AEU Anti-Racism Book Dialogues 2021-22

I’m pleased to announce that the American Ethical Union (the federation of Ethical Societies in the USA) is once again sponsoring a series of anti-racism book (and article and TED Talk) dialogues.  They’re a wonderful opportunity to learn more, and to meet folks around the Ethical movement who are also in a learning mode.

I helped to plan last year’s series, and this year Katharine LaClair (who has spoken at RYSEC before) was the key planner.

I’ll be facilitating four of the dialogues and would love to see some folks from the greater RYSEC community register for those.  There are also several other (and mostly earlier) dialogues you’d also likely find useful.

Parents raising white kids may be especially interested in joining one of the dialogues, led by Anne Klaeysen, using the book Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America by Jennifer Harvey.

More:

• Details about the dialogues: books/articles/etc., facilitators, dates, times, etc.
• Schedule (without descriptions) of all the dialogues
• 2021 Anti-Racism Dialogues Registration

More about the dialogues I’ll be leading:

In the first workshop listed below, we’ll read about a topic that’s quite in the news these days: critical race theory.  How can we now what to think about it, unless we know what it is?  Read the material and come with questions.

The other four workshops (one per month) have individual registration for each, but I see them as a series.  These are particularly aimed at those who want to figure out how to change or expand the culture of our own Ethical Societies and other similar organizations, to be antiracist, anti-oppression and diverse.  Such change is not a quick fix, where you can read an article or two and “get it.”  So, this is a deep dive: first, a general introduction for any organizations.  Then, one from extensive experience among churches.  Third, some thoughts from our close cousins the Unitarian Universalists, an organization much larger than the AEU and thus with more chances to experiment.  And finally, one on opening our minds to thinking outside our usual patterns on what a more diverse Ethical Society might be doing.

For the other four, after reading the book, come to class with one takeaway that you think might be especially important for an organization interested in such change, and one or two questions about something you don’t understand or aren’t sure you agree with.  We’ll spend the first half of the session on trying to understand the material, and the second half on actions that might be proposed or initiated in our Societies.