LOCAL IMPACT
of our Racial Equity & Inclusion workshops
WHAT PHASE I PARTICIPANTS SAY"REI provided tools and methods to help equip our leaders as we pursue racial reconciliation in and outside of the church. It encouraged personal growth, gave us an opportunity to engage in necessary discussions with a diverse group, and highlighted the importance of naming racism for what it is.
"This workshop is highly beneficial for those unclear about the systems and realities related to institutional racism and its implications on our past, present, and future." | Jilian Palmer | Grace City Church THE CATALYST WE NEEDED "In order to move forward both personally and professionally, one has to understand how we got to where we are. We cannot make the needed systemic changes without a more thorough understanding of those needs. While I have known for quite some time that our history books are selective, I did not know to what extent. I have a much better understanding of what was missing. Going through Phase I was the catalyst we needed to move forward as a group to make systemic changes in our part of the criminal justice system. With the background Phase I gave us, we all have a better mindset for introspection into implicit bias, and we have the motivation as an entire office to do all we can to eliminate institutional racism." | Scarlett Wilson | Solicitor, Ninth Judicial Circuit EYE-OPENING "The Racial Equity Institute program is an eye-opening experience about the reality of our need to reconcile with each other. REI educated us about the reality of slavery and the negative impact it had, and still has, on us as a nation. It helped us to understand each other's differences, culture, and the benefits as well as the unfairness inherited by the races as a result of slavery. "What impacted me the most about REI is that it did not force us to accept the reality of slavery's negative impact on our nation or its unfair practices toward black people. It gave us the opportunity to be honest and realize the importance of digging up and talking about the racist acts that still lay buried, as if they had never happened. "If I knew someone who was on the fence about attending REI, I would tell them that if they want to play a part in making our nation a better place for them and their family, they need to attend." | Rev. Anthony Thompson | Author of Called to Forgive CHANGING OUR COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS "I have taken the REI workshop and always consider myself a life student. As the North Charleston Police Department journeys on its professional path, we have to recognize that cultural differences and diverse backgrounds strengthen our community and that as an agency we are part of the community. "As we protect life and property while building trust through partnerships, relationships, and fellowship, we deal with life issues such as poverty, homelessness, justice, unemployment, education, and crime. REI establishes a historical timeline and factual talking point for law enforcement, which provides the opportunity to build from this training by changing the spectrum of community interactions and crime with a more knowledge-based narrative. "As public servants, our law enforcement officers have the ability every day to be a conduit in their approach to social justice and racial equity." | Major Joyce Smith | North Charleston Police Department WAYS TO CONSIDER MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES. PHENOMENAL! "I learned terms and concepts that I had never heard of prior to the workshop, including racial pseudoscience. The Racial Equity Institute influenced me to examine programs and ways we can have a greater impact on systems created in our culture. I also gained more understanding of poverty and the difference between privilege and advantages. "In my profession, there are opportunities to have conversations regarding race, poverty, and access to resources with various communities throughout the state. I am now more aware of cognitive and implicit biases that all people have, and plan to use Kahneman's Advice to navigate conversations with individuals. "REI has influenced me to reflect on the work I do within a state agency and how I can become a "power broker" in the parameters of my field. I aim to amplify the voices of those within impoverished communities and pay attention to 'lake' solutions versus 'fish' solutions." | Ayana Crawford | South Carolina Human Affairs Commission PROFESSIONAL *AND* PERSONAL GROWTH "I cannot express how much knowledge and insight I have gained from Phase I of the Racial Equity Institute! The historical, cultural, and structural framework that the facilitators presented is not only an in-depth analysis of how we got here, but explores how embedded this framework is in our current systems. "These workshops are more than an educational opportunity. It provides access to resources, studies, and data that will aid you not only in your professional career, but aid your personal growth and accountability. Through REI, I learned analogies and concepts that will enable me to better facilitate conversations regarding race, racial identity, discrimination, poverty, and access. "This workshop will challenge you and ultimately inspire you. [Besides] examining your own power and access to