Skill Building for Allies: A 3-part series

Wednesdays, 8pm – 9:30pm ET

As a person with white privilege, do you want to cause less harm in your interactions with People of the Global Majority (PGM)? As a person of color, are you seeking to work more effectively with other BIPOC and white allies? 

From the personal to the systemic, we are called upon to grow and develop our ability to notice, disrupt and collaborate to end racism. These three interconnected programs will offer increasingly intensive investigations of the skills needed to become effective anti-racism activists.

Session I: Recognizing Microaggressions –  Wednesday, April 24

Through presentation and discussion, we will define microaggressions and explore the kinds of harm regularly experienced by members of oppressed groups, whether from individuals or systems, intentional or not. Participants will probe the factors that prevent us from recognizing and addressing microaggressions when we encounter them and identify some of the skills we need to intervene when we witness microaggressions and apologize when we commit them ourselves.

Facilitated by Tyree Oredein ‘98 and Polly Talen ’77.

Session II: Effective and Respectful Allyship – Wednesday, May 8

This session explores effective allyship in anti-racism work, both personal and systemic. Some questions we will explore – as an alum with white privilege, what is your role in dismantling white supremacy; as a PGM, how can you strengthen allyship with other PGM and improve your experience of working in alliance with white folks? 

We will explore some of the capabilities of effective anti-racist such as – how to negotiate roles with humility and respect, how to support and advocate when a PGM ally is being disrespected, and how to center the lived experience of oppression and remain open to learning.

Facilitated by Tyree Oredein ’98 and Jessica Strauss ’77.

Session III: Disrupting Racism – May 22nd

This interactive experience offers both people with white privilege and PGM a brave space to practice intervening in episodes of racism, whether personal or institutional, to support those being harmed, and to learn the art of constructive feedback. Through role-playing, participants will address all-too-common racist remarks and practices, whether intentional or not. Hone your skills in collaboration with those who support your effectiveness. This is a practice session you will want to experience more than once!

Facilitated by a team of experienced professionals and trained volunteers.

These sessions are offered as a progressive series, and we encourage you to participate in all three interactive programs. However, if you have attended one of the programs before, or have covered similar material in a different setting, you are welcome to register for sessions individually. 

Note that perspectives and training methodologies differ, and you may benefit from participating in a session even if you are familiar with the concepts. If you have questions about your readiness for a particular session, please reach out to the Executive Coordinator at ExecutiveLead@wrji.org.

Ticket: 3-part Series $75 (below)

Session I: Recognizing Microaggressions $30

Session II: Effective and Respectful Allyship $30

Session III: Disrupting Racism $30

WRJI is a non-profit organization. We offer professional compensation to our facilitators; some provide the service pro bono. Your fee for this workshop covers the cost of providing these services. If you wish to contribute to help support the participation of others, we are pleased to accept your donation. If the cost is an obstacle to your participation, please contact the Executive Coordinator at ExecutiveLead@wrji.org to request a reduced price or complementary registration.