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Inquiry Series
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Current Year 24 - 25 School Year
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- September: From where are we drawing hope to sustain the antiracist work ahead of us
- Fall: How does your community practice hope and grief in collectivity?
- November: How does your community practice hope and grief in collectivity?
- December: How do we imagine the world we’re working towards seven generations in the future?
- January: How do we build a school culture and design curriculum that engages critical hope?
- February: How do we build a school culture and design curriculum that engages critical hope?
- March: How can we take small actions to strengthen our communities in the face of racism?
- April: How can we take small actions to strengthen our communities in the face of racism?
- Previous Inquiry Series
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Current Year 24 - 25 School Year
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- Summer Events
- Advocacy
If this is your first year doing this series, you might consider using our Inquiry Series 3 material for the year or hosting an orientation meeting using our September material before moving on to the current month.
Don't forget to give us feedback!
Overview:
Last month we focused on the fact that building an anti-racist future is possible only in community, based in real friendships and alliances. The action we steered you to take was the building of these bonds, conversation by conversation.
This past month brought even more direct threats to kids of color in the form of cuts to federally funded programs and a government shift in favor of homogeneity, inequality, and exclusion. For the first time in seven years we at BARWE have been getting emails from users who are being told they can’t continue to use our resources because their administration fears retaliation. This month we encourage you to take the time to plan to meet these threats.
Think about how you can build a community network to be there to problem-solve whatever might come your way. If beginning to address smaller logistics makes sense for you, do that. If not, focus on big picture needs you anticipate. For example, your school or program may be facing specific loss of funding which you could find a way to still provide with community support instead of federal money. A common source of federal funding for schools is a free breakfast and lunch program. Losing that funding would mean a lack of equity to who has access to food, affecting Black and Brown students disproportionately. You could spend time this month planning possible ways of replacing that access through community action.
All that being said, start this month by grounding your group in a way that makes sense to you. We’ve added some new thoughts in the Facilitation Reference Guide.
Discussion Questions:
Facilitation Reference Guide:
Feedback Form:
We have made edits to our feedback form, with the hopes that you find it faster and more straightforward to fill out. Please have one person in your group take a few minutes to fill out our feedback form to let us know how it went. It is very helpful to hear from you, and helps build our connection to you!
Thank you all for your feedback so far, please keep it coming!
Pass The Hat:
In addition to being accountable to our colleagues and students of color, we believe it is important to be financially accountable to people of color who are doing this work on a daily basis. Each month, we will recommend an organization led by people of color, in education and beyond, doing the work of pushing for justice.
At the end of each monthly discussion, pass a hat (or a box) and collect donations for the designated organization. You can then have one group member go online and donate in the name of your school. If you want, you can add “Building Anti-Racist White Educators” after your school name.
Once again, in the spirit of this month’s theme of connecting with your own community, we encourage you to find a BIPOC-led organization as close to home to you as possible.
Don't forget to give us feedback!
Overview:
Last month we focused on the fact that building an anti-racist future is possible only in community, based in real friendships and alliances. The action we steered you to take was the building of these bonds, conversation by conversation.
This past month brought even more direct threats to kids of color in the form of cuts to federally funded programs and a government shift in favor of homogeneity, inequality, and exclusion. For the first time in seven years we at BARWE have been getting emails from users who are being told they can’t continue to use our resources because their administration fears retaliation. This month we encourage you to take the time to plan to meet these threats.
Think about how you can build a community network to be there to problem-solve whatever might come your way. If beginning to address smaller logistics makes sense for you, do that. If not, focus on big picture needs you anticipate. For example, your school or program may be facing specific loss of funding which you could find a way to still provide with community support instead of federal money. A common source of federal funding for schools is a free breakfast and lunch program. Losing that funding would mean a lack of equity to who has access to food, affecting Black and Brown students disproportionately. You could spend time this month planning possible ways of replacing that access through community action.
All that being said, start this month by grounding your group in a way that makes sense to you. We’ve added some new thoughts in the Facilitation Reference Guide.
Discussion Questions:
- What are some of the tangible, direct threats your students and colleagues of color are facing right now?
- Begin a process of backwards planning what you will need in order to meet one specific threat. Aim to end this meeting with a rough big picture plan and a few small concrete next steps. Some questions to consider:
- What could be your workaround to keep your programs funded or to keep your communities safe?
- Who/what in your community will you need to draw on in order to make your plan a success? How can your small actions lay the groundwork for that to be possible?
Facilitation Reference Guide:
- Set a day and time for your group to meet - This may need to change if your school or district is cutting back on “DEI.” Get creative by meeting off campus or on zoom. Make sure to send reminders. If you’re meeting in person, snacks are always a good idea!
- Send this month’s journal prompt to your group.
- Prepare yourself to facilitate by reading through our Norms and Discussion Protocol.
- When you start your meeting, read the room. What grounding does your group need? A breathing exercise? A sing-along? A dance break? A group scream? Build in a moment for that.
Feedback Form:
We have made edits to our feedback form, with the hopes that you find it faster and more straightforward to fill out. Please have one person in your group take a few minutes to fill out our feedback form to let us know how it went. It is very helpful to hear from you, and helps build our connection to you!
Thank you all for your feedback so far, please keep it coming!
Pass The Hat:
In addition to being accountable to our colleagues and students of color, we believe it is important to be financially accountable to people of color who are doing this work on a daily basis. Each month, we will recommend an organization led by people of color, in education and beyond, doing the work of pushing for justice.
At the end of each monthly discussion, pass a hat (or a box) and collect donations for the designated organization. You can then have one group member go online and donate in the name of your school. If you want, you can add “Building Anti-Racist White Educators” after your school name.
Once again, in the spirit of this month’s theme of connecting with your own community, we encourage you to find a BIPOC-led organization as close to home to you as possible.