In 2015, a small group of white people began to meet monthly to explore a common focus: how do we as white people engage in dismantling racism – in identifying our own racist biases, identifying our racist behaviors, and putting our beliefs into action.
Two of the group members, Tom Mitchell and Frank Staropoli, saw a pattern that concerned them: Although there was a growing array of events and workshops and seminars for business people, the organizational leaders (owners, presidents, CEO’s) were notably absent. They were soon joined by Gary Domenico. The three set out to create similar groups, specifically geared to these leaders.
Since then, the groups expanded to include leaders from the Not-for-Profit world, as well as government leaders. And the description of “leader” expanded to include influencers, people who by their role and responsibilities and personalities have significant impact on the culture of an organization and/or community.
A curriculum was developed, so that each monthly meeting has a particular focus, with Pre-work that includes articles and videos related to the topics. This input is continually updated to include varying perspectives on race/racism, on a conservative to progressive spectrum.
We seek diversity within the cohorts. Members vary in gender, organizational roles, political persuasions, and racial identity. The cohorts become a microcosm of a diverse organization, a safe, facilitated crucible in which to explore attitudes, biases and realities related to race and racism. Note: Cohorts may or may not include People of Color, depending on the registrations at any time.
In response to the concern that this not be simply an empty, fruitless learning exercise, a vigorous process has been added at the end, resulting in Personal Action Plans, presented to and vetted by each cohort.
Our cohort sessions are facilitated by skilled leaders who meet monthly to refine our facilitation skills and provide a sounding board and forum for discussing best practices.
There is no fee for participation in an Exploring Racism Group. The organizers, all volunteers, cover the minor costs.
We ask participants to make attendance a very high priority. Race/racism is a topic that almost automatically heightens sensitivity, tension and a sense of vulnerability. These Groups need to create an atmosphere of honesty, openness and safety, and to do that quickly and intentionally. That can only be done with consistent attendance. We have had participants connect for sessions while on business travel, during vacations, during illness, even chemo treatments!
We continue to evolve and learn what is most helpful by:
Referring to our Mission Statement
Listening to our Advisors and our participants through feedback vehicles
Vigorous discussions within our Steering Committee and Accountability Panel (see members below)
And reading the signs of the times.
Our Mission
Exploring Racism Groups provide an opportunity for organizational leaders in our community to grow in their knowledge about racism, understand their own biases and perspectives, and become an antiracist by taking action to promote racial justice, and to break down the structures of racism in their own spheres of influence.
Our Focus
ERG’s Focus on African-American/Caucasian Dynamics
The content and focus of Exploring Racism Groups is on a very specific societal issue: the history and the present state of the dynamics that occur between African-Americans (those whose roots trace back to enslavement) and Caucasians. This focus is justified by the toxic and traumatic original enslavement, and the vestiges of that period that are proven to be existent even today. The current cost of these dynamics is viewed by many as the most serious unresolved issue of our present culture, not only for African-Americans, but for all Americans. We study the unique history rooted in the initial injustice of slavery, further deepened over the years by the Civil War, Reconstruction and its deconstruction, the Jim Crow Era, lynchings, Black Code laws, and other targeted discrimination practices.
We examine the residual impact of those tragic eras in the present day – severe impacts for African-Americans, and also impacts on white people. We examine the ways in which we each personally participate in these dynamics. And we examine the varied approaches to resolving these dynamics, from both progressive and conservative viewpoints.
The racial dynamics we study have very direct parallels to the experiences of other marginalized people over the centuries. We hope that the learnings derived from this deeper dive into the particular relationship between African-Americans and Caucasians will be found applicable to the other divides that exist in our history and in our present, including, for example, Islamaphobia, xenophobia, homophobia, misogyny, transphobia and antisemitism. These forms of hatred, separation, exclusion, and “cancelling” have become more and more common in recent times. For example, White Nationalists (whose intention is to form an all-white society) use antisemitism to convince us that a Jewish-controlled cabal is promoting the empowerment of Black and Brown people.
Current Topic Sequence
If these sessions interest you, please reach out to us in order to sign up and participate.
Introductory Session
Participant and facilitator introductions
Personal introductions and reasons for joining this group
Basic norm and guidelines for the most benefit
A sampling of the recognizing differences and biases within the group topic
Bias, Prejudice, and Self-deception
Understanding our unconscious perceptions and beliefs
Identifying personal examples
How this relates to race and racism
Understanding Black Experiences of Life
2 Sessions
Hearing, reading, seeing stories
Hearing, reading, seeing facts
Recognizing misinformation and bias or stereotypes
Understanding White Experience of Life
2 Sessions
Education by osmosis
The history of race and racism
Myths and facts
White discomfort about racial matters
Who Has Privilege?
2 Sessions
Definitions and understanding
How privilege operates; how we deny it yet defend it.
Exploring personal examples – hearing, seeing, reading stories
Recognizing Forms of Racism
2 Sessions
Personal and interpersonal
Structural
Institutional and systemic
How to recognize racism at work, in your clubs, churches, etc.
Anti-racism Engagement
2 Sessions
Examples of action steps
Identifying action steps in your own spheres of influence
Presentation of Personal Action Plans; feedback, suggestions
Our Steering Committee
To learn the role of the Steering Committee click here
Gary Domenico
Co-Founder
Facilitator
Former Owner and CEO – General Code, LLC
Kit Miller
University of Rochester Office of Equity and Inclusion, Associate Director for Restorative Practices
Tom Mitchell
Co-Founder
Facilitator, Weekly Sharing Producer
Former CEO – Bergmann, Trustee Rochester Area Community Foundation, Member of the New State Board of Engineers, Geologists and Land Surveryors.
