White People Challenging Racism: Moving from Talk to Action - Part 1 *Online*

While this five-session workshop welcomes participants of all identities, its focus is on racism as a system that White people created, maintain and condone - and White people have a responsibility to dismantle. The workshop will take participants beyond the headlines to impart an antiracist world view that will infuse every aspect of participants’ lives, when hearts are open to it. In this group setting you will: Examine the role of White people in dismantling racism, in becoming antiracist, and in building an equitable society. Explore the impact of White privilege and how being unaware of that advantage helps perpetuate racism. Write about your own racial awareness journey. Enhance your understanding and capacity for action through discussion of short readings, videos, and other materials. Share everyday racism-related situations where you may not have effectively responded and, using role plays, work out effective ways to challenge racism. Develop a specific plan for challenging racism in the workplace, an organization, or in the community, while being encouraged to find other people in your life who can provide support and serve as an accountability partner in implementing your plan.
Please note: Attendance at the five sessions and completion of all assignments are expected. Each participant will receive a phone call from one of the facilitators prior to the start of this program to review these expectations.
Co-Facilitators: Christina Horner, Colin Stokes

Sections

Instructors

Colin is a White cisgender man who was educated and began his professional life in elite white spaces that were built to reinforce the presumption of white supremacy. From Harvard to the theater, then from the non-profit education sector to the TEDx public speaking community, Colin has been successful with the help of a playing field rigged to advantage White men. Since 2015, he has been led to incorporate a gender and racial justice perspective into increasing aspects of his life. In 2018, following a LeadBoston fellowship with YW Boston, he joined the staff of METCO, Inc., the voluntary school desegregation program founded by a multi-racial coalition of activists in 1966. He also began co-facilitating White People Challenging Racism workshops. In pursuit of action plan goals developed in the workshop, he helps to organize Courageous Conversations (All Saints Parish) and edits Breakthrough Brookline (Coalition to Eliminate Racism in Brookline).

Christina identifies as a Black cis-gender woman. She grew up in Roxbury and Dorchester and always felt proud of her tight knit neighborhood. This sense of belonging was echoed at her racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse public school, Massachusetts Experimental School System (M.E.S.S). After three successful years, this educational utopia was shattered by a lack of funding and the infamous forced busing crisis. Afterwards, Christina began her trajectory as student, educator, administrator, volunteer, parent, a former 10-year town director of METCO, the nation's largest voluntary school desegregation program, and currently a School Committee member in Wellesley. These experiences positioned her to grasp the realities of racial inequities in education and the lasting impact on society. As an equity strategist, she trains and coaches with the goal of creating equitable and inclusive schools and communities. Christina holds a B.A. in business (Boston College) and an M.Ed. in education (Lesley University).