Introduction

This guide is designed to offer readers the opportunity to reflect on the significance of racism in their own lives.

Using the overarching learning outcomes of to know, to be, and to do, the intention of this guide is for you to acquire knowledge, inquire about our societal status, and aspire for change through individual actions that challenge the status quo.

The conversation about anti-racism must evolve from one of debate to one of understanding led by empathy and individual experiences. Anti-racist approaches are often associated or reduced to activism; this has conflated the acceptance of anti-racist discourse in academia. With a consideration for the lived experiences of others, our circles of sharing must shift from rebuttal to reflection — both on our own positions and those of others.

To truly prioritize anti-racism is to see the implications of the societal structures that create and uphold cleavages. It is to ask if our policies and pedagogies are effective in creating equity and equally represent the perspectives and priorities of all – especially voices that have been silenced.

Moreover, it is to prioritize our experiences first and foremost as human beings and engage with each other with sensitivity to the racism that persists and upholds inequity in our local and global systems.

I hope the prompts in this resource offer you a chance to pause. The objective of this guide is to make you think and engage you on a personal level.