Thank you to all who participated in last week’s kick-off to our anti-racism discussion series in partnership with Tru Ruts. Registration is full, but due to popular demand we are adding two new sessions that will be open to all:
Anti-Racism: What Can I Do?
Monday, April 19, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Raising Anti-Racists
Monday, May 24, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Both sessions will take place on Zoom. Registration is required HERE and limited to 100 people on a first come basis.
The programs are being led by artist/activists and community leaders E.G. Bailey and Sha Cage with support from neighborhood liaison Michelle Filkins and facilitators trained in diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism work. We recently spoke with Filkins about some of the themes in the series.
Q: What does anti-racism mean?
A: The definition of an antiracist, according to Ibram X. Kendi, is “one who is supporting an antiracist policy through their actions or expressing an antiracist idea.” As is often pointed out in discussions around anti-racism, being antiracist is about more than not being racist. One key is that being antiracist is a conscious decision that often involves actions, big and small, that contribute toward racial justice.
Q: Why is it important to have this conversation in Waite Park?
A: There are a variety of reasons why we choose to live in Waite Park. Many rankings list Minneapolis in the top ten best places to live, yet Minneapolis has a legacy of exclusion. While the population of Minneapolis as a whole is approximately 63% white, the Waite Park neighborhood is 85% white. Waite Park is one of the communities in Minneapolis that once had discriminatory deeds, or racial covenants, on properties which prohibited non-white residents to live in or own property in the community. While racial covenants were outlawed in 1968, the legacy in terms of home ownership, generational wealth, and other disparities still persists. By having this conversation, we have an opportunity to imagine ways that we can make our neighborhood more welcoming and accessible to everyone, and at the heart of this is anti-racism.
Q: What do you hope people will understand better after participating?
A: Thinking about the history and legacy of racism in our country can be overwhelming. After participating in this series of conversations, I hope that everyone will feel more comfortable having difficult conversations and contemplating the ways that we are all able to contribute to building a more just society. Being racist or antiracist are not fixed identities. Each day we will encounter situations where can take steps, big and small, that will help to build the kind of community we all want to live in. By promoting this sort of action, we are being antiracist. By the end of the series, I hope that everyone feels like they have a few more tools in their toolbox that will help them to embody antiracism and to advocate for antiracist policies.
Q: Our neighborhood has dozens, maybe hundreds of yard signs on themes of being “welcoming to all.” How does that idea compare to anti-racism?
Signs that are “welcoming to all” or that affirm that Black Lives Matter are important. Putting a sign in your yard can be an anti-racist action. Cumulatively, the lawn signs are signaling to our neighbors, and to all who visit, that we are interested in fostering a welcoming and inclusive community. But anti-racism is about a series of actions. We can’t stop with lawn signs. Antiracists will seek out opportunities to advocate for BIPOC neighbors in tangible ways.
Q: A year or two from now, how do you hope our neighborhood is different because of these conversations and the relationships formed in them?
I hope that our neighborhood will be a place where all are truly welcome. That we will get to know our neighbors, and not just on National Night Out. That we will support our neighbors. I hope that this series of conversations is just a start, and that all of the attendees will continue to have important conversations and to ask difficult questions. I hope that we will be aware of and seek out opportunities to advocate for anti-racist policies and actions, whether within our schools, the Waite Park Community Council, or with city officials.
