Social Justice

Racial Justice Discussion – June-July 2022

Racial Justice Discussion – June-July 2022
All people are invited to join our next meeting of hearts and minds!
Every thought, conversation and action makes a difference. This isn’t a book group–it’s a way to support each other in our commitment to increasing awareness and taking action for racial justice.
 
May Meeting Recap: Together we watched an 8-minute segment of Resmaa Menakim (in conversation with Mindfulness instructor Tara Brach, from 27:25 – 35:00) lead a visualization giving white bodies an experience of the trauma we have carried for generations as witness and perpetrator of racial violence. What followed was a painful, courageous, raw and meaningful discussion. What in us allows the suffering of others? What happens when the fleeing energy gets encapsulated inside white bodies? We recognized the complexity of the inquiry, acknowledging that oppression is born out of self-hatred. What when everyone else seems ok with it–there must be something wrong with me. We also touched on the notion that when black people forgive the violators it is an empowering act for themselves, their community and their own healing. 
 
June 11 & July 9, 2022, 12-1:15 PM PT

UPDATE: All are welcome to join community-led meeting during instructor’s healing pause.

 
Suggested Content (options):

Planning Ahead: 

  • July 9 — Participant Presentation – Liz (Possible prompts: What brings you to this work? What does it mean to you to live in a culture of systemic racism? Or, your own prompt.)
  • August — All that She Carried The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake (Tiya Miles)
REGISTER HERE to get the Zoom Link for each meeting. 
 
Recommendations from our group:
 
Liz:
  • The Davies UU Service is 44 minutes, recorded, that invites you into the sacred work of anti-racism and the dismantling of white supremacy.  Included in this experience of truth-telling is an exploration of key vocabulary, poetry and prose, and an interactive presentation. Excellent. Together, this congregation leans into the work of ending oppression and embracing diversity and inclusion. The live service also included music and song.

Josephine:

 

After George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis Police officer on May 25, 2020, our mindfulness community came together as a commitment to being a positive force for racial justice. We continue to evolve these monthly open meetings to affect real and lasting change in the fabric of the United States and the world.

Each session is inspiring as we listen, learn, share and stir up ideas and actions, supporting each other in a safe space.

Register here for this free event.

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Social Justice

Racial Justice Discussion – May 14, 2022

Racial Justice Discussion – May 14, 2022
All people are invited to join our next meeting of hearts and minds!
Every thought, conversation and action makes a difference. This isn’t a book group–it’s a way to support each other in our commitment to increasing awareness and taking action for racial justice.
 
April meeting notes: Several participants expressed a sense of wondering what’s next in our personal engagement with racial justice. We discussed ideas from Carol Anderson’s White Rage, celebrated Ketanji Brown Jackson’s recent confirmation as Supreme Court Justice, and discussed how we can respond in difficult conversations when it feels right to offer another perspective. (FIrst, get curious, ask more questions.) There’s another world that’s possible. What can we do to create it?
 
May 14, 2022, 12-1:15 PM PT
 
Suggested Content (options):

Planning Ahead: 

  • June — The Bluest Eye (A novel by Toni Morrison)
  • July — Participant Presentation (What brings you to this work? What does it mean to each of us to live in a culture of systemic racism?)
  • August — All that She Carried The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake (Tiya Miles)
REGISTER HERE to get the Zoom Link for each meeting. 
 
Recommendations from our group:
 
Liz:
  • The Davies UU Service is 44 minutes, recorded, that invites you into the sacred work of anti-racism and the dismantling of white supremacy.  Included in this experience of truth-telling is an exploration of key vocabulary, poetry and prose, and an interactive presentation. Excellent. Together, this congregation leans into the work of ending oppression and embracing diversity and inclusion. The live service also included music and song.
  • The Black History Book  Edited by many.  Big ideas simply explained. 2021  

Nancy: The Sunday Show, John Capehart on MSNBC

 

After George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis Police officer on May 25, 2020, our mindfulness community came together as a commitment to being a positive force for racial justice. We continue to evolve these monthly open meetings to affect real and lasting change in the fabric of the United States and the world.

Each session is inspiring as we listen, learn, share and stir up ideas and actions, supporting each other in a safe space.

Register here for this free event.

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Social Justice

Racial Justice Discussion – April 16, 2022

Racial Justice Discussion – April 16, 2022
Photo Credit: Nancy Beckerman
 
All people are invited to join our next meeting of hearts and minds!
Every thought, conversation and action makes a difference. This isn’t a book club–it’s a way to support each other in our commitment to increasing awareness and dismantling white supremacy.
 
