July 24, 2017 BUF Black Lives Matter Team Meeting Minutes

July 24, 2017 BUF Black Lives Matter Team Meeting Minutes

Attendees: Erika, Lauralee, Cat, Paul, Martie, Hilde, Rod, David, Lucie, Rachel, Lisa, Sandra, Judy K., Karen N-F, Angie

Chalice Lighting

Introductions

Eracism Minutes Planning - EVERY WEEK, Permanently on Order of Service, add definition and intro
   

Communications Committee Report: 
Martie will connect with Director of Lifelong Learning, Jennifer Smith

Coalition Committee Report:
Cat reported on UUA General Assembly, including Bryan Stevenson, author of JUST MERCY as WARE Lecturer, as well as groups to connect with:

Equal Justice Initiative: https://eji.org/
Worthy Now Prison Ministry Network: https://worthynow.org/
Families on the Outside: http://www.familiesontheoutside.org/
Bellingham Families of Prisoners
Jan & Rick Krouskop's Alternatives to Violence

Program:  28 Racist Attitudes: http://www.culturalbridgestojustice.org/resources/written/detour

#24 Whites Only
I have no connection with or accountability to people of color. I do all my anti-racism with whites only. I am accountable only to other white people.
Reality Check and Consequence
While it is vitally important for white anti-racists to work with other white people, this detour results in white people again controlling the direction and focus of anti-racism work.

Learning to follow the leadership of, and taking direction from people of color, while being accountable to them are all vital components of our ally-ship.