Introduction
In 1980, Woman's Building member Terry Wolverton organized a white women's antiracism group at the Woman's Building.[71] During consciousness-raising sessions, members explored a range of topics. Eventually these consciousness-raising sessions became the foundation for a plan of action to address issues of race at the Woman's Building. The group was particularly interested in developing an affirmative action program for the Women's Graphic Center, a for-profit typesetting business run by members of the Woman's Building. The members of this group hoped that within two years they could raise the number of women of color to one-third to half of the total staff. In addition, they wanted to hire women of color as designers and teachers, not simply as clerical staff. Finally, members of the action group wanted to increase white staff members' consciousness about racism, and they held several workshops on this issue with the staff. For more about the activities of the antiracism group, see Document 17.
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POSSIBLE CR OR DISCUSSION TOPICS:
Racism in our pasts - (personal experience, education, media etc.)
Our relationships with women of color
How white men reap benefits from racism - how we as white women share this privilage
What makes us laugh: when is our laughter denial (racist) when is our laughter recognition (anti-racist) what are we laughing at?
animals: how our attitudes about animals lay the foundation for racism how people of color are seen as "sub-human" slavery: what is its history. what is its history in the U.S. racism and class struggle
africa: early impressions or ideas about Africa history and the present. what is happening in Africa? U.S. policy/economic interest. African cultures. what do we learn from them. genital mutilation - how do we deal with it
afro-americanism. history of black struggle in the U.S. Where is the movement today. Where do we connect.
latin america: early impressions, etc. history and the present. What is going on in L.A.? U.S. policy/ economic interest. Latin American cultures. what do we learn from them. racism and sexism in latin america hispanic movement in the U.S. history and present.
asia: same as above, essentially - what is asia. what has been going on there, what is the history and nature of imperialism there asian americans
native americana: cultural and political history. relation to other movements today - anti-nuke etc. How do we experience imperialism through our own limitations to knowing about power? (ie. misinformation about healing, bonding, gender, spirituality etc.) How do we reap imperialist privilage.?
brainstorming session - anti-racist acts.
analysis of the news. who is telling what and why.
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white women against racism - a history. and what are we doing to
fight racism today. other groups
cultural information sharing - poems, stories articles by or about
women of color.separatism and coalescence
problem solving
stereo-types and archtypes. What do people of color represent? What is the "meaning" of racism? What is possitive about being white?
anti-semitism and zionism.
racism among whites. (do blondes have more fun?)
racism among people of color.19th Century Suffragists and Abolitionists
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