Last Updated on October 16, 2022
This information is for those who will be attending the meeting on More Effective Conversations About Racism with Bill Cozzo. Consider this before the session. This is an opportunity to begin thinking about this topic and will make the time together more meaningful. You may find it helpful to do some writing of your thoughts and bring it with you to the meeting.
More Effective Conversations About Racism – Session 1 Pre-Work
1) Think about times when you’ve heard someone say something that sounds discriminatory, prejudiced, bigoted, racist, etc.
● What was your initial reaction?
● How did you feel?
● What did you think?
● What did you do?
● What do you hope to be able to do if it happens again?
2) Think about the person or people who you’ve heard saying those things.
● What kinds of things do you imagine they might be feeling when they say something like that?
● What thoughts do you think they are thinking that makes them say things like that?
3) Think of an example of something that you have come to learn is actually racist that you hadn’t realized was racist before.
● What happened to make you be able to understand it as racist?
● What were some of the factors that enabled that racist thing to ‘hide’?
4) Think of some racist thoughts or feelings, even ones that you never told anyone or acted on.
● Forgive yourself and give yourself credit for moving in the direction of anti-racism.