Our March meeting focused on “othering” people both in times of war, and in Heather McGee’s “Zero Sum” quotient in her book The Sum of Us. We discussed various examples of Truth and Reconciliation Committees in other parts of the world as well as with Native Americans. What would it take to have a Truth and Reconciliation Committee for descendants of enslaved black people in this country? 
 
April 16, 2022, 12-1:15 PM PT
DATE CHANGE: Our April and May meeting will be on the 3rd Saturday (instead of the 2nd Saturday). We’ll resume 2nd Saturdays in May. 
Suggested Content:
  • Book: White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of our Racial Divide (Carol Anderson)
  • Video: Carol Anderson White Rage, Emory Faculty Lecture (51 mins) 
  • Podcast: White Rage, Integrated Schools Podcast (67 mins)

Planning Ahead: Let’s read some novels by black writers! Add suggestions in the comments below.

REGISTER HERE to get the Zoom Link for each meeting. 
 
Recommendations from our group:

Josephine: So many great offerings by Campolindo High School’s Diversity and Inclusion team.  May it serve as an inspiration for our efforts.  

Beverly: One Night in Miami (film)  A fictional account of one incredible night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown gathered discussing their roles in the Civil Rights Movement and cultural upheaval of the 60s.

Paul: Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, An urban Indigenous women-led land trust based in the San Francisco Bay Area that facilitates the return of Indigenous land to Indigenous people.

 

After George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis Police officer on May 25, 2020, our mindfulness community came together as a commitment to being a positive force for racial justice. We continue to evolve these monthly open meetings to affect real and lasting change in the fabric of the United States and the world.

Each session is inspiring as we listen, learn, share and stir up ideas and actions, supporting each other in a safe space.

Register here for this free event.

0

Social Justice

Racial Justice Discussion – March 12, 2022

Racial Justice Discussion – March 12, 2022
All people are invited to join our next meeting of hearts and minds!
Every thought, conversation and action makes a difference. This isn’t a book club–reading is not required. Rather, this is a way to support each other in our commitment to increasing awareness and dismantling white supremacy.
 
Our February meeting touched on implicit bias and how to respond when we notice it in ourselves and others. We watched this 3-minute video together and discussed. A new participant shared memories related to race. And we had an in-depth discussion about the recent Whoopie Goldberg incident which yielded rich insight and emotion. “Shame doesn’t help me move forward…Being aware of it can be a call to power.”
 
March 12, 2022, 12-1:15 PM PT
Suggested Content:

Planning Ahead:  April — White Rage, by Carol Anderson 

REGISTER HERE to get the Zoom Link for each meeting. 
 
Powerful resources from our participants:

Paul: Podcast “This Big Old Lie”: Heather McGhee on the Real Cost of Racism

Liz: Here’s the link to this phenomenal 70-minute event.  Voices of Woodlawn 01 27 22 – YouTube Please share this recording with friends near and far.
 

Jade:

  • Free virtual event Feb 24 “The lessons to be learned…tell us much about the exercise of executive power, the context of presidential decision making, and the birth of the civil rights movement.”
  • Feb 16-20. The 2022 Embodied Social Justice Summit is a free, live, 5-day online conference offering a unique opportunity to hear from some of the most impactful voices at the intersection of embodiment, somatics and social justice.

 

After George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis Police officer on May 25, 2020, our mindfulness community came together as a commitment to being a positive force for racial justice. We continue to evolve these monthly open meetings to affect real and lasting change in the fabric of the United States and the world.

Each session is inspiring as we listen, learn, share and stir up ideas and actions, supporting each other in a safe space.

Register here for this free event.

0

Social Justice

Racial Justice Discussion – Feb 12, 2022

Racial Justice Discussion – Feb 12, 2022
All people are invited to join our next meeting of hearts and minds!
Every thought, conversation and action makes a difference. This isn’t a book club–reading is not required. Rather, this is a way to support each other in our commitment to increasing awareness and dismantling white supremacy.
 
Our January meeting touched on some of Heather McGhee’s themes in her book The Sum of Us, which are also featured in her TED Talk Racism Has a Cost for Everyone.  
 
February 12, 2022, 12-1:15 PM PT
Suggested Content:

Planning Ahead: In the spirit of alternating between faster reads and deeper dives:

REGISTER HERE to get the Zoom Link for each meeting. 
 
Powerful resources from our last meeting:

Jade: 

  • Sign the petition to pass the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching act. 
  • Women of the Movement, A limited series event based on the true story of Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley.
  • Let the World See This Docuseries chronicles Ms. Mamie Till-Mobley‘s fierce quest for justice that sparked the civil rights movement after her son Emmett Till‘s brutal murder, inspiring heroes like Ms. Rosa Parks and others to stand up boldly for their rights. 
  • Movie: The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Her voice would not be silenced (from singing the song Strange Fruit). 
  • Documentary: Ailey Discover the legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey whose dances center on the Black American experience with grace, strength and beauty. Featuring previously unheard audio interviews with Ailey, interviews with those close to him and an intimate glimpse into the Ailey studios today.

