiest time of their lives and they are being pulled in a million directions. Aren’t we lucky? You’ll see that I’ve prepared some contribution options (on a sliding scale), and all of your contributions are used to pay the facilitators’ fees. It’s so worth it!
Ordering the books
Yes, it’s true, you could order books from Amazon or Indigo. But wouldn’t it be incredible if you could order it from your more local, independent book stores? I bet that would make them soooo happy. And of course there are ebooks and audiobooks and librairies. For those of you in Edmonton, I heard Audrey’s Books has competitive prices with the big stores. For those of you in Ottawa, I ordered mine from Octopus Books and they offered curbside pickup.
There’s a lot to learn
The more I learn, the more I realize that I need to learn. We’re going to be brave and really listen so that we can learn how to become better allies, how to recognize what our complicit role has been in systemic racism, and be able to join in the larger dialogue. I want us to learn together.
When:
Most of the year, we meet monthly on Monday nights at 8pm EST on Zoom. However, this fall we’ll be meeting on Tuesday nights, as that’s when Becky Carter is available:
7:50-8:00 pm EDT - (Optional) 10 minutes of safe yoga & meditation with Zoe to refresh our bodies, open up our minds to new points of view, and relax us (so we’re less defensive & more ready to shift our framework).
8:00-9:00 pm EDT - Our spectacular educators will facilitate our discussions. I promise, they are indispensable when we’re discussing something so tender. About half of us log off at 9pm, and about half us linger with a few more questions until 9:30.
2022:
We’re pausing for May-August. We’ll resume our workshops, readings, and discussions in September 2022. Here’s what you can get excited about for Autumn 2022:
Aubrey Nornonha is that kind of person who lights up the world. His first workshop #1 is called "Colour Blind 1.0" and Aubrey will unpack how complex this concept is, why we need to keep revisiting this topic, and why it needs to be a matter of the heart before real change can occur. His second workshop #2 is called "Colour Blind 2.0" and Aubrey will show us about 8 or 9 "points of action" that we can take to deepen our journey of addressing racism in our lives and being more "actively" anti-racist.
Vera Ahiya is dedicated to her niche expertises, and she's in huge demand. We're going to read her book and then meet with her about "How to re-read kids' books with an anti-racism lens" and how to handle their questions as you're reading.
Terri Roberts-Leonard is very experienced and passionate about teaching us "How to talk to kids about racism." She can field our most awkward questions and has some fantastic perspectives.
Awad Ibrahim was one of my antiracism profs 20 years ago. You will fall in LOVE with his giggle, honesty, kindness, and creative thinking. We'll read his book and meet with him. One of his specialty topics is the culture of Hip Hop, just to get you intrigued.
2021:
Mon Feb 8 2021:
Educational Workshop: Racial Trauma (educator: Becky Carter)
Mon Feb 22 2021:
Playback Theatre Performance: Improv sketches around the topic of antiracism that evoke cathartic responses, rather then regular improv, which is more limited to comedy (Improv Performers: The Toronto chapter of Playback Theatre). Approx 90 minutes (8:00-9:30 pm EST) is required by Playback Theatre.
Mon Mar 1 2021:
Mid-session check-in. How are we doing? How are our brains changing?
Mon Mar 8 2021:
Reading: Chapters 1 - 6 of How to be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi (facilitator: Paige Galette).
Mon Apr 12 2021:
Reading: Chapters 7-12 of How to be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi (facilitator: Carrington Christmas).
Mon May 10 2021:
Reading: Chapters 13-18 of How to be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi (facilitator: Carrington Christmas).
Tue June 8 2021:
Reading: A series of essays, articles, and videos to help us come to terms with Anti-Asian Racism in Canada today. This session focuses on experiences of anti-Asian racism in people’s own words. The focus is on Canada today (facilitator: Tim Stanley)
Tue July 13 2021:
Reading: A few essays on Anti-Asian Racisms and the Making of Canada: Historical Views (facilitator: Tim Stanley).
Tue Aug 10 2021:
Reading: Some pieces on challenging racisms—-things that we can do! (facilitator: Tim Stanley.
Sept, Oct, Nov 2021 & Jan, Feb, Mar 2022:
Reading: My Grandmother’s Hands, by Resmaa Menaken. We’ll have new discussions facilitated by Becky Carter (she is spectacular!), and we’ll have new realizations with new momentum (Dates are still TBD, starting either late Sept or early Oct). Go get your book curbside, or from the library, or ebook, or audiobook. And invite your friends to read it and join us!
Sometimes it’s emotional
We will probably take turns feeling sad, overwhelmed, guilty, surprised, confused, and appalled. And other times we’ll feel passionate, hopeful, and motivated. This is a safe place for us to feel & express those valid emotions. Apparently it’s a “white” trait to avoid uncomfortable feelings. Fascinating! So, a few of us might need to learn to sometimes sit with the discomfort. And then we’ll wipe our tears, take a big breath, and learn more. Apparently, we need more self-awareness about how all of us (me included!) have been unwittingly complying with racism in the quietest & kindest ways.
We’ve also learned that often those who have been doing the most activist work are the ones who are most resistent to learning new perspectives because they are sure that they “already know” everything.
Hopefully, through this book club, we’ll learn better language, tools, and self-awareness with which to become better listeners and with which to become more active & productive participants in these huge discussions out in the larger world.
Yoga prepares us
We will begin each book club meeting with a very short yoga practise and a very mini meditation because it prepares us in so many ways for clearer discussion and productive change. This is my treat, and I feel that it is essential. What do you need? Nothing. You don’t even need a yoga mat. These are just a few ways that yoga prepares us for this book club:
The yoga prepares us mentally to be more receptive to hearing what we don’t want to hear and changing our whole internal scaffolding—the way that we think.
The yoga makes us feel more connected to each other—like a community—-so that we feel safer discussing these tender concepts in front of each other.
The yoga prepares us emotionally so that we are less likely to judge each other or think that we’re being judged (and therefore be reactive/defensive).
The yoga even prepares us physically so that we’re more relaxed as we explore new ideas (and not so scared of saying the wrong thing during this learning experience).
Since these books will sometimes bring up big feelings, the yoga also serves as a place for you to process what you’re learning, integrate it into your body, and release those tensions/feelings as we move and stretch.
Someone told me recently that our efforts will be more effective if we’re motivated to educate ourselves out of love/compassion (as opposed to doing this out of guilt). So yoga will help clarify our intentions and clear the slate so that we approach our discussions from a place of clean compassion.
Yoga and anti-racism are a symbiotic match.
Your friend
You have a friend who wants to join the book club? Great! That’s the whole point. Tell them to sign up for the book club HERE, and we’ll welcome them with open arms.
Everyone is welcome. Every religion, skin colour and mix possible. Any age, gender, sexuality. We are inclusive and we are allies. You belong here.