To date, 92 members of the Colleges of the Fenway community had participated in Undoing Racism (UR) workshops. This was a moment to put into action what had been committed to in this workshop, both personally and professionally. Participants pledged a sacred covenant to face history and the truth about the damage systemic anti-Black racism and historical trauma had caused. There was a need to recommit to supporting each other in doing this difficult and essential work on campuses.
For many, the Undoing Racism Workshop was a life-changing experience where participants spent 2.5 days coming to terms with the history of racism in the United States, its foundation, and the recognition that American culture and governance had been built on racism and its internalization.
Two of the core takeaways were that everyone harbored racist beliefs and that racism was systematically institutionalized in the country. It was ingrained in the very air breathed and had the power to take one’s breath away.
Within the COF community, there was a responsibility to apply the understanding of how racism operates and to take action to undo it. Change could be made as gatekeepers by leveraging privilege for good. It was also critically important to recognize that, as beneficiaries of White supremacy, White people in the US needed to take the lead in addressing systemic and institutional racism.
Participants were encouraged to take advantage of the many reading lists and resources available. Engagement was essential, as failure to do so would undermine the efforts to effectuate the hoped-for change.