Nancy: 

  • Urban Tilth inspires, hires, and trains local residents to cultivate agriculture, feed our community, and restore relationships to land to build a more sustainable food system, within a just and healthier community.
Liz and Nancy
  • Voices of Woodlawn A reckoning by four poets with America’s slave-holding past. Online Thurs, Jan 27, 5 PM 

 

After George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis Police officer on May 25, 2020, our mindfulness community came together as a commitment to being a positive force for racial justice. We continue to evolve these monthly open meetings to affect real and lasting change in the fabric of the United States and the world.

Each session is inspiring as we listen, learn, share and stir up ideas and actions, supporting each other in a safe space.

Register here for this free event.

0

Social Justice

Racial Justice Discussion – Jan 8, 2022

Racial Justice Discussion – Jan 8, 2022
All people are invited to join our next meeting of hearts and minds!
What are you doing to dismantle white supremacy? Every thought, word and deed matters, no matter how big or small. Come as we support each other in taking action in our own spheres.
 
Inspired by the book “Dear White Friend,” we began our December meeting with a 3-minute freewriting prompt of “Dear Black Friend.” Later, as we each shared about the month’s resources and experiences, each person chose to read what they wrote. It was a deeply moving and powerful exchange. And so we continue! 
 
January 8, 2022, 12-1:15 PM PT
Suggested Content:

Planning Ahead: In the spirit of alternating between faster reads and deeper dives:

REGISTER HERE to get the Zoom Link for each meeting. 
 
Powerful resources from our last meeting:

Barbara:

  • The Berkeley Baby Book Project – Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mails books monthly to children birth to age five who are registered for the IL Program by local affiliates. A child’s age and home address are the only eligibility criteria, nothing else.

Nancy: 

  • Othering and Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley brings together researchers, organizers, stakeholders, communicators, and policymakers to identify and eliminate the barriers to an inclusive, just, and sustainable society in order to create transformative change.
  • TV Series: All Rise A look at the personal and professional lives of the judges, lawyers, clerks, bailiffs and cops who work at an L.A. County courthouse.
  • Movie: 13th Ava DuVernay’s 2016 documentary has come back into focus as the U.S. confronts its history of racism. Although the 13th amendment outlawed slavery over 150 years ago, it was essentially allowed to continue via mass incarceration.

Jade:

 

After George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis Police officer on May 25, 2020, our mindfulness community came together as a commitment to being a positive force for racial justice. We continue to evolve these monthly open meetings to affect real and lasting change in the fabric of the United States and the world.

Each session is inspiring as we listen, learn, share and stir up ideas and actions, supporting each other in a safe space.

Register here for this free event.

0

Social Justice

Racial Justice Discussion – Dec 11, 2021

Racial Justice Discussion – Dec 11, 2021
Photo Credit: Nancy Beckerman
 
All people are invited to join our next meeting of hearts and minds!
At the start of our November meeting we experienced a guided meditative reflection inspired by Rhonda McGee. “What brings you to this work? Why are you part of this conversation?” Being in touch with our deepest intentions hellps focus our actions. “Envision all the people in your communities, reflecting on awareness of race.” This stirs up the ways we are complicit and allows us to appreciate and continue our evolution, becoming more comfortable with uncomfortable discussions. 
 
December 11, 2021
Suggested Content:

Planning Ahead for 2022: In the spirit of alternating between faster reads and deeper dives:

REGISTER HERE to get the Zoom Link for each meeting. 
 
Powerful resources from our last meeting:

Nancy:

  • Just saw the movie: The Best of Enemies. [Stick with it at the beginning if white fragility if stirred.] Powerful.

Liz:

Jade: 

Liz and Leona: Colin in Black and White: Short series depicting white privilege.

Kathleen: (podcast) The Queer Spirit: Yoga, Dharma and Social Justice with Jacoby Ballard 

Please let me know if you have a resource to share with the group!

Come join us! In each meeting you can:
  • Be a listening presence.
  • Share any anti-racism work you’re doing in the community to inspire or invite us.
  • Discuss any content listed above.
  • Express your personal experiences and evolving awareness related to racism.
  • Share names of black-owned businesses, insights, or just respond in the moment.

After George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis Police officer on May 25, 2020, our mindfulness community came together as a commitment to being a positive force for racial justice. We continue to evolve these monthly open meetings to affect real and lasting change in the fabric of the United States and the world.

Each session is inspiring as we listen, learn, share and stir up ideas and actions, supporting each other in a safe space.

