"It is not enough to be quietly non-racist. Now is the time to be vocally Anti-racist"
- Anonymous
Welcome to The Healing Process Anti-Racism for the Peaceful Warriors resource newsletter. First of all, special thanks to Govinda Valley Retreat for inviting me to facilitate a masterclass of my choice. It was a challenge and a pleasure to share a topic that is so close to my heart and my lived experience. Anti-racist Tools for the Peaceful Warrior was one of a series of masterclasses by experienced
practitioners to raise money for Orana Inc., helping women and children escaping domestic and family violence. 14 people registered for this event, with nearly $600 raised!
Most importantly I would like to thank you for having the courage to attend this workshop. Race is a hot topic for most people, black and white. If you're white it can also be a very uncomfortable topic. It is also a topic that you have the privilege to engage and disengage with at will. By participating in this workshop, you have gone beyond paying lip service to supporting the cause of anti-racism. You have taken a significant step forward dismantling White Supremacy and to becoming an anti-racist.
White supremacism is a spectrum of behaviour, from killing those considered an inferior race, all the way down to racist slurs, and not calling out friends or colleagues on their racism. For example, being silent on Facebook when friends share racist posts, or silencing a person of colour when they speak about their own experience of racism.
It can have very debilitating mental health consequences for those on the receiving end of it. These can include stress, anxiety, depression, and increased use of drugs and alcohol to manage the pain.
I have often wondered if racism is itself a mental illness.
According to social researcher Jeremy Adam Smith, racism does not appear to be a mental illness, and you cannot treat it with talk therapy and pills. However, both racism and mental illness thrive in silence and isolation. Recovery requires talking openly and frankly, and then having the courage to listen. In this newsletter, you can access a replay of Anti-racist Tools for the Peaceful Warrior and its accompanying slides. I have also shared additional anti-racist tools that are specific to the Australian context. If you wish to continue to work with me on your journey to become an anti-racist, I am offering a one-on-one counselling session to provide a safe, non-judgemental space to hold you as you broaden your understanding of racism and White Supremacy and how you may be unconsciously upholding the system. Finally, I am also facilitating Anti-racism through the lens of Compassion, an 8 week deep dive into the subject.
Please note that I will be donating a percentage of the above offerings to The Lunar Foundation and other charities that specifically support Aboriginal and African Australian communities. These are unprecedented times, with many opportunities for greater awareness and understanding. Please look after yourself and stay safe.
All the best, Faith xoxo
Remember to join The Living Soulfully in 2020 community to watch my weekly Facebook live. Check the Facebook group for any sessions you may have missed.
See you there!