Why do this with other white leaders?

Increasingly, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) leaders are encouraging white colleagues to do their own work (before or in addition to) engaging in multi-racial dialogues. White affinity spaces provide spaces to learn, self-reflect and be lovingly challenged to live in greater alignment with our beliefs - without doing harm to our BIPOC colleagues in the process.

Is this course right for me?

This series is designed as a learning experience for white leaders who seek to deepen their lived commitment to antiracism in community with others. We engage in the internal work of rigorously reflecting on our impact as well as the external work of engaging responsibly and thoughtfully on issues of race and equity. What if I haven’t engaged in learning/training on antiracism before? There are no prerequisites in terms of learning experiences or training for this series. However, our work together is rooted in an understanding that white supremacy and systemic racism shape our history and our lived experience and that practicing antiracism as white leaders requires both rigorous self-examination and informed action. What if I’ve engaged in learning/training on antiracism before? Many participants who have engaged in previous trainings have found this course to be invaluable in their ongoing antiracism journeys. Specifically, they have appreciated the opportunity to deepen their awareness and skills while building relationships through accountability practice groups, as well as learning new tools while reinforcing familiar concepts.

What will we cover?

As a member of this learning community you will:

• Build knowledge about the role that white supremacy has played in our history and our lived experience

Who helped create the course materials?

We give special thanks to our partner Lesley Brown Rawlings at Beloved Community for providing advisory support to ensure that our programming is centered in the perspectives of BIPOC experts in equity work.

Who benefits from my participation fee?

50% of the course proceeds will be dedicated to Black thought leaders who inform this work, to Beloved Community (a Black-led organization) for advising us on the work, and toward the development of offerings for BIPOC leaders. The other 50% covers the operational program costs and stipends to volunteer facilitators and coordinators.

Is my participation fee refundable?

Program registration is non-transferable. You can cancel your registration up to 2 weeks before the registration deadline. There is a $50 cancelation fee. Cancellations after the 2 week period are non-refundable.

What if I can't afford the participation fee?

Our base participation fee is $250 or pay what you can afford. If $250 is above your budget, please contact community.support@leadingelephants.com for further support. Note: Our “pay what you can afford” policy is designed for individuals paying out of pocket. For organizations in need of financial accommodation, please contact community.support@leadingelephants.com and we will set up a time to discuss your needs.

What will be expected of me?

WLWA is a collective learning experience. During the series you will be engaging with a large whole group (65+ people), in sections (14-16 people), in small practice partner groups (3-4 people), and in pairs. The practice partner groups will remain the same, to the extent possible given shifts in attendance session to session, so that you have an opportunity to build community with a small group throughout the entirety of the course. Since your participation in the course each week impacts the groups' collective experience, we ask that you attend a minimum of three sessions live and to watch the recording of any session that you miss. We also ask that you give us at least 48 hours notice if you cannot attend a session. To make the most of our time together, we ask participants to complete prework and reflections in advance each week. We know you have limited time, so we strive to make this a meaningful investment. We ask that you set aside two hours for prework prior to the first session and one hour for prework for each of the following weeks. We see this as a commitment to your own learning and the learning of our community and we appreciate your preparation and engagement. For more information about our expectations, we invite you to read our Community Agreement here. ​​​​

I want to sign up 5+ people from my organization. Is this possible?

Groups of 5+ people from the same organization take special care given the personal nature of Antiracism work. We're happy to work with you to make these accomodations and to give you a clear picture of what the experience will be like for people in your group. Please contact community.support@leadingelephants.com to start the registration process.

How much does this course cost?

Our base participation fee is $250 or pay what you can afford.