Register here for this free event.

0

Social Justice

Racial Justice Discussion – Nov 13, 2021

Racial Justice Discussion – Nov 13, 2021
Photo Credit: Nancy Beckerman
 
All people are invited to join our next meeting of hearts and minds! As we each do our own work and practice racial justice in action, our discussions are becoming more real and increasingly valuable for our group and our greater communities.
 
November 13
Suggested Content:
We’re continuing to explore Rhonda V. Magee’s work, including her guided audio meditations. 
REGISTER HERE to get the Zoom Link for each meeting. 
 
Powerful resources from our last meeting:

Wendy: 

Jade:

  • Black and Blue (2019 film) Exposure follows a rookie Detroit African-American female cop who stumbles upon corrupt officers
  • Emperor (2020 Film) Inspired by the legend of Shields “Emperor” Green, a descendant of African kings turned outlaw slave in the pre-Civil War South.
  • Blindspotting Discussion from Season 1, Episode 6. A multigenerational family debating what Blackness is. See clips here. Takes place in Oakland, and features Marcus Books bookshop!
  • CBS Sunday Morning episode on the subject of “Passing”

Please let me know if you have a resource to share with the group!

Come join us! In each meeting you can:
  • Be a listening presence.
  • Share any anti-racism work you’re doing in the community to inspire or invite us.
  • Discuss any content listed above.
  • Express your personal experiences and evolving awareness related to racism.
  • Share names of black-owned businesses, insights, or just respond in the moment.

After George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis Police officer on May 25, 2020, our mindfulness community came together as a commitment to being a positive force for racial justice. We continue to evolve these monthly open meetings to affect real and lasting change in the fabric of the United States and the world.

Each session is inspiring as we listen, learn, share and stir up ideas and actions, supporting each other in a safe space.

Register here for this free event.

0

Social Justice

Racial Justice Discussion – Oct 23, 2021

Racial Justice Discussion – Oct 23, 2021
All people are invited to join our next meeting of hearts and minds! As we each do our own work — Accept, Educate, Self-Inquire, and Act — our discussions grow deeper, more personal and immediately relevant. 
 
October 23—(Rescheduled from Oct 16)
Suggested Content:
REGISTER HERE to get the Zoom Link for each meeting. 
 
Come join us! In each meeting you can:
  • Be a listening presence.
  • Share any anti-racism work you’re doing in the community to inspire or invite us.
  • Discuss the content listed above (and resources below)
  • Express your personal experiences and evolving awareness related to racism.
  • Share names of black-owned businesses, insights, or just respond in the moment.
Powerful resources from our group:

Nancy: (Video) White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Nation’s Divide – 52-minute YouTube – Emory University Distinguished Faculty Lecture, Carol Anderson, Professor and Chair of African American Studies April 9, 2018

Jade (Articles and Website):

Beverly: Art Exhibit at Legion of Honor — Wangechi Mutu: I Am Speaking, Are You Listening?

Please let me know if you have a resource to share with the group!

After George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis Police officer on May 25, 2020, our mindfulness community came together as a commitment to being a positive force for racial justice. We continue to evolve these monthly open meetings to affect real and lasting change in the fabric of the United States and the world.

Each session is inspiring as we listen, learn, share and stir up ideas and actions, supporting each other in a safe space.

Register here for this free event.

0

Social Justice

Racial Justice Discussion – Sept 11, 2021

Racial Justice Discussion – Sept 11, 2021
Photo Credit: Nancy Beckerman
 
All people are invited to join our next meeting of hearts and minds! As we each do our own work — Accept, Educate, Self-Inquire, and Act — our discussions grow deeper, more personal and immediately relevant.
 
September 11— The Inner Work of Racial Justice, Rhonda V. Magee (Healing Ourselves and Transforming our Communities through Mindfulness)
October 16—Meeting on the 3rd Sat instead of the 2nd Sat
 
REGISTER HERE to get the Zoom Link for each meeting. 
 
Come join us! In each meeting you can:
  • Be a listening presence.
  • Share any anti-racism work you’re doing in the community to inspire or invite us.
  • Discuss the content listed above (and resources below)
  • Express your personal experiences and evolving awareness related to racism.
  • Share names of black-owned businesses, insights, or just respond in the moment.
Powerful resources from our group – August 2021 Meeting
 

After George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis Police officer on May 25, 2020, our mindfulness community came together as a commitment to being a positive force for racial justice. We continue to evolve these monthly open meetings to affect real and lasting change in the fabric of the United States and the world.

Each session is inspiring as we listen, learn, share and stir up ideas and actions, supporting each other in a safe space.

Register here for this free event.

0

Social Justice

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