Racial Equity Learning Modules
Welcome to Beyond Our Wildest Dreams: Racial Equity Learning Modules, a growing collection of learning modules created by World Trust Educational Services in collaboration with other leading racial justice organizations. The project is inspired by the World Trust film project “Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequity“ and seeks to bridge the gap between inspiration and democratic action that supports racial equity. Whether you are an educator or trainer, we hope these resources will help you support others to drop preconceptions of what is possible, and to dream of and reach for a world in which all are respected, valued and able to thrive.
These modules are designed to facilitate deep learning and change. The Understanding the System of Racial Inequity module is designed to provide a starting point for those new to ideas about fairness and equity. You can download a sample of this module suitable for a one-hour inquiry under the System of Racial Inequity tab.
Each REL module comes with a complete facilitator guide and PowerPoint Presentation. Please go to www.world-trust.org to purchase these supporting materials.
Funding for this project was provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
Contributor: World Trust Educational Services
The purpose of this module is to provide a frame that supports Understanding the System of Racial Inequity by:
- Providing a “systems” frame that allows individual and group exploration into the nature of structural racialization
- Understanding what it means to use a systems analysis for understanding structural inequities
- Developing emotional intelligence and practicing strategic approaches to address structural inequity.
Contributor: Terry Keleher, The Applied Research Center (ARC)
The purpose of Framing Issues with a Racial Equity Lens module is:
- To understand the power of ‘framing’
- To learn how ‘re-framing’ is an important tool for building effective strategies for racial equity and change
- To explore how media coverage and public discourse can be shifted to impact outcomes
Contributor: Justice Matters
The purpose of Building Community In Our Schools module is to:
- To create authentic partnerships among parents, families, teachers, and administrators that lead to success in schools
- To support the creation of an educational culture that values and leverages the assets that all children possess, including children of color
- To understand how we, as societal members, become aware of others, their stories, and why they matter
Contributor: Alameda County Office of Education
The purpose of this module is to build community and create allies that will advocate for justice by:
- Filling in the gaps of our collective histories to lift up the stories that are often omitted
- Expressing, respecting, and honoring our stories of human struggle: forced removal, economic challenges, immigration policies, resilience, hope, and triumph.
Contributor: The Praxis Project, www.thepraxisproject.org
The purpose of Power Analysis module is to:
- Critically explore the meaning of power and how it is implemented
- Learn how to conduct a power analysis
- Practice how to dismantle power for the purpose of making changes that support justice and equity for all
Context/Target Audience: The Praxis Project has contributed the core lesson for this module plan. It is designed for community members, non-profit organizations, social activists, or those who are interested in, or already engaged in, critical thinking related to supporting social justice movements. A Power Analysis uncovers and makes known the policies and practices that perpetuate oppression within our structures and systems. These injustices can be based on, but are not limited to: race, gender, class, and economic disparity.
Contributor: Jorge Zeballos
The purpose of Immigration, Boundaries, and Borders Module is to:
- Understand the history of immigration policy in the United States and its effect on structural relationships
- Develop a critical lens to see how power and economics shape policy and law
- Recognize that policy and law are historically cumulative and determine dominant norms or culture
Contributor: E3: Education, Excellence & Equity
E3 imagines a future in which educators embrace the lived and learned experiences of each student and value the strengths that all children bring into the classroom. In this future, all children achieve academic success, graduate from high school, and have the skills required for their next steps in an ever- changing world.
The purpose of Shifting Perspectives in Education is to
- Explore other ways of knowing
- Learn about the value of cultural competencies in education
- Examine individual perspective