What is the Race Institute?

A collaborative skill-building laboratory

 

The Race Institute for K-12 Educators is an affordable and accessible opportunity for educators to grow their racial identities. We believe that it is the job of all educators to support the positive racial identity development of students; educators cannot accomplish this if they themselves do not have a positive racial identity. The workshop takes place over the course of three 8-hour days. The same group of 20 educators is present for the entire workshop, which creates an in-depth and personal experience as participants get to know one another and support one another to meet their goals. Every institute includes a panel of local high school students willing to share their experiences with race in school.

 

Listed below are the framing concepts on which the workshop was designed.

FOUNDING ADVISORY COMMITTEERACE INSTITUTE BOARD MEMBERS
RACE INSTITUTE FACILITATORS

Framing Concepts

  • Personal relationships with teachers in which students feel valued and seen, are a primary factor in students’ success in school.
  • A strong positive racial identity in students has been linked to social and academic success.
  • Supporting students to have a strong  positive racial identity requires that we as educators have a strong positive racial identity ourselves.
  • It’s possible to have a multicultural curriculum, and not have an anti-racist classroom.
  • We use the term “anti-racist” because non-racist is not realistic.
  • Both intergroup and intra-group learning is part of building racial competency.
  • Intent vs. Impact: We need to understand both sides in order to be effective.
  • This workshop is not about how to talk to kids about race, but how to identify and confront racism in schools and in our practice.
  • Race is a social construction.
  • We do this work in the pursuit of wholeness for our communities, our students, and ourselves.

"It is a powerful reminder of the importance of coordinated work on race and the dynamics of race facing schools."

– Race Institute Participant – 

“Thank you for providing an opportunity for me to dig deeper into my own racial identity, to help me find my voice to talk about race with my family, friends and colleagues, I’ve known this for awhile…I’m ready now!”

– Race Institute Participant – 

“The Race Institute helped me reflect on my racial identity. I will continue to do that without that consistent honest reflection, I would never be able to build honest genuine relationships with my students – our relationships are what drive real learning and growth.”

– Race Institute Participant –

“This was a very different experience for me. I have had other trainings where I felt “chastised” but wasn’t given anything to do to move beyond those feelings. The Race Institute workshop stirred up a lot of emotions but I am leaving feeling more positive about how to approach things.”

– Race Institute Participant –

“This was by far the most useful and impactful professional development I have had done in many years- thank you.”

– Race Institute Participant –

“This was the first race and diversity workshop I have been to where I left learning a lot about me, learning a lot about racial identity, and having tools to move forward. It is safe and deeply valuable self-assessment. Thank you for pushing me!”

– Race Institute Participant – 

“I would tell people to come to the workshop as a way to combat feelings of white guilt and understand–how to converse more openly and honestly about race. How to see the ways race issues touch everyone.”

– Race Institute Participant – 

“I would recommend this to others as it was a great balance among personal work, group work, outlining the issues and tools for change.”

– Race Institute Participant – 

"It is a powerful reminder of the importance of coordinated work on race and the dynamics of race facing schools."

– Race Institute Participant –

“Thank you for providing an opportunity for me to dig deeper into my own racial identity, to help me find my voice to talk about race with my family, friends and colleagues, I’ve known this for awhile…I’m ready now!”

– Race Institute Participant –

“The Race Institute helped me reflect on my racial identity. I will continue to do that without that consistent honest reflection, I would never be able to build honest genuine relationships with my students – our relationships are what drive real learning and growth.”

– Race Institute Participant –

“This was a very different experience for me. I have had other trainings where I felt “chastised” but wasn’t given anything to do to move beyond those feelings. The Race Institute workshop stirred up a lot of emotions but I am leaving feeling more positive about how to approach things.”

– Race Institute Participant –

“This was by far the most useful and impactful professional development I have had done in many years- thank you.”

– Race Institute Participant –

“This was the first race and diversity workshop I have been to where I left learning a lot about me, learning a lot about racial identity, and having tools to move forward. It is safe and deeply valuable self-assessment. Thank you for pushing me!”

– Race Institute Participant –

“I would tell people to come to the workshop as a way to combat feelings of white guilt and understand–how to converse more openly and honestly about race. How to see the ways race issues touch everyone.”

– Race Institute Participant –

“I would recommend this to others as it was a great balance among personal work, group work, outlining the issues and tools for change.”

– Race Institute Participant –

Get in Touch

Questions? Reach out and we’ll follow up promptly.