November’s UWSA Unlearning Circle will explore the People’s Institute principle: Analyzing Power

As a society, we often believe that individuals and/or their communities are solely responsible for their conditions. Through the analysis of institutional power, we can identify and unpack the systems external to the community that create the internal realities many people experience daily.

We have been brainwashed to assign responsibility for what happens to people in our society solely to individual choices. Racism is ascribed to racist feelings and actions on the part of individuals, instead of the systems and institutions that were set up to create racism, and to re-create racism over and over again. Please join us in this month's Unlearning Circle, where together we will look at how racism was, and is "done", shining light on the power exercised by legal, economic, and social institutions to oppress BIPOC communities.  

People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond - Antiracist Principles

https://www.pisab.org/our-principles/

More recommended resources will be posted here soon

UWSA’s first Unlearning Circle in the winter of 2017 was created as a place for white people to do the work of reflection and community self-education. As we continue to gather to critically examine our own participation in cultures of dominance, we build our capacity to show up as individuals and as a city-wide community network for Black, Indigenous and people of color-led anti-racist efforts in a positive and accountable way. The Unlearning Circles are an opportunity for white identifying people to explore white supremacy culture and our role and responsibilities in undoing racism. We welcome and recognize the gift of the presence of any People of Color who choose to join us.

In solidarity,

The UWSA Organizing Team