WPC17

Institutes

The WPC Leadership Institute (ALL)
The WPC Leadership Institute is a leadership development opportunity for individuals
from across sectors to examine intersectional privilege and oppression with a focus on
constructive leadership toward a more equitable world. Developed by The Privilege
Institute and Rootstrong, the Institutes cohort model allows for meaningful dialogue on
challenging issues, the development of strong relationships, and shared learning
opportunities.
Rootstrong & The Privilege Institute

The WPC Leadership Institute Includes:
- Pre-Conference Institute Session
- Private dialogues with Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr. (WPC Founder) and special guests
- Daily facilitated conference debriefings
- Post-Conference Institute Session
- WPC/Rootstrong Leadership Certification

*PARTICIPANTS MUST ATTEND WPC17 IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LEADERSHIP
INSTITUTE

THURSDAY, April 14, 2016

1) Navigating Triggering Events: Critical Competencies for Facilitating Difficult

Dialogues on Race and Racism (Intermediate)
Ever feel so triggered you couldnt respond effectively? Social justice educators and
practitioners often feel triggered during discussions involving issues of inclusion and
social justice, particularly around dynamics of race and racism. Unfortunately, most
triggered reactions create barriers to facilitating dialogue and building community.
Effectively navigating triggering moments is a critical multicultural competency for
creating organizational change. In this highly interactive session participants will identify
their common triggers and reactions during discussions on race and racism. Discussions
will explore strategies to use triggering events as teachable moments and tools for
effectively navigating our own reactions when we feel triggered.
Kathy Obear & Tanya Williams

2) White on White: Communicating about Race and White Privilege Using Critical
Humility (Intermediate/Advanced)
Are you looking for an inviting place as a white activist to be challenged and to be
supported in honing your communications skills with other white folks, especially
about white privilege and racism? We'll spend the day using experiential processes to
practice what we call critical humility: a way of communicating with confidence while
remembering that what we know is always evolving, and there is a lot we don't know.

Focused on taking action, critical humility is a reflective process that can be applied both
personally and institutionally. In small and large group processes, well try to discover
gaps between our values and our actions, in order to help all of us do a better job with
walking our talk.
Elizabeth Kasl & European-American Collaborative Challenging Whiteness

3) People of Color and Indigenous People Navigating WPC 17 (Beginner/Intermediate)
People of color and indigenous people who have attended past WPCs acknowledge that
cross-racial collaboration is crucial for building successful partnerships around diversity.
Yet often little attention is focused on the economic, spiritual, and emotional toll that
cross-racial collaboration takes on people of color and indigenous people as they work
on diversity issues at the conference and in work settings. In this institute, the power of
the participants collective experiences will be used as a springboard to discuss issues
that arise when working with white people who are struggling with racial privilege.
Participants will especially focus on self-care strategies people of color and indigenous
people can use at WPC and beyond. Special emphasis will be placed on the ways the
traditional values of liberty, equity, and justice affect participants at the White Privilege
Conference, which focuses on privilege and racism.
Robin Parker, Pamela Smith Chambers & Jorge Zeballos

4) The National Constitution Center: An Exploration of the White Racial Frame
(All Levels)
Philadelphias National Constitution Center presents a majestic view of the ideals of
liberty and justice held by the nations founding fathers. But does the presentation
support the deeply-embedded notions of racism in our society? If racism is not a
historical legacy, but a foundational framea societal structure that controls how
people think about race in Americawe have cause to rethink our constitutional history
and the mythology that surrounds it. In this workshop we will explore the white racial
frame, a centuries-old worldview, stemming from racial images, language, emotions and
interpretations, that dominates contemporary ideas about race. Participants will visit
the nearby National Constitution Center to explore how the frame is enacted through
the portrayal of U.S. constitutional history and memorabilia. The workshop will offer
participants new ways of understanding the often hidden racial notions that profoundly
shape racial interactions. In keeping with the conference theme, we will also discuss
counter-frames participants can use to deconstruct contemporary racial ideology and
take action to address the problem of racism.
Deborah Vermaat & Joyce Trotman-Jordan

Note: Admission cost into the National Constitution Center will be an additional fee of
$14.50, which will be paid upon entrance to the Center. The Center is about nine
blocks away from the conference site. Taxi or other mode of transportation may be
available for an additional fee and the facilitators will help with transportation
arrangements.


