Social Justice Book Group Begins October 6
*The Sufi message warns humanity to know life better and to achieve freedom in life; it warns humanity to accomplish what it considers good, just, and desirable, and before every action, to note its consequences by studying the situation, by judging one’s own attitude, by studying beforehand the method which one adopts to act in life. ~ Social Gathekas, Hazrat Inayat Khan
The North American Kinship Activity invites you explore, in community, How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, a book that transforms the conversation about racism and shows us how to dismantle it both systemically and within ourselves.
I’ve come to see that the movement from racist to antiracist is always ongoing- it requires understanding and snubbing racism based on biology, ethnicity, body, culture, behavior, color, space, and class. And beyond that, it means standing ready to fight at racism’s intersections with other bigotries. ~ Ibram X. Kendi
This is the first book for the Social Justice Book Group that will read books on issues of antiracism, indigenous rights, immigrant rights and more. The book group will meet every other Wednesday evening via Zoom, from 7:00- 8:30 pm Eastern, for six sessions. Our first session will be on October 6th. Fazilee Buechel will serve as coordinator. We will begin each session together contemplating a video of the author, related work, or meditation. We will then move into small breakout groups, and spend most of our time with discussion questions.
This group is intended to be a space of learning together, reflecting on the stories we have been told about race, unpacking our racial conditioning, and identifying and challenging racial oppression. This kind of reflection can cause unintended harm for people of different racial experiences. Therefore, although this group is open to anyone interested in participating, we would like participants to know that the facilitation team currently identified is composed of white people, who, along with the participants, will be engaging in this process of learning, and are not experts on this topic. These facilitators do not have the expertise or lived racial experience to support BIPOC folks.
Our hope is that this book group will be a tool for expanding our understanding of social justice issues and identifying what we can do to be better allies/coconspirators as we attune our hearts and minds in community, in service of the vision of a more just and equitable society.
If you are interested in joining us to discuss this book, please contact: Kinship@inayatiyya.org to register. (When a new book is selected we will announce it and invite new registration. You do not need to commit to future selections.) A Zoom link and reading assignments will be sent to registrants. Registration for How to be an Antiracist closes Sept 27. Register by emailing: Kinship@Inayatiyya.org.