Moving Toward Antiracism in 2022

NEAFAST is recreating its successful yearlong book group, Moving Toward Antiracism: A Yearlong Guided Reflection through Layla Saad’s Me and White Supremacy to take steps toward recognizing unconscious racial bias and addressing systemic racism in our personal and professional lives. We will read Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad. 

"Create the change the world needs by creating change within yourself." — Layla Saad

Second Fridays of the month: March 11-December 9, 2022, 12-1:30pm ET | Live on Zoom | 15 CEs
Instructors: Donna Harris-Richards, LICSW, CST
Cost: $50 if you want CEs; free if you don't

We will move away from the long tradition that white people can read their way out of trouble. We will shift from racial literacy to emotional literacy by working through a relational rather than individualistic approach. This group will begin by using the writing of Layla Saad and her book, Me and White Supremacy (which you can buy online), and Me and White Supremacy A Guided Journal. For more information about Layla Saad, visit her website. The group will move away from, “What do I think?” and toward, “What do I do?” with the hope of addressing our becoming a “good ancestor.” The course will provide participants with the opportunity to expand on their intellectual and emotional understanding of racism and white supremacy while doing the work to dismantle it. We will be practicing this group through a process called The Circle Way. To read more information about The Circle Way, and other topics of the group, please read the Circle Way Guidelines.

In order to get the 15 CEs, you will be expected to attend all group meetings; if you need to miss one group, you will be asked to share your written reflections with the other group members.

At the conclusion of this program, participants will be better able to:

1. Expand intellectual and emotional understanding of racism and white supremacy by reading, journaling, and dialogue.
2. Identify three manifestations of white privilege and participation in white supremacy so that therapists can stop inflicting damage on People of Color.
3. Identify three changes that the profession of mental/behavioral health can make through work of dismantling white supremacy by activating change within oneself.

Schedule (all times in ET):

12-12:15pm: Welcome, Introductions and anything that “needs to be left at the door”
12:15-12:30pm: One person shares their story
12:30-12:45pm: Break-out Group #1- Opportunity to talk about what participant may have identified with and/or
what came up
12:45-1pm: Reading and review of chapter/s since last meeting. Presentation of questions
1-1:15pm: Break-out Group #2- Opportunity to share answers and journaling since last session
1:15-1:30pm: Summary (anyone who wants can summarize what occurred in their group), review of readings for
next session, “one word”- each participant shares one word about where they are, how they are feeling or
what worked for him/her/them in this session and good-bye’s

Join us in 2022 as we continue to take steps towards becoming antiracist therapists and organizations.

Sign up for the group

This activity is pending certification by the New England Association for Family and Systemic Therapy (NEAFAST) on behalf of the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health & Human Services Professions for LMFT professional continuing education.
This activity is pending certification by the National Association of Social Workers Massachusetts Chapter on behalf of the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health & Human Services Professions for LICSW professional continuing education.
Please note: It is the participant’s responsibility to check with their individual state boards to verify CE requirements for their state.
This program is being offered independent of any commercial support or conflict of interest. Clinicians with any level of experience are welcome to participate.
Cancellation Policy: Please email us at [email protected] if you are unable to make it. We will give a full reimbursement for cancelations one month prior to the training.
Accessibility Statement: Participants will receive access to the Zoom link after signing up for the conference. Closed captioning can be provided through request.