(Virtual Program) Fish don't see water. Birds don't see air. And white people may not fully see how their whiteness affects their life experiences.

With video clips, articles, and small- and large-group activities, Conversations About Whiteness brings people together in a safe setting to see how this came to be the case. Guided by two facilitators, we explore aspects of our culture that prevent us from seeing ourselves and people of color without deeply ingrained distortions.

During five weekly two-hour sessions, we will each see our whiteness in ways we never have before. We will reflect on unconscious biases, white privilege, race, and racism. We'll explore some ways racial divides are embedded in institutions; think about tools to interrupt these divides; brainstorm about collaborating with each other and with people of color; and individually plan for what to do with this new knowledge.

This course is based on similar grass-roots courses offered around the country. It is a virtual series, which will be presented on Zoom. Participants will be sent a link on the afternoon of the first session. Because each session builds on the content and connections from previous sessions, it is strongly encouraged that you attend all five. Signing up for the any session registers you for all five sessions. If you cannot attend all sessions, please contact the organizers at ConvosAboutWhiteness @gmail.com to find out when the program will be run in the future.

Our Facilitators:

Sue Herz, a generalist, wears multiple hats: bioethicist, lawyer, writer, and -- at heart -- educator. As educator, she has served as faculty at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and Suffolk University; and has served as facilitator in community forums focusing on areas such as race, disability, the Holocaust, and Laughter Yoga. Of particular significance: she brings to the course Conversations About Whiteness considerable thought, commitment, and experience as a white person.

Jennifer Boettcher, M.Ed., is a Sr. Instructional Design Specialist at a Fortune 100 company. She specializes in leadership development and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion topics, deploying training and resources to a Global workforce. Jen volunteers on the leadership team for her company's Black Employees & Allies Employee Resource Group. She is also an appointed member of her town's Human Rights Commission. Jen is thrilled to bring her passions for advancing equality and learning to her community as a facilitator for the "Conversations About Whiteness" course.