If this is your first year doing this series, we recommend starting with an orientation meeting using the September 2021 material before moving on to the current month.
Don't forget to give us feedback!
Overview:
As we move throughout the monthly topics this year, our guiding questions will push participants to think about risk and partnership. Being an anti-racist educator requires not only internal work and reflection, but also movement to action as we strive to dismantle systemic racism in our schools and communities. Taking action can often bring up complicated emotions, including fear and anxiety. Some of these fears come from real risks that educators may face; other fears come from perceived risks based on our socialization not to shake the status quo. Anti-racist educators face risk of discomfort, disapproval from their peers and administration, potential censure or retribution, and more. We believe that identifying our fears and risks in a safe space and brainstorming ways to process and combat fears will prepare BARWE users to face these risks and continue the work in the face of adversity.
This year we want Inquiry Series participants to ask themselves “What are you afraid of happening? What’s the fear that’s keeping you from doing more?” Once that fear has been named and processed, we hope participants will be better equipped to continue fighting for equality. As Bettina Love writes, "If they are strong enough to oppress people of color for over 400 years and create a country that can systemically kill Black people in broad daylight with impunity, they are strong enough to destroy the system that they built." We hope this series will empower you to connect with that inner strength and move past fear to take the risks necessary to combat white supremacy.
Primary Article:
Bettina Love Talking About Co-Conspirators*
In addition to the primary article and guiding questions, we are offering BARWE users this notebook as a place to gather their thoughts and commitments throughout the year. In the past, we have sent various tools and handouts in separate months. This year, we encourage all work to be done in this one document to encourage ongoing attention to commitments and frequent review of previous months’ reflections.
Guiding Questions:
Additional Readings:
If you feel one of these is better suited to your group, feel free to use as a primary. We have placed an asterisk next to readings with BIPOC authors.
Facilitation Reference Guide:
Feedback Form:
As we grow in year four, we hope that one person in your group can take a few minutes to fill out our feedback form to let us know how it went.
Here are a few takeaways from previous meetings:
Don't forget to give us feedback!
Overview:
As we move throughout the monthly topics this year, our guiding questions will push participants to think about risk and partnership. Being an anti-racist educator requires not only internal work and reflection, but also movement to action as we strive to dismantle systemic racism in our schools and communities. Taking action can often bring up complicated emotions, including fear and anxiety. Some of these fears come from real risks that educators may face; other fears come from perceived risks based on our socialization not to shake the status quo. Anti-racist educators face risk of discomfort, disapproval from their peers and administration, potential censure or retribution, and more. We believe that identifying our fears and risks in a safe space and brainstorming ways to process and combat fears will prepare BARWE users to face these risks and continue the work in the face of adversity.
This year we want Inquiry Series participants to ask themselves “What are you afraid of happening? What’s the fear that’s keeping you from doing more?” Once that fear has been named and processed, we hope participants will be better equipped to continue fighting for equality. As Bettina Love writes, "If they are strong enough to oppress people of color for over 400 years and create a country that can systemically kill Black people in broad daylight with impunity, they are strong enough to destroy the system that they built." We hope this series will empower you to connect with that inner strength and move past fear to take the risks necessary to combat white supremacy.
Primary Article:
Bettina Love Talking About Co-Conspirators*
In addition to the primary article and guiding questions, we are offering BARWE users this notebook as a place to gather their thoughts and commitments throughout the year. In the past, we have sent various tools and handouts in separate months. This year, we encourage all work to be done in this one document to encourage ongoing attention to commitments and frequent review of previous months’ reflections.
Guiding Questions:
- Bree Newsome and James Tyson are an extreme example of facing risk. Most of the risks co-conspirators face are less drastic. Journal about a specific moment when you wish you had stepped up. What was holding you back from taking that action? What did this risky moment feel like (physically and emotionally)?
- What risks do you face as an anti-racist activist in your school/organization? In your family and personal life? In your community?
- What are some fears that you have about doing anti-racist work?
- What are some ways you can prepare yourself to take new risks/experience discomfort this year?
- How will you hold yourself accountable to taking risks? Is there someone who can be your accountability partner?
Additional Readings:
If you feel one of these is better suited to your group, feel free to use as a primary. We have placed an asterisk next to readings with BIPOC authors.
- What’s a Nice White Girl to Do in an Unjust World Like This? (personal narrative of a white anti-racist activist)
- 5 Disturbing Signs that You Might Not Be an Antiracist After All*
- Speak Up
- There is Nothing Fragile About Racism*
- Facilitating Anti-Racism: Conflict and Safety
- These Districts Will Risk Breaking State Law to Continue Anti-Racism Work*
- White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
- Discovering Ordinary Bravery in the Movement
- Don’t Be a Bystander: 6 Tips for Responding to Racist Attacks*
- Adrienne Maree Brown on Fear and Love*
- Want To Be an Anti-Racist white Ally?*
- Calling on Co-Conspirators (resource geared toward librarians)
- Ableism and Racism: Roots of the Same Tree* (podcast)
- It’s Not the Culture of Poverty, It’s the Poverty of Culture* (for this reading, think about how risk is seen in the communities we teach. Is the concept connected or laced with fear, power, safety, or all the above? For example, what does an educator need to push against the boundaries and challenge the status quo?)
Facilitation Reference Guide:
- Set a day and time for your group to meet - Make sure to send reminders.
- Send this month’s Primary Resource to your group. Look through the additional readings to see if there is another reading that might be better suited to your group and its interests.
- Prepare yourself to facilitate by reading through our Norms and Discussion Protocol.
- Pass the Hat and collect donations for Abolitionist Teaching Network this month.
- Complete the Feedback Form.
- Prepare yourself for November by setting a date and time, inviting colleagues, and looking out for our next Discussion Guide on November 1st.
Feedback Form:
As we grow in year four, we hope that one person in your group can take a few minutes to fill out our feedback form to let us know how it went.
Here are a few takeaways from previous meetings:
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.
This month, we encourage you to donate to the Abolitionist Teaching Network. Abolitionist Teaching Network's mission is simple: develop and support educators to fight injustice within their schools and communities. Utilizing the intellectual work and direct action of Abolitionists in many forms, including community organizers, educators, parents, social workers, counselors, lawyers, therapists, artists, health care providers, and incarcerated folx, we will organize and take action for educational freedom.
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.
This month, we encourage you to donate to the Abolitionist Teaching Network. Abolitionist Teaching Network's mission is simple: develop and support educators to fight injustice within their schools and communities. Utilizing the intellectual work and direct action of Abolitionists in many forms, including community organizers, educators, parents, social workers, counselors, lawyers, therapists, artists, health care providers, and incarcerated folx, we will organize and take action for educational freedom.