What Marianists Can Do About Racism

From the Anti-Racism Team of the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative

 

The following are steps that Marianists, individually and as communities, can take to build a society of hospitality and dismantle the dysfunctional system of racism.

 

1.         Inform yourself and your community about racism.

Learn how racism operates.  Read Uprooting Racism: How White People Can Work for Racial Justice by Paul Kivel or other books from our “Bibliography for Building Racial Justice”.   Attend a “Racial Sobriety” workshop by Father Clarence Williams or workshops offered by Crossroads Ministry.

 

2.         Attend one of the workshops offered by the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative which help individuals and communities become more aware and accepting of other cultures. 

These workshops draw from the Cultural Audit, a tool to help communities understand cultural values and attitudes and how these affect community life.

 

3.         Plan a workshop for your community, school or church on the nature of racism.

 Contact the Anti-Racism Issue Team – www.msjc.net - for information on how to do this.

 

4.         Do social analysis and theological reflection with your community, school, church or institution to determine the best action to take to dismantle racism and build a hospitable community.

 

5.         Invite people of diverse cultures to an evening where ethnic foods and stories of cultural background are shared.

 

6.         Display artwork in your community, home, school, and church depicting people of various cultures.

 

7.         Develop friendships with persons of other cultures and races.

 

8.         Celebrate cultural heroes, holidays and events in your community, home, school and church.

Attend cultural events in your community that promote understanding of the culture, life and history of different racial or ethnic groups.

 

9.         Be public about your commitment to end racism.

This might include writing letters to the editor, involvement in interracial groups in your community, standing with the victims of racism, or some other public effort that addresses the evil of racism.

 

10.      Investigate voting patterns.

Evaluate political candidates on their stance and actions in opposing racism in all forms.

 

11.      Develop an appreciation for books, music, films and TV programs that express the values of diverse cultures.

 

12.      Plan ways for your community to meet and work with people of other cultures.

 

13.      Draw on the heritage of various cultures and races for community prayer.

 

14.      Examine the composition of any boards and advisory groups with which you are associated and promote greater racial, cultural, gender and economic diversity among their members.

 

 

Marianist Social Justice Collaborative • www.msjc.net • 859-291-6197 • jimvogt2@yahoo.com