Thank you for joining this powerful journey of anti-racism reflection, discovery, action, and transformation, led powerfully by Yavilah McCoy, Dimensions, the Jewish Emergent Network, Lab/Shul’s Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, and our guest ritual leader Rev. Derrick McQueen, pastor of St. James Presbetrian Church in Harlem.
On this journey we’ll engage in daily online learning, reflection, conversations, and actions as we reckon with the racist reality of America and commit to anti-racist repair in our personal and public lives.
Please note that this challenge consists of two complementary parts – 30 days of personal prompts from Yavilah as well as two moderated online sessions for communal processing, plus eight weekly virtual study salons on the theme of ‘Separation to Repartition’ led by Rev. Derrick and Rabbi Amichai.
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Part One: Confessions of the Heart – Antiracism in Practice
Over the month of Elul join Yavilah McCoy, Dimensions and the Jewish Emergent Network for 30 days of anti-racism reflection, discovery, action and transformation. Based on Yavilah’s powerful adaptation of the Al Chet/Confession liturgy, engage in a daily regimen of readings, videos, podcasts and calls to action that will open our hearts and deepen our practice of dismantling racism.
30 Days of Prompts
August 20 thru
September 18
Based on Dimensions CEO Yavilah McCoy’s powerful adaptation of the Al Chet/Confession liturgy, you are invited to take on daily prompts, emailed to you Sunday through Friday. Across diverse entry points, our racial equity challenge will lovingly move you to re-engage your emotions, inspire your belief, expand your mindset and recover your connections to the infinite.
To uphold equity in our learning approach, we have included both white and Black, Indigenous, Sephardi/Mizrachi POC learning tracks. These differentiated learning tracks are meant to support you in getting to the heart of what comes up for you racially when engaging in anti-racist work. If you’re excited for this challenge but are not sure which track to choose, try answering the following questions:
- When asked, how do you identify racially?
- When not asked how are you perceived racially “on the street”? (i.e. how do others perceive you will relate to how you experience and navigate systems?)
- In an anti-racism learning group, where would you go to be challenged by others without overburdening them? Where would you go because of a shared affinity/lived experience/identity with others?
- Which learning track feels most aligned with your answers to 1-3?
Communal Processing
September 2 and September 15
These prompts and reflections may bring up a lot of questions, and a lot of feelings for you. Join two optional processing conversations, co-facilitated by Yavilah McCoy and rabbis from the Jewish Emergent Network, held on September 2, 2020 8-9:30ET and September 15, 2020 8-9:30 ET. Registration is coming soon!
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Part Two: Separation to Reparation
Over the course of 60 days into the new year, join eight interactive study salons weekly on Thursday nights led by Rev. Derrick McQueen and Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, focusing on the roadmap of reckoning and repair. Each session will feature text study and guided group discussions. From the Bible to James Baldwin, we’ll explore the prophetic role of faith and trust calling on us to rise up for justice.
Eight Interactive Salons
September 27 thru October 15
Thursday nights from 8:00pm-9:30pm ET join Rabbi Amichai and Rev. Derrick McQueen for an interactive study session. If you are unable to attend a session, a recording will be posted to our digital hub for later viewing. Each course will be constructed around the following themes:
8/27 Separation, 9/3 Prophetic, 9/10 Apocalyptic, 9/17 Repair, 9/24 Reckoning, 10/1 Reset, 10/8 Reparation, and 10/15 Embrace.