Jim Ramerman
Ramerman Leadership Group, Lead Consultant and Executive Coach
Pooja Sinha
Gorbel, Inc. Product Marketing Manager
Frank Staropoli
Co-Founder
Facilitator
Former Pres. Great Lakes Leadership Group, Inc. and Staropoli Consulting, Inc.
Alexis Vogt, PhD
Endowed Chair & Professor of Optics
Monroe Community College
Our Advisory Panel
To learn the role of the Advisory Panel click here.
Grequan Carter
Advisor
Partners in Restorative Initiatives, Lead Project Coordinator
Alex Castro
Advisor
Pathstone, President & CEO
Dr. Gina Cuyler
Advisor
Internal Medicine physician, author, educator and avid patient and community advocate.
University of Rochester, VP of Community Partnerships
Testimonials
Throughout my life I have focused on having high regard for equality. I can cite numerous examples where I worked to provide equal opportunity. As a result of the ERG Group training, I began to see that my viewpoint itself was biased, and I have changed my life to pursue the topic more deeply.
Bob Whipple
“The Trust Ambassador” MBA CPTD
The Exploring Racism Group program was transformational for me. As a result of doing the program, I became passionately committed to doing my part to ending racism. You might think “what can one person do?” The answer is: If each person in any kind of management or leadership position in this country does their small part, racism will end. Ending racism is a top priority for leaders who have a heart. And the ERG program is the best way to make that happen, because it is time efficient (a few hours a month) and leaves you with an action plan that you can execute to do your part.
Fred Dewey
Turnaround and Growth Business Leader
The ERG program is a gift to our community. Our group discussions are a safe place to be vulnerable, allowing us to explore how much our own perspectives can interfere with our ability to make a difference. ERG has helped me craft a pathway to participate more deliberately and actively in conversations about racism. If you desire an opportunity to explore, in depth, your relationship to the racism problem in this world, I can think of no finer venue. Thank you to all of the volunteers who have made this resource available.
Drew D. Saur
Chief Information Officer, The Palmer Family of Companies
Participating in the Exploring Racism Group as part of the first cohort profoundly changed my life, making it fuller, richer, and more rewarding. The experience not only brought me immense joy but also led to lifelong friendships and the development of a thriving new business. This program is a true commitment to personal development, and if you fully immerce yourself, you will grow and find a deeper sense of self.
Chris Cooley
CEO, Cooley Comics LLC
A professional mentor of mine had just finished the previous year’s ERG and called me to suggest I join the next cohort. He explained the monthly commitment for a full year which at first seemed like a lot, but he assured me it would be well worth my time to invest in this program. The biggest feature that allows for real open dialogue to flourish, is a common trust that nothing would get shared outside of our core group. Doing deep and thoughtful work in this setting is very empowering and after the first month, our group became very comfortable sharing ideas and beliefs - that they may not have done in any other part of their life. The structure of each month’s class is well thought out and gently moves you along a path of understanding through supplied articles, book excerpts, videos, and other race-related media which bring real-life references to the topics at hand. Trust me, the year goes quickly, and when you are done, you realize how much more you need to learn.
Jason Henderberg
President, Henderberg Business Solutions, Inc.
When a friend described ERG to me and encouraged me to join, I was happy to find a way to spend more time on a topic that had intrigued and bothered me for a while but also hesitant to bare my soul to strangers and also concerned to be able to commit the time to be a consistent participant. Looking back now after spending the last twelve months meeting with our group, I couldn’t be more pleased with what I’ve learned, what I’ve discovered about myself and what others in the group have shared. Racism in America is systemic, its centuries old and all of us need to invest time and energy to understand its origins and the structures within our society that support it’s existence if we have any hope of making change. I am certain that the readings, reflections and dialogue among my ERG group have expanded my understanding of this complex topic and prepared me to foster constructive conversations about racism, and to take positive steps to ward a better environment for all.
John McKenna
John McKenna, President, Tompkins Community Bank
"As the only African American in my group, I did not know what to expect. I, however, really appreciated the environment, which was inviting, candid and sincere. I am glad that I learned things about American history that helped me resolve some meaningful questions I had. I also appreciated the opportunity to build relationships with people who want to participate in positive change."
Francis Clement
Francis Clement, Fee Based Fiduciary, Clement Wealth Management
"Learning to be uncomfortable.... this was the incredibly valuable lesson I learned as I went through this program with a group of individuals that provided a safe place to share one's experiences and admit to one's biases without judgement. In the process you learn a whole lot about yourself and how important it is to challenge your own beliefs. This is an experience that leaders cannot afford to forgo if they are committed to understanding themselves and others."
Miguel Valazquez
Deputy CEO Rochester-Genesee Regional Tranportation Authority
This course looks at the education and understanding of racism in a much different and very beneficial way. I learned so much and also realize how much more there is to learn -- and also to unlearn. This experience is a must for all leaders in our area and also for anyone that is interested in alleviating racism. Many thanks to Tom Mitchell and Frank Staropoli and their team.
R. Scott Rasmussen
President - Rochester Rotary, 2021/22 and SAVP Advancement Golisano Children’s Hospital/UR
“Engaging with leaders to reflect, challenge and process events around us was invaluable to me. The Exploring Racism Group setting provided a safe space to talk deeply about issues of race that are often left unsaid. ERG materials and subsequent discussions dug deep and the more you put into it, the more you get out of the experience. Wrestling with such personal, historic, systemic and institutional issues of race is long overdue and a critical path to move from wanting to do better to actually being part of the change for the better.”
Jaime Saunders
Jaime Saunders President & CEO United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes
