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

Handout 1: Reflection Group for People who are White or of European Ancestry

Select a facilitator from the group to read questions and monitor time. Use the Serial Testimony Protocol (Workshop 2, Leader Resource 2) to talk about as many of these questions as possible. Note that there are more questions below than your group will have time to fully explore. The facilitator should choose questions that will engage and challenge the group. Be sure to save ten minutes at the end for recording group reflections and closing.

About the program:

  • How is the program going for you so far?
  • What has been your previous experience of talking about race with people from the same racial group? When did you feel supported? What felt awkward or risky?
  • Describe the places where the content of this program engages you, and when you feel disconnected. What role, if any, do you think/feel your privilege plays in that regard?

About being White:

  • To what degree are you self-aware of personal characteristics and identity as a White person?
  • What do you understand the dynamics of race to be in the congregation? Community? Nation? World?
  • How is it possible to be antiracist without appearing to be anti-White?
  • Who taught you to be "White"? How are those lessons still playing out in your life today?
  • How do you teach your children/youth to "be White" (i.e., to appreciate and benefit from systems of racial domination)?

Spiritual questions:

  • How can Unitarian Universalism support antiracist work? In what ways does it sometimes fall short?
  • How can White people have a conversation about racial dominance without being pulled into cycles of blame, guilt, anger, and denial?
  • What spiritual practices can you create that help to dismantle the systems of racial dominance in which you were raised?

Closing the Exercise (10 minutes)

Prior to your closing, invite the group to prepare a list of statements they want People of Color and people from racially/ethnically marginalized groups to know about their experience and lessons learned so far. The list should begin with these words: What I want People of Color and those from racially and ethnically marginalized groups to know about my experience here is... .