While she's not a "Restorative Justice practitioner" Tema's work around dismantling racism, through naming characteristics and antidotes to white supremacy culture has be deeply influential in the work we're doing with Amplify RJ. Another is initiating discussions of racism and white supremacy with other white people, even when I know it’s going to be challenging.How does Restorative Justice apply to White Supremacy Culture? Find out in our conversation with Tema Okun. When you hear the words “A Culture of Antiracism” what are some characteristics that come to mind?įrom Erin, March, 2021: Antiracist Culture includes…: thinking in the collective, undoing perfectionism and black and white thinking, letting go of a scarcity mindset, getting more in touch with my body and how i feel in it, not being so rigid and rushed, letting myself rest and also recognizing times when i might feel in danger, but that i actually am not, holding two truths simultaneously, slowing down and prioritizing justice and truth for everyone, trying to recognize my own internalized white supremacy and recognize it in city council meetings and how certain organizations work, seeing american history for what it truly is, a history of genocide and theft, seeing it in myself so i can actually change my internal landscape.įrom Susan, March 2021: One aspect of antiracist culture for me as a white person is exploring my relationship to whiteness with other white folks, and asking them to hold me accountable for the impact of what I do and say. We seek to support, and be accountable in this work to the leadership of women, trans and gender nonbinary folks folks who are Indigenous, Black, and People of Color and especially to those in that intersection.Ī SHIFT IN OUR CULTURE IS HAPPENING AND WE CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE DESIGN! They seek to disrupt both the structural, organized and interpersonal violence of white men wherever that violence emerges, while engaging in the rigorous internal work of unlearning white supremacy and patriarchy within ourselves. The characteristics listed below are damaging because they are used as norms and standards without being pro-actively named or chosen by the group and because. White supremacy culture is already pervasive in. A key resource we rely on in our anti-racism work is Tema Okun’s White Supremacy Culture, which describes how behaviors that are associated with white, European traditions and values come to be seen as the norm and the preferred. One of the ways to go about breaking down white supremacy culture is to understand its. White Supremacy Organizational Culture in the Time of COVID-19. The characteristics of white supremacy culture have permeated the multitude of cultures that make up the United States. They mobilize white men who acknowledge our complicity in perpetuating oppression, who understand our mutual interest in ending cis-white male supremacy, and who are ready to take bold action to dismantle the white supremacist patriarchal system. A detriment to social justice (copyright Ben & Jerrys corporation) We’re aware that white supremacy touches all aspects of our lives - it is entangled in the fabric of our society.
They recognize this work is long overdue and believe it is particularly urgent in this political moment, as racism and misogyny drive white men to contend for, and consolidate, power with increasing violence. OWMCL is a national network mobilizing white men to learn, grow and take action against white supremacy and patriarchy. Tema Okun, that can be pervasive in organizations. Listen to the recording with closed captioning of the January 24th White Men Rejecting Violence & Hate webinar This resource guide highlights characteristics of white supremacy culture, as outlined by Dr. ORGANIZATIONS Organizing White Men for Collective Liberation I dedicate this piece to the late Kenneth Jones, a long-time colleague, mentor, and friend who helped me become wise about many things and kept me honest about everything else.