Examining Whiteness: White identity and racism

Where: Marchmont Community Centre, 62 Marchmont Street, London WC1 1AB http://www.kcbna.org.uk/contact/

When: 16 Mar 2019 time: 11:00 AM - 02:00 PM

FULLY BOOKED

Examining Whiteness: White identity and racism
Saturday 16th March 2019 11am – 2pm

Marchmont Community Centre, 62 Marchmont Street, Kings Cross, London WC1N 1AB

FREE – donations on the day much appreciated.
Please email beatrice@bmillar.com to book your place.
This group is open to people from all backgrounds and heritages
‘Whiteness, as a set of normative cultural practices, is visible most clearly to those it definitely excludes and those to whom it does violence. Those who are housed securely within its borders usually do not examine it.’ (Ruth Frankenberg,1993)

This group is open to anyone wanting to address the injustices and inequalities of racism through personal and collective work on White identity, power, privilege and entitlement.
For too long Black, African and Asian therapists and trainees have been experiencing racism and exclusion within the therapy profession. Change in the culture of therapy and training is slow and there are still trainees who are discriminated against: unheard, invisible, hurt, excluded. There has recently been an issue of Therapy Today dedicated to Black Matters which is very welcome, and we feel a need to keep up the work to continue to confront racism in the profession and in the world.

As part of addressing this oppression within the therapy professions, Psychotherapists and Counsellors for Social Responsibility (www.pcsr.org.uk) organised, last year, a series of groups for therapists who identify as White to explore Whiteness and White aspects of themselves within the context of their own identity and skin. Being part of group conversations about racism, organised by BAATN (Black, African and Asian Therapy Network) we have seen how much work is being done by people of colour. The Examining Whiteness groups were initially conceived by White therapists attempting to own responsibility, expand their awareness, and strengthen their potential to become allies.

This year, 2019, due to popular demand, we are holding a series of groups open to anyone to examine White identity and racism, particularly within the therapy field
The groups are organised and facilitated by therapists Bea Millar and Suzanne Keys from PCSR (Psychotherapists and Counsellors for Social Responsibility)

Useful resources to check out online:
‘Witnessing the wound’ 20 min video by Eugene Ellis, BAATN. https://vimeo.com/262194819
‘How I learned to stop worrying and love discussing Race’ (10 min TED talk) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MbdxeFcQtaU

Article by Jennifer Loubriel https://thebodyisnotanapology.com/magazine/4-ways-white-people-can-process-their-emotions-without-bringing-the-white-tears/
Tim Wise, US anti-racism activist, Helm’s White racial identity development model and Peggy McIntosh on White privilege.

Recent relevant books:
White Privilege Unmasked: how to be part of the solution Judy Ryde March 2019
White Fragility: why it’s so hard for white people to talk about racism Robin DiAngelo 2018
Natives: race and class in the ruins of empire Akala 2018
Why I’m no longer talking to white people about race Reni Eddo Lodge 2017

Prices:

FREE - donations on the day

For more details contact: beatrice@bmillar.com