Testimonials

The Exploring Racism Group helped me find a new level of understanding, not just of what it means to be Black in America, but also what it means to be white. I am much better equipped now to make a difference going forward.

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.

I thought I was a pretty rational and informed person. What I discovered: I never really took the time to dig in and interrogate my beliefs around race. This both surprised me and humbled me. I have much work to do. I have been aware of ”Scapegoating” in nature, in our political system. Through this work I now realize that institutional racism explains how Black Americans have been scapegoated through our laws and governance. The beliefs I developed in part through my upbringing were influenced by this institutional bias. I am now working to revamp my thinking and beliefs with a more realistic view of the world.

For me, the ERG has provided an opportunity to speak openly and explore thoughts on racism with peers in a safe and confident setting. The sense of trust formed with fellow members while sharing ideas and experiences has been very rewarding.

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.

The Exploring Racism Group (ERG) provides a safe, collaborative framework to discuss and consider biases in our daily lives. We often walk through life with assumptions regarding race and the motivations driving behavior. ERG’s facilitated process provides opportunities to learn, reflect and rethink the innate biases influencing our thinking and experiences. The time investment in ERG has improved my ability to remove unconscious assumptions and stereotypes and replace them with curiosity and empathy.

“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.”

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.

ERG has been a unique opportunity to experience transformative change. My participation has made me more aware of the prevalence and impacts of racism. It’s expanded my awareness of how racism manifests itself in our community – in professional and personal settings alike. It’s opened my eyes to the structural and institutional barriers to equity. And it’s sharpened my toolbox to be an agent of change. The format challenges in a way that promotes deeper understanding, and it does so in a safe, intimate space that promotes honest, authentic and impactful dialogue. As individual participants, the format deftly invites us on our own journey. As members of a discussion group, it encourages us to share that journey and learn from the respective journeys our fellow participants are taking – an invaluable opportunity to do such personal work in the context of a trusted “community.” Every participant will take something different from their ERG experience – but in each case it will be profound. ERG deepens the capacity of leaders in our community to drive change we so desperately need.

"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."