Dear Community,
It’s been several weeks since I came to you with an update about the Antiracism Facilitator Fellowship (AFF). We have had a whirlwind of activity since then! I am excited to share with you what the fellows have accomplished.
As a reminder AFF, launched in 2021. The fellowship is a 12-month initiative to train and mentor community members vested in facilitating and engaging in difficult dialogue as it relates to race, class, identity, intersectionality, and white supremacy. Our first cohort started this past July with an 8-week intensive. We hope to run this program biannually. With this and future cohorts, we aim to provide continued mentorship, professional development and skill-building.
Eight Week Intensive: A Success
Our first cohort kicked off this past July with an 8-week intensive. Every Tuesday, over the eight weeks, fellows were trained by a bevy of community educators in the foundation and practice of antiracism facilitation. These instructors included folks like Dr. Taj Smith from RIT’s Office of Multicultural Affairs and Inclusion, Dr. Natasha Chen Christansen a professor and critical race theorist, Kesha Carter Chief Diversity Officer with Coordinated Care Services Inc. (CCSI) and many others. Each week the following topics were considered during three hour intensive sessions:
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- Team and Community Building
- The Art and Practice of Facilitation
- How to Facilitate Difficult Yet Important Conversation
- How Does Identity Influence Your Role as a Facilitator?
- Addressing Colorblind Racism
- Naming and Addressing Your Discomfort/How to Practice Self-Care
- Roleplay
- Review/Q&A
What fellows said about the 8-week intensive
The intensive ended at the end of August and the fellows provided some powerful testimony about how the intensive impacted them.
What has this program done for you as a future anti racism facilitator?
Dr. Alesia Allen
“Reminded me to focus more on how we think and feel about tough topics rather than exhausting myself from “teaching” and “educating” all the time.”
Tara Banks
“It has given me a voice. Before I felt that I had been muted from my lived experiences, but now I feel that I can facilitate with confidence and ease.”
Rachel Renders
“This program has given me so many resources and connections that I hope to take with me as I continue to grow into my facilitator role. I have so many new ways to look at things.”
Felix Laneri
“AFF has been an incredible opportunity to critically reflect on the individual and institutional impacts of racism in a safe and supportive space. It has helped me to heal from racist experiences, to challenge my own biases, and has empower me to serve my community in the best way I know how.”
One of the challenges of launching this cohort during a pandemic was our inability to engage in person. Don’t get me wrong, the virtual nature of the program supported accessibility and we made the best of connecting virtually. But, I wouldn’t be being completely honest if I didn’t share that the community building and connection that comes with gathering in person was a feature that everyone missed. Despite the intensity of the eight week sessions, we were able to fit in an in person end of summer gathering. Our friends at the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence were kind and gracious to host us outside while the weather was still amazing. We were so grateful to be able to come together.
Phase Two: Mentorship & Observations
Once the eight week intensive ended, the fellows started the “residency” phase of the fellowship. This residency is divided into three phases with the first seeing the fellows observe a series of 540WMain’s virtual classes.
Phase III: Practice & Skill-building
These observations prepared them to design and deliver practice classes that are scheduled and open to the community throughout the rest of this year. These practice classes provide fellows the opportunity to put knowledge into action. As they activate their facilitator skills, they will also receive valuable feedback from the community.
How can you support?
Fellows are eager to share their skills and knowledge with the community. We encourage you to take an upcoming class lead by “facilitators in practice.” These classes give the fellows an opportunity to practice and engage in the skills they have learned while providing valuable education to the community.
The first of these classes is Intro to Implicit Bias/Microagressions taught by Syd Bell and Felix Laneri on Sat November 6th from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm EST.
Upcoming “Facilitator in Practice” Classes
- Nov 20th: Intro to Intersectional Feminism w/ Rachel Renders and Alicia Reinhardt
- Dec 4th: Understanding Structural Racism w/ Tara Banks and Sam Andrew
- Dec 18th: Intro to Gentrification w/ Tiffany Porter, Terri Bales, and Alesia Allen
- Jan 22nd: Intro to Antiracism Practice w/ Shan Randall, Josh Higgins, Tierra Stewart
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