YWCA Cortland Stand Against Racism Series / Session 5

In 2021, YWCA Cortland expands its participation in YWCA USA’s April Stand Against Racism initiative. Kicking off at our annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday on Monday, January 18, the months-long event opens with a movie viewing and moderated discussion. The Stand Against Racism series will continue with a book discussion and a five-part conversation about racism every other week through Monday, April 12. The event continues with public awareness activities taking place each day during Stand Against Racism week, April 19-24, and culminates in a fair or open house. See the full schedule below.

This event is free to the public and aims to raise awareness about how it takes us all to promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
YWCA Cortland Stand Against Racism Series, presented by the Center for Racial Justice, and supported by the City of Cortland, the Cortland County Chamber of Commerce’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and Cortland Forward

Jan 18: Movie viewing of White Like Me by Tim Wise with moderated discussion to follow. This movie presents an overview of racism and White privilege.

Feb 1: Book discussion from excerpts of Race Talk and the Conspiracy of Silence by Derald Wing Sue. The book presents scenarios that examine why it is so hard to talk about racism.

Feb 15: Part One of “A Courageous Conversation About Racism,” a five-week teaching series with PowerPoint slides, videos, and full-group and small-group discussion that covers basic topics related to racism (i.e. history, implicit/explicit bias, White privilege, microaggressions, the cash value of Whiteness, and non vs. anti-racism).

Mar 1: Part Two of “A Courageous Conversation About Racism”

Mar 15: Part Three of “A Courageous Conversation About Racism”

Mar 29: Part Four of “A Courageous Conversation About Racism”

Apr 12: Part Five of “A Courageous Conversation About Racism”

Apr 19: Stand Against Racism pledge

Apr 20: TBD

Apr 21: TBD

Apr 22: TBD

Apr 23: TBD

Apr 24: TBD

Rev. Gary Smith, Director of the Center for Racial Justice, will moderate the Stand Against Racism series along with a co-presenter. The series will take place virtually every other week on Mondays from 6:30-8:30 p.m., with some sessions possibly ending early. Please register, and we will send a link to you before each session. You can join the series at any time.

Registration link: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/en3M5xRtWWbzLFqlTtZ95A