resources, decision makers, and your sphere of influence, you're given the tools to define the reality you want to see." | Danielle Lindley | South Carolina Human Affairs Commission INCREDIBLY WORTHWHILE "I felt that the session was incredibly worthwhile and eye-opening. It helped me understand the broader issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion and how other experiences (now and in the past) are very different from mine. I value the time spent in the sessions and hope to continue learning and growing with this foundation of knowledge." | Ellen Barney Sycks | Coastal Community Foundation A POWERFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCE "The Racial Equity Institute training was a powerful learning experience. You learn things your teachers left out of history lessons, things that can shift how you see the world. You leave with a deeper commitment to dismantling unjust systems." | Inaugural year participant | 2017 REI Phase I MONUMENTAL CHANGES IN PERSPECTIVE "I have not stopped thinking about my REI experience and the monumental changes that have taken place in my schema and perspective. A stellar opportunity!" | Inaugural year participant | 2017 REI Phase I WHITE ALLIES "REI gives you a vocabulary, especially as a white person. I now have more to offer as a white ally." | Inaugural year participant | 2017 REI Phase I HONEST & CRITICAL "These workshops are worth every minute! They combine excellent facilitation with honest, critical information." | Inaugural year participant | 2017 REI Phase I ENLIGHTENING "Without this opportunity, my path would not be as enlightened. ... You'll leave with a deeper commitment to dismantling unjust systems." | Inaugural year participant | 2017 REI Phase I ROOTED IN FACTS "It’s fact-based. It takes racism out of the opinion realm and roots it in history.” | Inaugural workshop participant | REI Phase I, January 2017 WHAT PHASE II PARTICIPANTS SAYPRICELESS "Phase II is everything. I've practiced including Phase I data and concepts in conversations for months. Now I can include the comprehensive strategies of actually organizing. Priceless." | Paul Garbarini | Public Historian ESSENTIAL "Phase II is a MUST! It promotes a deeper reflection of racial equity, encourages self-reflection, and provides the basic tools necessary to operate more from System II thinking. After participating in Phase II, it has revived my passion for studying, understanding, training, and sharing more about racial equity and its impact on every aspect of our lives. As a community educator, information learned will help us collectively build and rebuild our communities to be more equitable." | Crystal T. R. Rouse | Charleston County Schools VALUABLE FOR WHITE PEOPLE TOO "For well-meaning white people striving towards anti-racism, this training will help you understand how to decide where you should focus your efforts. You will find that most of the time you should not take the lead but should follow the lead of minority women and men instead. This training will give you some evaluation tools to help you move forward towards anti-racism." | Kristen French | North Charleston resident DIGS DEEPER "REI Phase II provides an opportunity to dig deeper and explore intricate aspects of human nature that perpetuate stereotypes, fear, mistrust, and division related of the construct of race... all of which can be avoided and mitigated through the power of understanding. This workshop helped me to recognize that I am a work in progress, that I can make a difference, and that I can begin to affect the groundwater." | Zoe Roff | Charleston County Schools GET READY TO ACT "Attendees of REI Phase II must know that participation comes with the demand to act. Don't be a tourist in this training, just coming to learn about the language, attributes, and culture of the oppressive systems governing our society. Yes, you will receive a full context for learning, but you must be positioned to act on that new knowledge. Come prepared to arm yourself with tools for liberation and resistance." | Adrienne Troy-Frazier | Berkeley County First Steps Sign up now Register online here. (If you are seeking a scholarship, apply here! Please note there are only a limited number available, as these are dependent on sponsorships.) How you can help
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WHAT HAPPENED WHEN A POLICE DEPARTMENT WENT TO REIIn 2018, Metanoia, a faith-based nonprofit in North Charleston, facilitated the enrollment of three North Charleston Police Department (NCPD) senior officers to attend one of our Racial Equity & Inclusion two-day workshops. Their feedback inspired Chief Reginald Burgess to look for a way for all 340 of NCPD’s officers to be trained at our REI workshops. THE CHALLENGES Much of the interaction between officers and the community takes place by dispatch. With a call for service, there is already a predetermined reason why officers are there. North Charleston is a fast-paced city, and it’s not unusual to have 35 calls pending each night. As a result, officers are forced to go from call to call to call. They get a quick snapshot of problems in the community without knowing the root causes of what might have led to a particular incident. Read more... |
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