Diversity, equity, inclusion, & belonging (Anti-Racism)
Resources
A variety of discussion guides, books, articles, and activities have been compiled for congregational and individual use. The lists are not exhaustive and additional resources are added as they are learned about. In addition, two discussion guides utilizing many of these resources have been created and are shared below.
-
- Ted Talk: Danger of a Single Story
- Waking Up White: Debbie Irving
- Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery and Declaration to American Indian and Alaska Native People
- Explanation of the Declaration of the ELCA to People of African Descent
- Becoming an Inclusive Church: Building the Foundation (Reconciling Works)
- Videos: Race In America (parts 1 & 2)
- Activity: Work through “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” list by Peggy McIntosh and discuss
- Activity: Land Acknowledgment
- Activity: Exploring my story (In Progress)
-
- Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- Fiction and Non-fiction books by BIPOC Authors (see attached list)
- Racial Equity Glossary of Terms
- Declaration of the ELCA to People of African Descent Discussion Guide
- Troubling the Waters for the Healing of the Church
- Becoming an Inclusive Church: Living the Journey Resources
- Indian Boarding School History
- Activity: Creating a Land Timeline (In progress)
- Activity: Exploring US History (In progress)
- Activity: View “What is Intersectionality?” and reflect by yourself or with others around your various identities (race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.)
- Activity: Gather a conversation partner or small group and work through the Me & White Supremacy Journal, meeting regularly for conversation and reflection
- Activity: Mapping Inequality (In progress)
-
- Dear White Christians by Jennifer Harvey
- How to Be An Anti-racist Ibram X. Kendi
- The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby
- After Whiteness by Willie James Jennings
- The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race by Willie James Jennings
- Caste by Elizabeth Wilkerson
- Activity: Diversifying your bookshelf (in progress)
- Actvity: Assessing your ministry (in progress)
- Activity: Attend the White Privilege Conference
- Activity: Form or join a group for continued learning and growth (Accountability Group)
- Activity: Connect with community organizations engaged in justice work
Group Discussion Guides
Two new resources for congregations or small groups have been created by leaders in the synod. Entering Our Stories of Race is intended for groups just beginning the conversation. Exploring Our Shared Stories of Race builds off of Entering Our Stories, though groups who have already engaged in ant-racism conversations may decide to move directly to Exploring Our Shared Stories. The full curriculum, links, and resources are available on each page.
Entering Our Stories of Race is a discussion guide primarily for folks just starting in this work. The hope is that exploring our own stories will invite curiosity and open conversation to our wider systems and stories. Individuals who have already engaged these beginning conversations are encouraged to participate as well, however. It is always good to grow in our capacity to explore our stories and practice having hard conversations in community. Folks farther along in this work can be great leaders in modeling curiosity and vulnerability.
Given the demographics of our synod and our state, the working assumption is that the majority of participants will be white, though not exclusively. The discussion guide and journal prompts invite exploration and learning of our stories and histories across diversities. And we acknowledge that there is a particular responsibility white folks have in this work.
Entering Our Stories of Race (Leader Guide)
Entering Our Stories of Race (Participant Guide)
Links and Resources:
- Session 1: Introduction from Bishop Tessa
- Session 3: "As a European-American in the ELCA"
- Session 3: Intersectionality
Exploring our Shared Stories of Race is a timeline and discussion guide for folks continuing the work anti-racism. This guide builds off Entering our Stories of Race, though it is appropriate to begin with this guide if participants have engaged anti-racism conversations previously. The goal of this discussion guide is to dive deeper into our US history for the sake of learning and unlearning the stories told of our past and to increase awareness of the systems and policies imbedded in our shared history. We look back with a posture of curiosity and truth-telling in order to move into a more just and thriving future.
Exploring our Shared Stories of Race (Leader Guide)
Exploring our Shared Stories of Race (Participant Guide)
Session Links:
- Exploring our Shared Stories of Race Timeline
- Session 1: Native Land Map
- Session 2: ELCA Land Acknowledgement Guide
- Session 4: ND.gov; State Historical Society
- Session 6: The Forgotten Slavery of our Ancestors
Journal Prompt Links
- Journal Prompt 4: Generational Pain Article
- Journal Prompt 5: Native Land Map
- Journal Prompt 6: Mappy Inequality