Unraveling Whiteness Series:
Following the Spiral of the Work that Reconnects
5 Tuesdays
1:30pm - 3:30pm PST // 3:30pm - 5:30pm CST //4:30pm - 6:30pm EST
Feb. 21st, 28th, March 7, 14, 21 2023
Unraveling Whiteness is a course that invites you into conversation and learning with other white folks living into racial justice commitments and embodied antiracist identities. Pre-recorded videos on themes for each session, will be fodder for the experiential exercises in each live session. Live sessions will allow for juicy intellectual, emotional, and spiritual engagement with how white supremacy patterns show up in our lives despite our best efforts.
Participants will be invited into a variety of paired and small group exercises within each live session to connect with both our antiracist role models and our own complicity in perpetuating systemic racism. Invitations to begin unraveling the legacies of whiteness in our family lines and considering clear, concrete, actions upon leaving the course will also be woven in. This course invites you to explore the wisdom of your emotions and the scope of your imagination as equally important learning tools for addressing systemic racism alongside understanding terminology and analysis of power.
The Work that Reconnects (WTR) Spiral forms the container in which the overall series is held and individual sessions are designed. WTR is a group of teachings, meditations, community exercises, and grounding practices, developed by Joanna Macy, that are built around the belief that we are interconnected beings in the web of life. https://workthatreconnects.org
A Note about Recording:
This course is experiential in nature and therefore all sessions are live. We will NOT record any of the live sessions, as they will consist primarily of exercises that happen in pairs and groups. We WILL have short pre-recorded videos that accompany every session and we ask participants to watch these before each session, as they will set up the theme and offer teaching on each topic that will then be discussed in the live session. Participants will have a lifetime access to the pre-recorded thematic and teaching videos.
Is this Series right for me?
This Series is open to anyone who wants to participate who identifies as white, as well as mixed-race and white-passing people of color, who are interested in exploring ways you've been socialized as white and are complicit in white supremacy despite your best efforts.
It is designed for people who have some experience working on their whiteness already and are willing to engage with the concepts of white supremacy culture, systemic racism, and white racial identity.
This Series focuses on United States history, context and current reality. People from outside the US are welcome to join us, as long as you understand we will be using a US-based frame. This Series is five Tuesday’s for two hours each time. Participants must attend Session 1 in order to participate in future sessions.
Investment:
As one way to live into our commitment to economic justice and pay everyone a livable wage we invite you to use the sliding scale rate structure below (created by http://www.wortsandcunning.com/blog/sliding-scale) to investigate your current access to financial wealth and income. We encourage you to register at the rate in which you are able to answer yes to most of the statements in that category.
Cross Class Redistribution & Organization Rate: $435
This rate pays the “Full Rate” along with directly subsidizing the “Reduced Rate” registrants. Please consider this rate if you answer yes to most of the statements below and/or if your employer is paying you to attend.
- I am comfortably able to meet all of my basic* needs
- I may have some debt but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs
- I own my home or property OR I rent a higher-end property
- I own or lease a car
- I am employed or do not need to work to meet my needs
- I have regular access to health care
- I have access to financial savings
- I have an expendable** income
- I can always buy new items
- I can afford an annual vacation or take time off
Full Rate: $285
This rate is 'at cost' and enables us to cover the expenses related to putting on this course. Please consider this rate if you answer yes to most of the statements below.
- I may stress about meeting my basic needs* but still regularly achieve them
- I may have some debt but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs
- I own or lease a car
- I am employed
- I have access to health care
- I might have access to financial savings
- I have some expendable income**
- I am able to buy some new items & I thrift others
- I can take a vacation annually or every few years without financial burden
Reduced Rate: $125
This rate is reduced to create access for those for whom accessing this course at the other rates creates a financial burden. Please consider this rate if you answer yes to most of the statements below.
- I frequently stress about meeting basic needs & don’t always achieve them
- I have debt and it sometimes prohibits me from meeting my basic needs
- I rent lower-end properties or have unstable housing
- I do not have a car and/or have limited access to a car but I am not always able to afford gas
- I am unemployed or underemployed
- I qualify for government assistance including food stamps & health care
- I have no access to savings
- I have no or very limited expendable income
- I rarely buy new items because I am unable to afford them
- I cannot afford a vacation or have the ability to take time off without financial burden
* Basic Needs include food, housing, health care, and transportation.
** Expendable Income might mean you are able to buy coffee or tea at a shop, go to the movies or a concert, buy new clothes, books, and similar items each month, etc.
Additionally, if the rates above still create a barrier to accessing this course, please reach out to us regarding a partial or full scholarship.
Cancellations & Refunds Policy:
- Registration closes on Tuesday Feb. 21, 2023 at midnight Pacific Time.
- If you cancel before registration closes on Tuesday Feb. 21, 2023 at midnight, then you can receive a full refund.
- No refunds will be issued after the start of the course.
This series will be held online over Zoom. If you don't already have a Zoom account, please set up an account for free before the gathering. This can be done both on your phone or your computer. Close to the start of the first session, we will send out a Zoom link to all registered participants.
About Our Facilitators