Hand in Hand and our close partners, Caring Across Generations, recently held two anti-racism training sessions, the first time we’ve done so as an organization. As Hand in Hand grows and considers its place in the community, we recognize that it’s important for us to articulate fury at extrajudicial killings of Black people, whether by police or vigilantes. There are many ways to work toward an anti-racist future, and we tried to bring a variety of methods to our trainings as one way to bring our membership together as we move together toward a more liberated future. If you haven’t already, up for our newsletter to learn about more great events like this!

In these two training sessions, participants had a chance to think about the definitions of words that get thrown around a lot. 

Image of Text. Headline says Summary of Definitions. Bullet point 1: Prejudice An attitude based on limited information, often stereotypes. Bullet point two. Power. The ability to define reality for yourself and others. Bullet point 3. Racism: Race prejudice + power Bullet point 4. Oppression: The subjugation of one group over another

They also had the chance to be introspective and consider their personal relationship to racism. They broke into small groups to talk about the “Three I’s of Oppression” and how they’ve applied to our own lives and experiences. And they had a chance to learn from one another, share resources, and consider the unique relationship between being or employing a domestic worker and the history of racism in the United States.

Text Graphic. Header reads "The Three I's of Oppression" Bullet point one. Institutional - Laws and policies that harm and exclude some communities at the expense of others (educating, policing, jail, and prison systems, housing, healthcare, hiring etc.) Bullet point two. Interpersonal: Let me touch your hair. Bullet point three: Internalized: Racial superiority or inferiority

 

In our second training, we developed a timeline of racism, movement work, and backlash that you can see here. We considered how the United States economy has always revolved around racist practices and casual, unpaid, or undervalued labor, and how that continues to play out today—as we re-open our workplaces too early in the midst of a pandemic, as we deny workers benefits they desperately need, and as we see disparities in illness and death based on race.

If you’re interested in learning more sessions but you missed the live event, you can watch the recordings! Links are here:

Anti-Racism 101
Anti-Racism 201

And please stay tuned for more learning opportunities coming soon, from a discussion about civic engagement and voter protection to questions around equity in our schools, to the history and future of the domestic worker rights movement. Each of these events will include a discussion of the racism that pervades systems in the United States, and will consider how dismantling that racism will lead to richer outcomes for all of us.