Date: 16 January, 23 January, 30 January, 6 February, 13 February, 20 February, 27 February
Time: 19:30-21:00
Location: Varia (Gouwstraat 3)
Breaking Down Whiteness is an awareness raising study group about internalised racism. It is a peer-to-peer working space for and from white people. Over the course of 7 weeks we will work with Layla F. Saad's book “Me And White Supremacy” and follow the learning framework set out by the book. In this group we will learn about our own racist thought patterns and the ways it is often (unconsciously) practised in our everyday lives. Joining the group is done by email reservation. Update 15 Jan: All spots are taken!
For Who?
The study group is a peer-to-peer learning space for white people to work on changing racially biased thoughts, practices, ideas, and behaviours. It is based on the understanding that we all have internalised racial bias, and the privileges of white supremacy are an integral part of how our everyday life functions. The only requirement is that you genuinely want to look at your own whiteness, privilege and supremacy, and are interested in the sometimes uncomfortable but important process of learning to recognize and tackle it. Practicing this means thinking about moments and interactions from your own life and sharing those. This may bring up feelings of shame, guilt and discomfort that you can work through in a supportive setting. The sessions are centered around self-reflection, and personal experiences. More general discussions about racism are not at the core of these gatherings. Update: all spots are taken
The study sessions
During the 7-weeks duration of the study group we will work through the book by ourselves, while each communal session is a moment to focus on one particular topic and share our experiences within the group. These moments are an opportunity to reflect and practise together. During the 90 minute sessions we will work with writing prompts, listening and sharing practices. The stories and personal material shared in these moments are held in confidentiality. We listen to each other with compassion and curiosity, respectful of the learning process for all members. The sessions are collectively organized and based on the book's suggested facilitation method The Circle Way. A group of existing volunteers facilitates and guardes the basic structure of the sessions, the role of 'host' and facilitator tho is shared by everyone on a voluntary basis. People volunteer for these at the end of each session, that is 1 week ahead for the tasks.
About the Book
Layla F. Saad is a bestselling author, anti-racism educator, international speaker, and podcast host on the topics of race, identity, leadership, personal transformation and social change. Me and White Supremacy: A 28-Day Challenge to Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor leads readers through a journey of understanding their white privilege and participation in white supremacy, so that they can stop (often unconsciously) inflicting damage on black, indigenous and people of colour, and in turn, help other white people do better, too. It contains a 28-day challenge with daily writing prompts to complete. In this study group we follow the structure by ourselves while meeting weekly to discuss selected topics and written homework from the book.