Shame and White Allyship to People of Color

Guilt and shame are common issues for white people seeking to acknowledge and address racism. White people’s shame about racism often shows up as behaviors that reinforce racist dynamics, including denial, defensiveness, passivity and self-absorption, the calling out of which often serves to deepen shame and limit white people’s receptivity. How can we respond with compassion to this shame without condoning the resulting racist dynamics?

On December 5, Vanissar Tarakali will offer a workshop that brings theory and embodied practice together to explore white people’s automatic, shame-coping behaviors, and offers insights into why certain racist behaviors are so entrenched, even in well-intentioned white people.

This workshop, which draws on over a decade of research into the psychology of how white people unlearn racism, will benefit white allies seeking to strengthen mutual support and compassion for everyone working to transform racism. People of color seeking to interact with white anti-racist allies without caretaking may also benefit from attending. This workshop will help everyone recognize when white racial shame is operating and offer options and antidotes to support white allyship and accountability.

Saturday, December 5, 2009
10am-5pm
First Congregational Church of Oakland, 2501 Harrison St. in Oakland
Sliding scale: $80-180

Email our registration desk to sign up