Climate Compassion
CLIMATE ACTION
Salon: Racial Justice and
Deconstructing White Supremacy
Racial Justice and Deconstructing White Supremacy
What is the work of white folks in working for racial justice? The focus of this event will be on deconstructing white supremacy and the work for white folks. Everyone is welcome.
How can we better understand white supremacy and how are we participating in systems of racial injustice (even if we don’t feel racist)?
Many of us are moved to action when we see police killings of black and brown people, when we see the rise of a viciously racist presidential candidate, when we witness environmental racism and gentrification.
Let’s explore some of the most skillful ways to engage in solidarity and successful action, with a special focus on deconstructing white supremacy and ways white folks can take action while centering the leadership of people of color and indigenous people.
Join us in a compassionate learning environment to explore these topics with Kurt Kuhwald and Paul Kivel representing Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ). We’ll have a combination of presentation, a short video, interactive exercises, and practical ways to get involved.
Hosts:
Paul Kivel has been a social justice educator, activist, and writer for over 40 years. His work gives people the understanding to become involved in social justice work and the tools to become more effective allies in community struggles to end oppression and injustice and to transform organizations and institutions. Kivel is a co-Founder of SURJ—Showing Up for Racial Justice, a national network of organizations and individuals committed to educating and mobilizing white people to work in people of color-led, multi-racial alliance for racial justice. Kivel is the author of numerous books and curricula including Men’s Work, Helping Teens Stop Violence, Build Community, and Stand for Justice, Boys Will Be Men, Uprooting Racism, and most recently, Living in the Shadow of the Cross: Understanding and Resisting the Power and Privilege of Christian Hegemony. www.paulkivel.com
Rev. Kurt Kuhwald: I currently work as a Unitarian Universalist Community Minister. I focus on low wage worker, climate justice/just transition, racial justice and Conscious Eldering issues. I also am on the Coordinating Committee of East Bay SURJ, and am one of the contacts for Faith Rooted/Focused SURJ work. I served on the national anti-racism training team within Unitarian Universalism for 15 years (Jubilee World), as well as for 8 years on their national Journey Toward Wholeness anti-oppression transformation committee that was responsible for guiding and monitoring the Association's transformational work. I taught in the graduate Theological Union at Starr Kings School for the Ministry for 1/2 a dozen years focusing on climate justice/just transition courses, as well as courses on transforming racism. I'm going to be a grandfather in October, and am enjoying helping my family explore issues of gender fluidity as the birth day nears.
Elizabeth Ferguson, Ph.D.
Elizabeth is a facilitator and educator in the practices of resilience and wellbeing. Combining the wisdom of psychology, contemplative science, internal arts and neuroscience, she offers an approach to climate activism that weaves self-compassion, social justice, and community building.
Jeremy Lent, Liology Institute
Jeremy is the author of the Patterns of Meaning blog and the novel Requiem of the Human Soul, and the forthcoming The Patterning Instinct: A History of Humanity's Search for Meaning. He founded the Liology Institute, dedicated to fostering a worldview that will enable humanity to thrive sustainably on this planet.