Upcoming Zoom events around racial justice, skill development, and the 2020 election

In this blog:

• Connection, Conscience, and Care: A multi-faith community conversation around the 2020 election, Monday, Oct. 5
• Engaging Discomfort with an empathetic lens: A conversation with T. Marie King, Tuesday, Oct. 13
• ASDIC: Racial Equity: Beginning the Conversation, Thursdays, Oct. 1 and Oct. 15.
• ASDIC: Addressing Problematic Race-Based Beliefs, Tuesdays, October 6, 13 & 20

Connection, Conscience, and Care: A multi-faith community conversation around the 2020 election

As people of faith, justice, and spiritual practice, we know that we have a responsibility to work towards justice. With the first presidential debate around the corner, and with growing tension and discord in our political climate, it can be tempting to remain silent, or to feel like we don’t know where to turn for constructive opportunities to critically engage the current political process.

That’s why we need moment to come together in community – so that we can support shared healing and shared possibilities for learning, growth, and action.

Join Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light, The Center for Sustainable Justice, Kaleo Center for Faith, Justice & Social Transformation, and United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities for a collaborative community conversation as we debrief, reflect upon, and assess the first presidential debate against the backdrop of our deepest values, concerns, and commitments. The conversation features panelists from diverse religious, spiritual, and racial perspectives – and invites each of you to bring your own values and insights to the conversation.

Please register here.  A Zoom link will be provided to everyone who registers.

You can access our Multifaith Election Resource Guide to support you in your process of grounding and reflection.

Engaging Discomfort with an empathetic lens: A conversation with T. Marie King

What does it mean to be uncomfortable in times of community unrest and be willing to gain a greater understanding of history, conflict and others?

Join T. Marie King for a Zoom conversation on engaging discomfort with an empathetic lens. The event is Tuesday, Oct. 13, 7-8 p.m., and is free. Participants will be encouraged to voice their discomfort through dialogue with an empathetic trainer, so that we can begin to use our voices to create change.

Here is the Zoom link.

King is the head of Alabama Local Voices Network. In cooperation with the non-profit Cortico and MIT’s Laboratory for Social Machines, they seek to foster constructive public conversation in communities and in the media to improve our understanding of one another.

King is a trained facilitator on Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation through the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and a faculty member with the Satyagraha Institute. She holds a B.A. in Urban and Global Economic Development from Beulah Heights University; and M.A. in Leadership and Divinity from Luther Rice University.

Click here for a flyer with more details.

ASDIC: Racial Equity: Beginning the Conversation

Learn about the history and legacy of race, socialization into race practices, and the ways that history and legacy influence our behavior. How do we come to receive and internalize racialized structures of thinking and understanding? How do these lead to stereotypical imagining, thinking, irrational emotions, and bias?

Conversations will be held by Zoom, Thursdays, October 1 & 15, 6-8 p.m. Register here. Cost: from $20. According to materials:

We’ll identify the ongoing operations of racialized structures in our lives, giving attention to whiteness–––what the structures look like, where they are found, and how they influence our thinking and behavior.

This workshop is designed to help participants build an understanding of key concepts such as racial equity and institutional/structural racism, then develop tools and practices for counteracting racial bias.

We’ll learn to talk about race constructively within our particular context or organization, then identify next steps for applying concepts and strategies to advance racial equity.

ASDIC: Addressing Problematic Race-Based Beliefs: Sleight of Mouth Patterns & Practice

These workshops will address our own and others’ racial beliefs by loosening racialized certainties, allowing alternative ways of seeing and knowing, and challenging ourselves and others to consider antiracist perspectives.

They will be held by Zoom on Tuesdays, October 6,13, and 20. Cost: from $25.

Participants will gain an understanding of and practice Sleight of Mouth techniques as a tool for unbinding racial certainty, deflecting and re-channeling hostile or defensive speech, and deepening reflective, critical thinking.