Guide:
The Four Step Path

We are all coming into this work from our own perspectives, with unique life experiences, and different understandings of words and ideas. However, when talking about things as complex and destructive as race and racism, it’s crucial to develop a shared foundation of knowledge.

As we move through these steps, we will develop some common understandings about the complex construct of race, in particular the institution of whiteness, so that we may confront it clearly and transparently, while using that knowledge to deconstruct racism.

To create a clear body of shared understanding, we’ve developed this learning process into four primary steps, with some additional resources at the end. These four sections have been created to reflect common anti-racist teaching practices and curriculum. We begin with the building blocks of this work, language, culminating in the primary function of the work, action.

1. Shared Definitions - One of the most essential things to have in common with each other is a shared understanding of what the words we use actually mean. When we all have slightly different connotations for commonly used language, it can create miscommunication that undermines constructive dialogue, turning an otherwise good intention into a bad outcome.

2. Prioritizing Poor People - To lay a foundation for our focus here, we must ground ourselves in purpose. This is a short introduction to the development of class and power dynamics in the United States of America, as they intersect with race, from the initial colonization of this land by European settlers, up to the casted society we live in today.

3. Understanding Racism - Once we have some shared language with which to communicate, and the contextualizing knowledge of what makes poor people poor in this country, we’ll dive a bit deeper into the origins and operations of race, and the working definition of racism.

4. Defining Whiteness - For white people to truly understand racism enough to begin undoing it, there must be an awareness and knowledge of what whiteness actually is; as a racialized identity, as a socio-political caste, as well as a constellation of practices and processes that uphold the institutional policies of white supremacy. This section dives into the heart of what it means to be “white”.

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   Lastly, in the Moving Forward section, we’ll take a look at the list of books that went into developing this website, as well as a list of shareable resources that you can absorb, and share with friends, family members, strangers, professors, coworkers, city-council members, business owners, taxi drivers, classmates, off-duty police officers, district attorneys, the person next to you on the bus, your employer, you minister, or whomever else you’d like to engage in dialogue around betraying whiteness…

   
   

   There are so many things you can do right now to support racial justice work, let’s start with…