Founded in 2016 Breaking White Silence Northwest, is an all-volunteer project that aims to help white people gain white racial literacy, which we believe to be a keystone step–one of countless steps—in the lifelong process of building personal and collective capacity to take effective action toward racial justice. BWSNW’s project plays a modest part in a vast network of activists, projects and organizations collectively working toward dismantling white supremacy.
BWSNW supports the formation of free, facilitated groups of white people studying the writing of whiteness scholar Robin DiAngelo (primary text: What Does It Mean To Be White? [Revised Edition]). Each group functions as an incubator and springboard, providing brave space for white people to begin to understand their own positioning within white supremacy and to gain key resources to sustain meaningful antiracist action.
This Fall there are two virtual study groups. This is a wonderful opportunity, especially for those who may have difficulty attending in-person groups in North Seattle. Contact [email protected] and/or explore the website: breakingwhitesilence.org to learn more.
Breaking White Silence Northwest FALL 2021 Study Groups
Fridays, 4-5:30 pm. Six session group September 17, October 1, 15, 29, November 12, December 3. Participants limited to 7. Pre-registration required. No fee. Virtual. Facilitator – Jan Bucy. To register: Email [email protected]
Sundays, 1-3 pm. Six session group September 5, 19, October 3, 17, 31, November 14. Participants limited to 8. Pre-registration required. No fee. Virtual. Co-facilitators Suzanne Engelberg and Kristin Mauritsen. To register: Email [email protected]
Books are available on-loan for the duration of the study group, if needed. Dr. DiAngelo is a whiteness scholar and author of the 2018 New York Times best-selling book White Fragility and the 2021 book, Nice Racism. Her work has been featured at the Seattle Public Library and in NPR, Slate, and The New Yorker. To learn more, visit robindiangelo.com.
Lastly, Breaking White Silence Northwest is still standing on the corners of 85th and Greenwood every Wednesday from 5 to 6 holding BLACK LIVES MATTER SIGNS. You are welcome you to join for any amount of time and they have signs to share.
