This series is a joint effort of the American Humanist Association’s Center for Education and Policy and Social Justice Department. This six-part series offers illumination of the insidious and often invisible ways white supremacy operates in our society, and practical tools for both surviving and dismantling it within the context of secular, non-theistic, and/or heathen spaces. The first session focuses on the needs and experiences of Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC). The remaining five sessions will provide breakout groups to tailor the session to different demographics.
Register for all sessions here.
Facilitators
Diane Burkholder (she/her) is a cisgender, Black mixed-race, queer community organizer, and equity consultant. She is the founder of The DB Approach, providing anti-oppression and social justice facilitation, coaching, and training. Diane is the chair of the LGBTQ Humanist Alliance Leadership Council, is a co-founder of the Kansas City Freethinkers of Color, and One Struggle KC, a coalition of Kansas City activists seeking to connect the struggles of oppressed Black communities, locally and globally.
Krista Cox (she/her) is cisgender, white, and bisexual. She is the Chair of the Leadership Council of the Feminist Humanist Alliance, and her essays and poetry appear in The Humanist with some regularity. Her activism focuses on intersectional feminism and difficult conversations. Krista works as a paralegal with an environmental and insurance coverage law firm in northern Indiana. In her free time, she acts as the president and executive director of Lit Literary Collective, a nonprofit serving her local literary community. She is the managing editor of Doubleback Review, and an associate editor for Stirring: A Literary Collection.
Sessions
Register for all sessions here.
Sanctuary: The Importance of Non-White Spaces (and How to Create Them)
November 8th, 2020, 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm ET
This session centers Black Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC) attendees
As we prepare for the election and continue to endure the hardships of 2020, genuinely safe, healing spaces become paramount for the health and wellbeing of BIPOC. This session will help you understand the value of dedicated non-white and secular spaces, teach you to hold space and provide resources to help you stay well. This session includes a listening space where you can share and be supported as you feel comfortable.
Losing Your Religion (but not its Baggage): Religion and White Supremacy Culture
November 22nd, 2020, 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm ET
Religion and white supremacy are woven into the fabric of our culture. Gain a deeper understanding of how they harm both BIPOC and white communities in often invisible ways. This session includes identity-based breakout sessions so you’ll receive information relevant to white supremacy culture’s manifestations within yourself and your own communities.
Come to Jesus: Moving from Ally to Accomplice
December 2nd, 2020, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm ET
We all have the opportunity and responsibility to act as an accomplice to people who share identities different from our own, whether race, gender, ability, immigration status, or something else. We’ll talk about common ally mistakes, white feminism, the “Karen” phenomenon, how to distinguish between inclusion and tokenization, and much, much, more. This session includes breakout sessions so you receive information relevant to your communities and those where you may act as an accomplice.
Secular Celebration: Communion, Ritual, and Fellowship
December 16th, 2020, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm ET
With the upcoming holiday season, we’ll take a moment to breathe, mourn, celebrate, and discuss the value of ritual, including the reclamation of appropriated rituals. This session includes breakout sessions to ensure a safe(r), supportive environment for all attendees.
Bless Your Heart: Moving Beyond the White Moderate
January 10th, 2021. 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm ET
Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! Many people promote a narrow understanding of MLK’s philosophy and teachings in response to Black-led uprisings across the country. We’ll look closer at MLK’s activism, the whitewashing of Black figures and legacies, and the weaponization of identity.
Better than Moses: Leadership without all the Wandering
January 27th, 2021, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm ET
Does a truly equitable, inclusive organization sound like heaven on earth? We’ll help you get there. This session will explore leadership styles and tactics that create and strengthen a leaderFULL movement.