Transforming our organizations into communities of anti-racist action and solidarity involves more than individual actions or superficial changes. To become truly transformed, we must look at our structures, our decision-making processes, our policies and procedures, our use of resources, and our commitment to each other. As we address how white supremacy culture shows up on our organizations, we are invited to experiment with new ways of being together and to reflect on the question of what is truly Quaker in our practices, while letting go of the dynamics of white culture that lead to pain, division, and oppression. This is hard work and calls for creativity, honesty, and perseverance.
If you have five minutes...
Reflect on this passage from early Friends:
"Take heed, dear Friends, to the promptings of love and truth in your hearts. Seek to live in affection as true Friends in your Meetings, in your families, in all your dealings with others, and in your relationship with outward society. The power of God is not used to compel us to Truth; therefore, let us renounce for ourselves the power of any person over any other and, compelling no one, seek to lead others to Truth through love. Let us teach by being ourselves teachable."
-extract from the epistles of the Yearly Meeting of Pennsylvania and the Jerseys, 1694 and 1695
If you have twenty minutes...
Read this list of characteristics of White Supremacy Culture by Tema Okun, published by Dismantling Racism.
This is a list of characteristics of white supremacy culture that show up in our organizations. Culture is powerful precisely because it is so present and at the same time so very difficult to name or identify. The characteristics listed below are damaging because they are used as norms and standards without being proactively named or chosen by the group. They are damaging because they promote white supremacy thinking.
What parallels do you see between white supremacy culture and the culture of your organization or faith community?
The article also describes antidotes to white supremacy culture. What steps might we need to take to begin disrupting white supremacy that shows up in the way Quakers worship, do business, or relate to each other?
Tools for Transforming Our Organizations...
Atlanta Friends Meeting offers a set of queries to guide Quaker process, committee work, welcoming newcomers, materials in the meetinghouse and library, and the social life of the meeting along anti-racist principles.
As a way of living up to our beliefs and reaching our goal of an inclusive community, we continue to ask groups and committees with the Meeting to regularly reflect on a set of queries in order to be more intentional about processes and practices that work to eliminate institutional racism and foster a welcoming multicultural, multiracial community within the Meeting.
- Queries from "Our Role As Individuals In America's Racial History" (ORAIIARH), Revised 2009
Dismantling Racism Action Tools: This page includes the following tools: Giving Feedback, information about the role of Change Teams and Caucuses in race equity work, race equity principles for taking action, and a race equity tool for organizations in developing explicit goals.
Questions for Conversation and Journaling
As you wrap up this curriculum, what have you committed to, to take action against systemic racism within your community or organization? What specific first action will you take? When?
What does it feel like to name and share this commitment? Who can you share it with?