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Dear Friends,
Happy New Year 2024! Like many of you, I found 2023 to be a roller coaster, both personally as well as looking at the situations occurring globally. There were some amazing highs, including being part of the organizing team for Orange Shirt Day 10th anniversary events. What incredible movement has happened in the past 10 years due to the courage and persistence of Phyllis Webstad and others sharing their stories and urging Canadians to learn and reckon with our history.
At the same time, I often found myself tempted to despair, feeling hopeless about impacting situations or changing hearts and attitudes. Yes, we have seen great changes, but how hard have people fought and against such great resistance. The forces in the world are big and powerful. Even good intentions and hard work by passionate people are not stopping wars or the rise of nationalism and far-right policies. But despair, while needing to be taken seriously, is also misguided for those of us who are well-fed, have safe housing, and have access to opportunities. It signifies withdrawal, and in that sense, is a luxury. As American social justice lawyer Bryan Stevenson points out, “Injustice prevails where hopelessness persists.” I can despair and still experience the privileges - and even the basic rights - that others lack. So I want to take despair off the table as an option and perhaps turn to hope.
HOPE. I woke up the other morning with the concept of hope swirling around in my mind. I have previously regarded hope as some sort of optimistic wish or a feeling in my body, embodied conviction. But in those predawn musings, it became clear that hope has power only when conceived of as a verb, an action word. For hope to make an impact on reality, it must be accompanied by action. Step by step, maybe even inch by inch, we build on the momentum, fueled by hope, supported by communities of care towards a more equitable world.
In the spirit of hope and continuing actions to help build momentum for justice, equity, and reconciliation, these are my offerings for the winter. Whether you register for any of these groups or participate in trainings offered by other facilitators, I invite you to activate your HOPE for a better world through ACTION. Effective action needs a solid grounding in the process of learning and reflection. Let us use active hope to lend our influence to what 2024 has in store.
Towards transformation and justice,
with a side of hope,
Margaret-Anne
Awakenings Reconciliation & Anti-Racism Training owner and head facilitator
Winter 2024 Awakenings Reconciliation & Anti-Racism Training Offerings:
Register by January 12th
· Awakening Reconciliation & Anti-Racism: Foundations for Thriving in Community (8 sessions)
· AR&R 2.0 (Reconciliation & Anti-Racism Training: The Next Level) (4 Sessions)
· All the Reports We Have Not Read - Yet! (4 Sessions)
· Introduction to Anti-Racism (1 Session)
· Responding to Racist Comments and Incidents (1 Session)
· Defunding the Police (1 Session)
· Listening Circle on Racism in Canada (1 Session)
· BOOK STUDIES ( 6 sessions each)
o The Skin We’re In, by Desmond Cole
o White Fragility, by Robin DiAngelo
o Unreconciled, by Jesse Wente
o True Reconciliation, by Jody Wilson-Raybould
o Unbroken, by Angela Sterritt
Please check out the website for more information and pricing: awakenings-anti-racism.com. Register either through the website or by replying to this email.
Longer groups (4 – 8 weeks) will start the week of January 22nd. Single sessions will be run when there is enough interest.
Why are there no dates and times listed? It is my hope and experience that we can work together to find a time that works for everyone. So, if you are interested in a group, please sign up and we will trust the process!
(If registration deadline, has passed, it never hurts to enquire. We may be waiting for you!)
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