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Racial Justice and Equity Resources

Introduction

The call of the Old St Patrick’s Vision presents us with both the challenge and opportunity to be leaders in a movement of change in the church. We strive to see the world through the eyes of Christ, stand against injustice, and serve a broken world. For the past year, our church and our country have been challenged to reckon with both the coronavirus pandemic and the other deadly virus which grips the nation: racism.

The death of George Floyd was both a tragic and watershed moment for our country.  In response, many marched, began educating themselves, read books, engaged in courageous conversations, and sought truth and reconciliation. The work of racial equity continues. Guided by the Gospel, we commit to being active agents of equality, justice, and change in big and small ways. Old St. Pat’s Racial Equity & Justice Initiative will offer frequent reflections, questions, prayers, and actions to invite all of us to use this sacred time to unpack the ways in which racism separates us from our neighbor and God. This six part Racial Equity Resource, based on the Ignatian Solidarity Network’s 21 Day Racial Equity Challenge, invites you to educate, contemplate and activate around the themes of racial equity.  Trusting in the Spirit, we will navigate this wilderness and be formed and prepared leaders of change in our church and our communities.
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We encourage you to begin this journey by watching the “Living into the Vision” series which includes reflections from Rabbi Chava Bahle (Radical Inclusivity), Kate Williams (Exquisite Worship) and Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III (Transformative Kinship)

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1. Defining the Terms - What does racism mean?

Conversation around racism has increased dramatically in recent months. However, people often use vocabulary around racial injustice in different ways and with different understandings of what words mean. For example, some people hear the term white supremacy and think it is the same as white nationalism. This week, we invite you to explore resources that will help us to define a shared vocabulary for the duration of the challenge. Speaking a COMMON LANGUAGE facilitates the clear communication of our thoughts and beliefs, and can minimize misunderstandings.

EDUCATE:

• Getting Started: Use the Racial Equity Tools glossary to read the definitions for the following words:
  • Racial equity 
  • Racism
  • White privilege
  • White supremacy​

• Commonly used abbreviations:
  • BIPOC: Black Indigenous People of Color 
  • POC: People or Person of Color​
• Going Deeper: Under Our Skin | Seattle Times 
  • ​Explore these 4-7 minute videos of people of diverse political, social, and racial backgrounds discussing and unpacking terms around racial injustice. 
•  After reading the definitions, we understand that racism and white supremacy are systems, not simply a matter of an individual’s ill-mannered or bad behavior. All white people benefit from racist systems. Have you ever considered racism to include more than interpersonal interactions, and how do you personally benefit from racist systems?

CONTEMPLATE: An Examen for Racism | Jesuit Conference of the United States and Canada (8 minute long audio available)
This Examen explores how our actions (or inactions) and privilege may damage and deny the dignity and humanity of the Black community in the U.S.
​ACTIVATE: Invite a friend to join the challenge so that you have a conversation and/or accountability partner.
Additional Resources: 

• Let’s Get to the Root of Racial Injustice | TED Talk (20 minutes)
  In this inspiring and powerful talk, Megan Francis traces features of our current racial climate to their core causes, debunking common misconceptions and calling out "fix-all" cures to a complex social problem. Her personal experiences and professional expertise make this a very relatable story.  (Megan Francis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Washington)
• White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack | Peggy McIntosh

 Have questions or need support? Let us know how your journey is going by sending us a message at antiracism@oldstpats.org

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​2. What does it mean to be non-racist and anti-racist?

This resource explores the critical difference between being non-racist and anti-racist, and what that means in the context of faith and justice. Being anti-racist doesn’t mean that you always know the correct action to take or what to say in every situation. It does require that you act and work against racism wherever it arises, especially in yourself, acknowledging that these changes and the conversations around them are difficult. ​​

EDUCATE:

• Getting Started: 
  • Are you racist? No is not a good enough answer | The Guardian (2 minute video) 
• Going Deeper: 
  • Historian Ibram X. Kendi On ‘How To Be An Antiracist’ | NPR (21 minute listen) 
  • Being Antiracist | National Museum of African American History and Culture (10 min read with links supporting videos )

CONTEMPLATE: Lay Down Your Life | Ignatian Solidarity Network

• Often, we are afraid of admitting when our actions are racist. As Peter’s fear caused him to deny his friend Jesus, our fear prevents us from fully facing those moments when we are complicit in and contribute to racism.

ACTIVATE: 

• In your daily life, who do you interact with, what media do you consume, where do you shop? Reflect on these and other daily and lifestyle choices—how do the ways you move in the world reflect being anti-racist? 
• Explore this Google Doc that contains scaffolded anti-racism resources and attempt to find yourself on the stages of white identity development. Complete one of the activities or “what to do next” steps in that category.  

