by Michael Duke
Yale University will hold a three-session event series discussing how anti-racism efforts are allegedly plagued by racism.
The series, “Unmasking Racism in Anti-Racism Education,” will run from Sept. 18-Oct. 2. The event description alleges that “[d]espite ongoing anti-racism efforts in our nation racism continues to flourish” and asks: “If most Americans align with a faith or tradition that upholds values of justice and equity why are we still ‘here’ in this static space?”
To answer that question, participants will use “decolonizing methods” and focus on “digging up the racism that is embedded in our existing anti-racism frameworks.”
The first session will focus on “the ways in which racism is embedded in the anti-racism frameworks consistently in use today particularly in many faith communities.”
The second session will have participants discuss “overarching education frameworks that combat racism particularly in faith-based contexts,” and feature a discussion about how “anti-racist” methods can be “applied in youth ministry settings.”
The third and final session will “investigate tangible tools resources and practices to guide participants as they strive to align their youth ministries with their hopeful anti-racism outcomes.”
The event series is sponsored by the Yale Youth Ministry Institute and guided by Jia Starr Brown, who previously worked at Minneapolis’ First Covenant Church before stepping down from her role, saying: “They were in a different place than what I thought they were in and what was needed is different.”
Yale is not the only institution of higher education focused on promoting “anti-racism.”
California Polytechnic State University, Humboldt, is currently offering a “Whiteness Accountability Space” to allow white participants to talk about their own allegedly inherent racist tendencies.
The University at Buffalo recently handed incoming new students a welcome packet with a letter announcing its ambitions to more strongly promote “anti-racism.”
George Mason University recently finished its summer “anti-racist reading group” which featured discussions about race, including a focus on a country music album by Beyonce.
Campus Reform has contacted Yale University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
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Michael Duke is a sophomore at Fordham University. He is an undecided business major in the Gabelli School of Business. He is involved on campus with several student government organizations and committees, is a part of nearly every political group on campus, has served on executive boards for clubs, and works to improve student life and opportunity for his greater Fordham community. He also is a contributing writer for his school’s paper, The Ram, covering topics affecting students and greater world issues. He is also Dean’s Council member for Fordham’s business school where he works with deans to enhance student life and address issues related to students in partnership with administrators.
Photo “Yale University Students” by Yale University.
