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Click here for more information on the The White Privilege Conference and click here for founder Eddie Moore, Jr.'s website.
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| Intro to White Privilege 6/21/08 |
Friday, July 18, 2008
Intro to White Privilege
HEAL was a cosponsor of the events around the Intro to White Privilege last month. Here are a few photos from one of the sessions.
Click here for more information on the The White Privilege Conference and click here for founder Eddie Moore, Jr.'s website.
Click here for more information on the The White Privilege Conference and click here for founder Eddie Moore, Jr.'s website.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Updates from June
Let me begin by acknowledging Sharaze and her diligent, thoughtful work on the monthly newsletter. Her leadership and creativity have been a wonderful act of service to our Community. Her efforts and collaboration on the book and all aspects of our work at HEAL are a source of joy, amazement and essential support for which I am truly grateful and that inspire me to daily.
Thank You, Sharaze!
In order to continue to enhance our offerings, it is my intention to begin to do some reporting and writing on various people, issues and happenings here in Memphis and around the world that may be of some interest and utility to our regular readers and to all who care deeply about creating more loving and nurturing relationships among all the members our One Human Community.
Our hope is to continue to develop HEAL’s core of resources for creating, supporting and nurturing healthy human relationships at the personal, interpersonal, and community levels. My contributions will show up on the newsletter as well as the blog.
June Reflections
Common Ground: June held many gifts as we wrapped up the first round of Common Ground sessions here in Memphis. Over 300 people participated in 25 unique and powerful dialog/action circles about race, its impact on our lives and community, and the possibilities we have for healing the wounds caused by racism by coming together in good ways as people and as a community. Some very interesting action ideas have come out of the CG sessions and will be implemented in the near future. Check out the website to find out more about the Action Groups and their activities.
From my perspective as a human relationship activist the recent CG process has fostered two powerful results. The first is the subtle, transformative healing that happens when people just get together in good ways. The CG Circles have created a safe, open space (common ground) for a wide variety Memphians, who normally are separated by their differences and do not normally connect to meet. This simple act of gathering together into small groups and forming deeper, more open and honest connections and relationships between people of different colors can be an incredibly healing and positive action.
Once we have begun to establish some common ground and to get connected more deeply and empathetically with others, more ‘real’ community forms. This lays a foundation for working together, and a common effort to perform some action is in itself an action that promotes community through positive personal and group progress.
I am extremely grateful to Wendy Thomas, Lisa Willis, and all the folks who stepped up to support and nurture this work for their passion, willingness to take risks, and energy.
The future intention of the organizers is to make it possible for 50,000+ people to engage in the Common Ground process in the next three years. If you are interested in participating, find out how at commongroundmemphis.org.
White Privilege: Eddie Moore, Jr., the creator and founder of the White Privilege Conference, came to town mid-month to meet with supporters, challengers, and those who wanted to know more about the concept of White Privilege and this unique conference.
Many, including myself, have been concerned that the conference name might scare people away. This might be, and the loss of those scared off will be more than offset by those who are yearning for a place and space to meet with others trying to understand privilege and its consequences.
I attended the 9th WPC in Springfield, Mass in early May and was amazed at the turnout. The time has truly come for people, especially white people like me, to face this reality and learn about the many positive options available to us for moving toward constructive change.
The conference was very educational about differences, especially those based on color, the detrimental effects they have had on nonwhite people in the past and present and will certainly have in the future, if white people do not seek and make constructive choices that undo the uniquely American system of unearned privilege of white color and move all of us closer to our various religious, political and American values.
I never felt blamed, shamed, or attacked by others and I found it impossible to witness the carnage of white privilege without confronting some of my own difficult history and the challenges that change presents to me personally. No doubt I will be sharing some these with you as I continue my journey to understand my own privileges, which go far beyond just being white in America.
July looks like a slow month in Memphis for activism. A few of us are heading to St. Louis to participate in a weekend Multicultural Gathering of folks from the Mankind Project, Woman Within, and other individuals and organizations.
Take Care,
Gratefully Seeking,
Stephan
Thank You, Sharaze!
In order to continue to enhance our offerings, it is my intention to begin to do some reporting and writing on various people, issues and happenings here in Memphis and around the world that may be of some interest and utility to our regular readers and to all who care deeply about creating more loving and nurturing relationships among all the members our One Human Community.
Our hope is to continue to develop HEAL’s core of resources for creating, supporting and nurturing healthy human relationships at the personal, interpersonal, and community levels. My contributions will show up on the newsletter as well as the blog.
June Reflections
Common Ground: June held many gifts as we wrapped up the first round of Common Ground sessions here in Memphis. Over 300 people participated in 25 unique and powerful dialog/action circles about race, its impact on our lives and community, and the possibilities we have for healing the wounds caused by racism by coming together in good ways as people and as a community. Some very interesting action ideas have come out of the CG sessions and will be implemented in the near future. Check out the website to find out more about the Action Groups and their activities.
From my perspective as a human relationship activist the recent CG process has fostered two powerful results. The first is the subtle, transformative healing that happens when people just get together in good ways. The CG Circles have created a safe, open space (common ground) for a wide variety Memphians, who normally are separated by their differences and do not normally connect to meet. This simple act of gathering together into small groups and forming deeper, more open and honest connections and relationships between people of different colors can be an incredibly healing and positive action.
Once we have begun to establish some common ground and to get connected more deeply and empathetically with others, more ‘real’ community forms. This lays a foundation for working together, and a common effort to perform some action is in itself an action that promotes community through positive personal and group progress.
I am extremely grateful to Wendy Thomas, Lisa Willis, and all the folks who stepped up to support and nurture this work for their passion, willingness to take risks, and energy.
The future intention of the organizers is to make it possible for 50,000+ people to engage in the Common Ground process in the next three years. If you are interested in participating, find out how at commongroundmemphis.org.
White Privilege: Eddie Moore, Jr., the creator and founder of the White Privilege Conference, came to town mid-month to meet with supporters, challengers, and those who wanted to know more about the concept of White Privilege and this unique conference.
Many, including myself, have been concerned that the conference name might scare people away. This might be, and the loss of those scared off will be more than offset by those who are yearning for a place and space to meet with others trying to understand privilege and its consequences.
I attended the 9th WPC in Springfield, Mass in early May and was amazed at the turnout. The time has truly come for people, especially white people like me, to face this reality and learn about the many positive options available to us for moving toward constructive change.
The conference was very educational about differences, especially those based on color, the detrimental effects they have had on nonwhite people in the past and present and will certainly have in the future, if white people do not seek and make constructive choices that undo the uniquely American system of unearned privilege of white color and move all of us closer to our various religious, political and American values.
I never felt blamed, shamed, or attacked by others and I found it impossible to witness the carnage of white privilege without confronting some of my own difficult history and the challenges that change presents to me personally. No doubt I will be sharing some these with you as I continue my journey to understand my own privileges, which go far beyond just being white in America.
July looks like a slow month in Memphis for activism. A few of us are heading to St. Louis to participate in a weekend Multicultural Gathering of folks from the Mankind Project, Woman Within, and other individuals and organizations.
Take Care,
Gratefully Seeking,
Stephan
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Pardon Our Dust
Welcome to the HEAL Memphis Blog! Our blog is still under construction. Over the coming days and weeks we will be adding links, posts, and other information. If you have any suggestions for our blog, we'd love to hear them! Simply email info@healfoundation.org or comment on this post.
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