Tapestry of Faith: Building the World We Dream About: An Anti-racism Multicultural Program

Introduction

It seems likely that the problem of the twenty-first century will be that of the multiple color lines embedded in the American social order. — Claire Jean Kim, Asian American scholar

Participants bring their observations, feelings, and questions to shared reflection on the words and stories of panelists from Workshop 17, Voices of the Local Community, and the field trip they took in Workshop 18, Exploring Our Communities. This workshop asks: What are we learning about how different individuals, groups, and communities value and make meaning of their lives? Exploring together the words, images, emotions, and stories that emerged from the panel and the field trip provides practice in developing multicultural competency. This workshop moves participants to more deeply understand and appreciate multiple perspectives and to value the practice of making space in congregations and organizations for diverse voices and communities to encounter and influence each other—a necessary step in transformative social justice work and in creating antiracist/multicultural community.

A couple of days before the workshop, call or email participants and remind them to bring photos, artifacts, and reflections from their community field trip as well as their completed Handout 1 from Workshop 17, The State of Racial/Ethnic Relations at _____ [name of your congregation].

Before leading this workshop, review the accessibility guidelines in the program Introduction under Integrating All Participants.

Goals

This workshop will:

  • Provide practice in developing multicultural competency
  • Further explore how the practice of making space within congregations and organizations for diverse voices and communities to encounter and influence each other is a necessary part of engaging in transformative social justice work and creating antiracist/multicultural community.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

  • Share new insights from the community panel presentation (Workshop 17) and the community field trip (Workshop 18)
  • Explore together the words, images, emotions, and stories that emerged from the panel and the field trip
  • Develop their multicultural competency as they make meaning of experiences/encounters with people who belong to communities beyond the congregation
  • Articulate a deeper understanding and appreciation of multiple perspectives
  • Value the practice of making space within congregations and organizations for diverse voices and communities to encounter and influence each other as a necessary step in transformative social justice work and toward creating antiracist/multicultural community.