Justice and Witness Committee

The Justice and Witness Ministry of the Chicago Metropolitan Association of the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ Committee shall be responsible, in cooperation with other groups within the Association, to sustain a collective voice of social witness.  The Committee shall encourage the study, proclamation, and living of justice and peace in the Church and in the world. (From Constitution of Chicago Metropolitan Association.)

 

Educational Programs Designed for White Church Members Who Want to Learn
About Their Power to Change Structural Racism

The Justice and Witness Ministry of the Chicago Metropolitan Association of the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ has put together educational programs plus other resources for White church members who want to learn about structural racism and how to help bring about change. The first three listings are educational programs which churches may consider using.  Our criteria for inclusion are listed at the bottom of the first page.  Following those three programs are a few pages of additional resources.  We plan to add programs and other resources as we learn about additional materials.  At a time when many White people are interested in knowing more and in discovering actions that they can take to improve communities, churches should help. Please feel free to contact us with questions and suggestions.

Recommended Programs:
1. UCC White Privilege: Let’s Talk Curriculum

2. “The Long Shadow” with a condensed 15-minute version of the film and a discussion and action guide.
For screenings of the entire film “The Long Shadow” and other events and materials related to anti-racism.

3. Crossroads Antiracism Organizing and Training – Dismantling Racism and Building Racial Justice in Institutions:  Courses are virtual.  They offer three courses: Introduction to Systemic Racism, Critical Cultural Competency, and Introduction to ABAR (designed to teach people working with children and adolescents.)

Special Notes:
Criteria for menu inclusion were as follows:
1. Vetted by a trusted source
2. Developed by a diverse group
3. Discussion guide for leader
4. Leader training optimal
5. Cost considerations
6. Manageable length

Additional Resources:
Showing Up For Racial Justice—a network and resources:
https://www.showingupforracialjustice.org/white-privilege.html
https://www.showingupforracialjustice.org/white-supremacy-culture-characteristics.html

Courageous Conversation—many resources:
https://courageousconversation.com/what-is-white-privilege-really/

Faith in Place Anti-racist Pledge (including some suggested actions):
https://www.faithinplace.org/sites/www.faithinplace.org/files/assets/Faith%20in%20Place%20House%20of%20Worship%20Anti-Racist%20Pledge.pdf?emci=67e2c552-19d1-ea11-9b05-00155d03bda0&emdi=dc04da47-89d5-ea11-9b05-00155d03bda0&ceid=3843522

Church World Service’s Platform on Racial Justice with several resources at the end:
https://cwsglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/CWS-Platform-on-Racial-Justice-.pdf

Racial Justice and the United Methodist Church:
https://www.umc.org/en/how-we-serve/advocating-for-justice/racial-justice

Educators for Social Change:
https://educators4sc.org/teaching-about-white-privilege/

“An Instructor’s Guide to Understanding Privilege” from Inclusive Teaching at the University of Michigan (with a variety of resources at the end):
https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/inclusive-teaching/inclusive-classrooms/an-instructors-guide-to-understanding-privilege/

Teaching Tolerance from the Southern Poverty Law Center:
https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/confronting-the-weaponization-of-whiteness-in-classrooms
https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/fall-2018/what-is-white-privilege-really

From our sisters and brothers in the ELCA (includes a version of “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack for ELCA congregations)
https://www.livinglutheran.org/2020/01/unpacking-white-privilege/

“White Privilege Study Guide from the ELCA” (includes a link to curriculum):
https://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/white-privilege-study-guide-from-the-elca

Discussion guide for White Fragility from the Unitarian Universalists:
https://www.uua.org/sites/live-new.uua.org/files/white_fragility_disc_guide.pdf

Project Implicit—from Harvard University—includes implicit bias test:
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html

Many organizations have policies, actions, and resources available. Here is one example from the University of Florida:
https://multicultural.ufl.edu/resources/action/

An amazing list of resources for a “21-day challenge” (click on “More” on the right side of each topic):
https://www.ywcaofcleveland.org/2020-21-day-racial-equity-and-social-justice-challenge/

Just Faith (several programs, some with costs such as $175):
https://justfaith.org/

From the United Methodist Church (cost $39.99):
https://www.gcorr.org/you-are-here-first-steps-for-white-christians-on-race-and-racism/

Facing History and Ourselves has several programs primarily designed for teachers:
https://www.facinghistory.org/about-us

UCC Webinar on the Doctrine of Discovery:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoVLKOY7qII&list=PL6VgfHt6zEy7yDgdSE-fLLYEVaNBM2943&index=4

For more rigorous leader training refer to Sacred Conversations to End Racism, UCC:
https://www.ucc.org/sacred_conversations_to_end_racism