Question 1

If this is an anti-racism program, why are the facilitators white?"

Accepted Answer

When white people are awakened to the pervasive and persistent racism that exists, they often look to their BIPOC friends, families, and colleagues for education and action. EMERGE was created out of a need for many more white folks to become antiracist, learning from, compensating, and centering Black voices through a variety of media, without diminishing the energy of BIPOC folks by asking them to counsel them through their self-discovery. While the majority of the work we do at CoAct is intentionally intersectional, EMERGE is an intentional white affinity program.    As Ali Michael and Mary C. Conger note in  Somehow, white people discussing race together can seem wrong or threatening. Because of this inherent fear, white people often wait to talk about race until we are in interracial dialogues. This is problematic, however, as many white people are frequently hindered in such conversations by our inexperience discussing race, ignorance about the legacy of racial injustice in the US, and underdeveloped racial identities. Many people of color, on the other hand, arrive at interracial dialogues with an intimate understanding of racial dynamics and experience talking about race with friends or family… Bringing white people and people of color together to discuss race can be like placing pre-algebra students in a calculus class. The people of color are often so far ahead of the white people that they would have to slow down in order to let us catch up. And since “catching up” involves extensive emotional processing, it does not happen quickly. This can be endlessly frustrating to everyone involved. People of color may feel cheated out of their own growth around race while white people may shut down or feel inadequate, scared, and intimidated. In order to be full participants in interracial dialogues and multiracial communities, white people need to understand how racism privileges us, to recognize how racism injures our colleagues of color, and to consider our responsibility and role in responding to racism in our environment. Much of this work can be done in a white affinity group so that, in time, white people can be productive members of interracial conversations on race, rather than requiring constant and remediated attention. This program offers that affinity space to facilitate essential self discovery for white folks that will help them acknowledge who they are, their identities, their culture, and their histories so that they will have information and context for a meaningful role in their antiracist work.

Question 2

Who is this program meant for?

Accepted Answer

White adults and predominantly white teams Folks who are awakening, or reawakening to racial justice work Folks who want to say something Folks who want to do something Folks looking for their "lane" for change​

Question 3

Who is this program not meant for?

Accepted Answer

White folks who choose not to look to Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and others Leaders of Color as the leaders of this movement White saviors (article, video) White folks who want to center themselves in this work White folks looking for an anti-racism book club (article) White Folks who are unwilling to go beyond "All Lives Matter"

Question 4

How much time/effort/energy is recommended to facilitate meaningful change?

Accepted Answer

Participants will have a mix of reading, viewing/listening, fieldwork activities, and reflection exercises to complete. Approximately 2-3 hours in between meetings is recommended, including time inside and and outside of cohort sessions, to facilitate meaningful progress throughout the process.

Question 5

Why is the full program 12 parts over time instead of a 1 or 2 day workshop?

Accepted Answer

Skill building and behavior change take time. Throughout the program, participants will be asked to practice what they are learning and participate in coaching and cohort discussions tailored to what they are experiencing as they try on these concepts and skills.

Question 6

What if I have to miss a session?

Accepted Answer

If you are going to miss one or two of the live sessions, you can catch up with your EMERGE partner to get what you need. If you know you will need to miss more than two sessions, you may want to consider joining a future cohort. Feel free to fill out the interest form and we will keep you in the loop about future opportunities!

Question 7

What is the fee for the program and what does it include?

Accepted Answer

Stay tuned for options beginning in Fall to engage that include weekly and monthly opportunities! Session 1*: UNDERSTAND Self Corporate: $1,045 Nonprofit/Individual: $745   Session 2: UNPACK Systems (Session 1 is a pre-requisite for Session 2) Corporate: $795 Nonprofit/Individual: $495   Session 3*: UNLEARN Harmful Norms (Session 1 is a pre-requisite for Session 3) Corporate: $1,045 Nonprofit/Individual: $745   Payment plans are available. We are committed to making this accessible, so if you are interested and able to meet the time commitment, but are not able to meet the program fees, please contact us for possible options.   Participants will receive:   - The book, Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most - * Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) assessments (Session 1 and Session 3) - Coaching on how to take action based on assessment results - Access to weekly readings and/or videos - Actions to take to practice each week

Question 8

What if I want to do this with my work team?

Accepted Answer

We'd be happy to to talk about bringing this program to your workplace. Please email us at info@coactconsulting.com with your inquiry.

Early Bird Registration Deadline: August 31 ($75 off with EARLYBIRD code)

Regular Registration Deadline: September 18

Fall 2020 Start Date & Program Fees

Early Bird Registration Deadline: August 31 ($75 off with EARLYBIRD code)

Regular Registration Deadline: September 18

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Fall 2020 Start Date & Program Fees