Areas of Concern for White People The following presentation should be used AFTER a discussion of what an affinity group is and how a white affinity group differs from a people of color affinity group. This presentation focuses on specific challenges/concerns for white affinity groups. You can hold these discussions as a heterogeneous group (mix of all racial identities) however for the most honest dialogue, holding these discussions by racial group (homogeneous) tends to be more effective therefore the following ppt set up is organized using the latter recommendation.

Agenda Classroom Norms Areas of Concern for White People Challenges faced Debrief This session can take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes depending on the size of your audience.

Classroom Norms Avoid walking on egg shells Be respectful of one another Judgment free zone (varying entry points) Embrace discomfort Take action Transition: Similar to the first ppt, begin with what classroom norms you want as a result of this discussion today (I’ve included a few here however ask the class if there are others they’d like to add). Avoid walking on egg shells: if you have a thought or opinion, state it (there will be no repercussions) however please be respectful of one another Respect: not everyone is going to share the same outlook or be at the same stage of racial development -some have been on the journey of exploring ones privileges for years whereas others are still learning the basic definitions about privilege and racism Embrace discomfort: Your views will likely be challenged or learning about unearned privileges may make you feel uncomfortable…AND that’s okay, it’s the point Take action: it is not enough to merely learn from this presentation, rather what steps towards allyship will you take when walking out of the library today

Areas of Concern for White People We tend to face unique challenges related to our group. What are some of these challenges we currently face? Transition: Begin by asking students what challenges are evident based on their white identities? e.g. some responses may include: linked to white supremacists groups, seen as racist, affirmative action, reverse racism, feelings of guilt, etc. Write responses on the board Once there are at least 7-10 issues reported, begin by asking the group at large to name its top three they’d like to discuss further. -combine like-type ideas together (be sure to ask audience permission prior to doing so) -ask class to put a check mark next to their top three challenges (this should be done individually first) -then, take a vote for each challenge asking how many agree or disagree with taking an idea further -those with the fewest votes will not be discussed in this session however let individuals make a final case for potentially moving the idea further (at times, students may not explain their idea well the first time however want to continue after reflecting…give them the opportunity to advocate for their ideas) -Once you only have three ideas (advance to next slide) Reference: If students are having a difficult time coming up with concerns (discuss why there are a lack of concerns) -opportunity to discuss privileges (see reference page for resources)

Areas of Concern for White People Why are these issues important or unimportant to me? How has my experience affected how I feel about these issues? Is this issue a top priority for me? Why or why not? Transition: Once you have narrowed to 3 challenges students reported based on their white identities, ask the following questions. -Use the following questions as discussion starters, while looking for different stages of white identity (guilt, shame, etc.). When you hear instances of privilege or guilt in their responses, name them, and have a discussion about these responses (if students become defensive, circle back to classroom norms). -if you aren’t able to get through all topics, be sure to include them at the top of the agenda for the next session.

References Blitz, L. V. & Kohl, B. J. (2012). Addressing racism in the organization: The role of white racial affinity groups in creating change. Administration in Social Work, 36(5), 479-498. Edington, A. (1998). Moving beyond white guilt. Transformation, 13(3), 1-7. Michael, A., & Conger, M. C. (2009). Becoming an anti-racist white ally: How a white affinity group can help. Perspectives on Urban Education, 1, 56-60. Okun, T. O. (n.d.). From white racist to white anti-racist: The lifelong journey. Changework. Retrieved from http://www.cwsworkshop.org/pdfs/CARC/White_Identity/4_Life_Long_Journey. PDF Study circles resource center. (2006). Dialogue for affinity groups: Optional discussions to accompany facing racism in a diverse nation. Intergroup Resources. Retrieved from: http://www.intergroupresources.com/dialogue-for- affinity-groups/ See annotated bibliography for each of the references listed on how to incorporate within the discussion. Activity adapted from Study circles resource center. (2006). Dialogue for affinity groups: Optional discussions to accompany facing racism in a diverse nation. Intergroup Resources. Retrieved from: http://www.intergroupresources.com/dialogue-for-affinity-groups/

Areas of Concern for People of Color The following presentation should be used AFTER a discussion of what an affinity group is and how a white affinity group differs from a people of color affinity group. This presentation focuses on specific challenges/concerns for People of Color affinity groups. You can hold these discussions as a heterogeneous group (mix of all racial identities) however for the most honest dialogue, holding these discussions by racial group (homogeneous) tends to be more effective.

Agenda Classroom Norms Areas of Concern for People of Color Challenges faced Debrief This session can take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes depending on the size and identity make up of your audience.

Classroom Norms Avoid walking on egg shells Be respectful of one another Judgment free zone (varying entry points) Transition: Similar to the first ppt, begin with what classroom norms you want as a result of this discussion today (I’ve included a few here however ask the class if there are others they’d like to add). Avoid walking on egg shells: if you have a thought or opinion, state it (there will be no repercussions) however please be respectful of one another Respect: not everyone is going to share the same outlook or be at the same stage of racial development -some have been on the journey of exploring ones racial for years while others may have deep internalized racism

Areas of Concern for People of Color We tend to face unique challenges related to our group. What are some of these challenges we currently face? Transition: Begin by asking students what challenges are evident based on their racial identities? e.g. some responses may include: affirmative action, intersectionality, passing, where do I belong?, police interactions, how do we define ourselves?, etc. Write responses on the board Once there are at least 7-10 issues reported, begin by asking the group at large to name its top three they’d like to discuss further. -combine like-type ideas together (be sure to ask audience permission prior to doing so) -ask class to put a check mark next to their top three challenges (this should be done individually first) -then, take a vote for each challenge asking how many agree or disagree with taking an idea further -those with the fewest votes will not be discussed in this session however let individuals make a final case for potentially moving the idea further (at times, students may not explain their idea well the first time however want to continue after reflecting…give them the opportunity to advocate for their ideas) -Once you only have three ideas (advance to next slide) Important to note: the following activity is designed for communities where there are few people of color with multiple identities.

Areas of Concern for People of Color Why are these issues important or unimportant to me? How has my experience affected how I feel about these issues? Is this issue a top priority for me? Why or why not? Transition: Once you have narrowed to 3 challenges students reported based on their racial identities, ask the following questions. -Use the following questions as discussion starters, while looking for elements of intersectionality, internalized racism, labels, etc. When you hear of these instances in their responses, name them, and have a discussion about these responses. -if you aren’t able to get through all topics, be sure to include them at the top of the agenda for the next session.

References Bivens, D. (n.d.). What is internalized racism? Racial Equality Tools. Retrieved from http://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/What_is_Internalized_Racism.pdf Janai (2013, March 20). What’s wrong with the term ‘person of color.’ BDG Press. Retrieved from: http://www.bgdblog.org/2013/03/2013321whats-wrong- with-the-term-person-of-color/ Sen, R. (2014, August 27). “As people of color, we’re not all in the same boat: We all have different places in the racial hierarchy. But we can still work together for justice.” The Nation. Retrieved from https://www.thenation.com/article/people-color-were-not-all-same-boat/ Study circles resource center. (2006). Dialogue for affinity groups: Optional discussions to accompany facing racism in a diverse nation. Intergroup Resources. Retrieved from: http://www.intergroupresources.com/dialogue-for- affinity-groups/ See annotated bibliography for each of the references listed on how to incorporate within the discussion. Activity adapted from Study circles resource center. (2006). Dialogue for affinity groups: Optional discussions to accompany facing racism in a diverse nation. Intergroup Resources. Retrieved from: http://www.intergroupresources.com/dialogue-for-affinity-groups/