Additional Resources:

• Podcast: “Catholicism and Race Relations” | National Catholic Reporter (22min podcast discusses how art can improve race relations. Speakers discuss their own experiences of race and solidarity and places where they find hope.) 
• “A Decade of Watching Black People Die” | Code Switch by NPR (23 min podcast discussing the killing by police officers of unarmed black individuals)
• ‘There Is No Neutral’: ‘Nice White People’ Can Still Be Complicit In A Racist Society | NPR (8 min podcast with Robin D’Angelo asking us to consider not WHETHER I been shaped by a racist society, but HOW I have been shaped by one, and reminding us that social change is not a sprint, but a marathon)

 Have questions or need support? Let us know how your journey is going by sending us a message at antiracism@oldstpats.org

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3. White Supremacy

In the first resource (above), the Racial Equity Tools Glossary, helped us to better understand the meaning of the terms, “white privilege” and “white supremacy” as they relate to our racial equity work. This week, we dig deeper into the ways that whiteness and racism are integrally connected.

EDUCATE: 
Getting Started:

• Deconstructing White Privilege | Dr. Robin DiAngelo (20 minutes) This video provides a strong foundation in concepts around anti-racism.

Going Deeper:

• Whiteness: Talking about Race | National Museum of African American History and Culture

CONTEMPLATE: 

• Pray: The Ultimate Sacrifice
• Reflect: How does denying the existence of racism and white privilege perpetuate racial inequality and unequal outcomes?

ACTIVATE: Choose an action from the article, “6 Ways to be anti-racist because being ‘not racist’ isn’t enough.”

​Additional resources:

• “How the Church Can Combat Racism and White Privilege” | Fr. Bryan Massingale
• Dear White Catholics: It’s time to be anti-racist and leave white fragility behind  | America Magazine
• The Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture | Showing Up for Racial Justice 

Have questions or need support? Let us know how your journey is going by sending us a message at antiracism@oldstpats.org

4. Anti-Blackness

Understanding anti-Blackness is central to understanding the social, economic, and cultural realities of race in the U.S. This week’s resources will draw you into understanding and lamenting the historical and present day manifestations of anti-Blackness in our society and its systems. 

EDUCATE: 

• Getting Started:
  • ​​Opinion: Racism Didn’t Kill George Floyd. Anti-Blackness Did  | The New York Times
• Going Deeper:
  • ​​​Historical Foundations of Race | National Museum of African American History and Culture

CONTEMPLATE: 

• Pray: The Power to Heal
  • How have you expressed anti-Blackness in your own thoughts or actions?
  • We can all agree that America is in need of race reconciliation. But how do we begin to heal from our past?
    

ACTIVATE: Support a local Black-owned business, either online or in your community. Browse a list of local Chicago Black-owned businesses HERE
Additional Resources: 

• Oh, God of justice, come to our aid | NCR
• As Non-Black POC, We Need to Address Anti-Blackness | Yes Magazine (6 min read)

​Have questions or need support? Let us know how your journey is going by sending us a message at antiracism@oldstpats.org

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5. Microaggressions

The Racial Equity Tools Glossary defines microaggressions as “everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership.” This week, we will explore the reality of microaggressions, along with colorblindness, which is problematic in that it denies the realities of racism. 
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EDUCATE:

• Getting Started:
  • Microaggressions Are A Big Deal: How To Talk Them Out And When To Walk Away | NPR
  • When you say you ‘don’t see race’, you’re ignoring racism, not helping to solve it | The Guardian

• Going Deeper: 
  • Why Microaggressions Aren’t So Micro | TEDx
  • Children Are Not Colorblind: How Young Children Learn Race
  • Erin N. Winkler, Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee​

CONTEMPLATE: Prayer for Dismantling Racism | Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary of the Woods
​ACTIVATE:

• When you realize you have used a microaggression, or are called out by someone for using one, notice if your first response is to jump to defensiveness, or to judge for yourself whether you thought the comment was racist or not. Why is that? Is your defensiveness helpful in the situation?
• After learning about the different types of common microaggressions, reflect upon which ones you’ve overheard, witnessed, or even used yourself. How can you commit to using your privilege to intervene the next time you hear or see a microaggression being used?
• Use some time today to engage in an act of self-care, acknowledging the weight of microaggressions.​

Additional Resources: 

• Pray: An Examen for White Allies
• What I am learning from my white grandchildren — truths about race | TED
• “Race is not real, but race does matter.“ How to talk to children about race and to avoid colorblindness.
• ​​Dear anti-racist allies: Here’s how to respond to microaggressions | CNN Health

Have questions or need support? Let us know how your journey is going by sending us a message at antiracism@oldstpats.org

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A Time for Reflection

Create space to educate, contemplate and activate around the themes of racial equity. We invite  you to revisit the previous 5 resources and reflect on your Racial Equity journey. Use the questions below as a guide: 

• As you look back over the weeks, which themes, materials and resources deeply moved you? 
  • What energized you?
  • What challenged you?
  •  What left you wanting to explore more?
    
• What feelings, thoughts, and desires have you noticed in yourself when interacting with the resources each week?

• What actions will you take (big or small) in response to what you’ve learned during your Lenten Racial Equity journey?
  • What will you START doing
  • What will you STOP doing?
  • What will you CONTINUE doing?
    
• What programs, events or experiences would you like to see next from our Racial Equity & Justice Initiative?

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We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts and reflections by sending us a message at antiracism@oldstpats.org