what are Anti-racist Values?

EXPLORING RACIAL JUSTICE, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION


Both/And thinking

With a bias toward action: Acknowledges that multiple realities and various ways of doing things are valued. We work through differences to find solutions that honor the gifts of everyone in the community. Bias toward action means not allowing conflict to paralyze us into indecision and immobility.

Abundant Worldview

If we operate from premise of “Abundance is all around, how can we access it?” Questions about resources and who controls them

begin to shift. Power is shared and innovation is possible.

Transparent Communication

Inclusive processes take longer to come to consensus, but once a decision is made, implementation is quicker. Trust is important to transparent communication, allowing individuals to make mistakes and recover from them without being scapegoated by the institution.

Cooperation & collaboration

Foster individual creativity and courage. Protecting an ethos of cooperation & collaboration extends the boundaries of race and power so that the distributed gifts of God are released; we can do more, do it better, and joy and pleasure kick-start the creative process.

OUR WORK IS AN ONGOING EFFORT

The tools, language and understanding we developed in these training sessions are guiding our ongoing anti-racism work at DCC.  Some recent highlights of our efforts include:

  • Re-working our liturgy for World Communion Sunday.
  • Broadening our hymns/songs and anthems to include minority composers
  • Celebrate our Hispanic community by creating an Altar with them and teaching our community about this tradition.
  • Offering a scholarship program for our New Expression offerings
  • Adopting a policy to more intentionally support immigrants on staff by covering 100% of visa/green card expenses for employees and 50% for their spouses.
  • Opening each of our Session (church board) meetings by reviewing the values that ground our anti-racism commitment.
  • Ongoing anti-racism coaching for our pastors.
  • Providing an 8-week training course for our Session, ministry and leaders.
  • Offering a congregation-wide, introductory class entitled Racial Equity as a Spiritual Practice with five sessions:

    • Session 1: What is Systemic Racism?

    Session 2: How are Systemic and Structural Racism Connected to the Ideology of White Supremacy?

    Session 3: What is the relationship between power and racism?

    Session 4: How has Christianity, actively and passively, upheld and legitimized racism and white supremacy?

    Session 5: What is antiracism?