5) White Women: Internalized Sexism and White Superiority
(Intermediate/Advanced)
While white women struggle with experiences of gender oppression, we also benefit
from white privilege. In what ways do these two phenomena work together to create
misunderstandings, missed collaborations, and acts of supremacy? In this workshop we
will use an interactive model to examine how our identities develop as we grow in our
understanding of personal, institutional, and structural oppression. In this institute we
will take a deep look into white womens learned patterns of behavior. Recognizing
these patterns helps us name and practice strategies to better collaborate in
multicultural settings and more authentically build multiracial relationships. This is
critical to our collective and individual abilities to counter white supremacy and forge
pathways towards equity and justice in the United States. During our time together we
hope to co-create a community where our spirits are renewed and our commitment to
resistance, action, courage, and equity is strengthened.
Tilman Smith & Ilsa Goven

6) Implementing the "Transforming White Privilege: A 21st Century Leadership
Capacity Curriculum" (Intermediate/Advanced)
The Transforming White Privilege: A 21st Century Leadership Capacity (TWP) is a set of
learning modules that leadership development programs can embed in their ongoing
trainings. The modules are designed to support a wide range of people to build their
knowledge, skills and confidence to identify, talk productively about and intervene to
address white privilege and its consequences, particularly but not exclusively at system
and institutional levels. Early results from pilots of the curriculum are positive, in terms
of learning, early applications of that learning and results. The curriculum is now
available on-line. The institute will provide exposure to the learning modules and to the
facilitation of some of its components. We will also share our thinking around
scaffolding within the modules, framing key concepts, and how to help prepare an
organization, community or other group for the TWP modules. The Institute is designed
for experienced facilitators, educators, and program designers.
Shakti Butler, Maggie Potapchuk, Sally Leiderman & Stephanie Leiderman

7) Racial Justice As A Spiritual Imperative: Re-imagining the Power Of Our Deepest
Knowing In Our Racial Justice Work (Advanced)
This institute is designed for those who have been engaging in racial justice work for
some time and want to look more deeply into the aspects of the work that touch our
spirits, souls, core beliefs, etc. We are using the term spiritual quite generally in this
workshop and in so doing will focus on elements of racial justice work that are rooted in
our emotions, values and heartfelt selves. As such, this is not a session well suited to
those who are looking for information, facts or data about racial justice, nor is it
designed to talk about strategies and frameworks. Having said that, the depth and
complexity of our spiritual and emotional lives has such an impact on how we
understand information regarding racial justice (as well as how we strategize our

organizing and educational work), that folks inclined in those directions will likely find
value in this session.
Heather Hackman & Jamie Washington

8. Reimagining Equity and Justice in the United States through a Polarity Lens
(Intermediate/Advanced)
Polarities are interdependent pairs in which we live and that live in us. For example,
which one is more important? Intention OR Impact; Individual Racism OR Structural
Racism; Making a Difference OR Enjoying Life; Mercy OR Justice; Freedom for the Part
OR Equality among the parts within the Whole. These are all polarities: Opposite pairs
that can't function well independently. You cannot choose one as a solution and neglect
the other over a sustained period of time without experiencing negative results. What if
we reimagined equity and justice in the United States as promoting something that we
love instead of focusing on what we hate - inequality and injustice? What if we
identified and lived into our higher purpose regarding equity and justice instead of our
deepest fears? It is sometimes easier to identify and stand against racism than it is to
stand for liberation, mercy and justice. It is easy to simply identify the solution as the
move From white privilege To racial equality. We suggest that gap analysis and typical
problem solving, alone, is not only inadequate to interrupt white privilege, it
undermines our efforts by generating unnecessary resistance. We suggest that the
absolutely essential move From white privilege To racial equality is more effectively
seen as a segment of an ongoing polarity energy system. Our learning objectives for the
institute include: 1) understanding the work of equity and justice through a polarity
lens; 2) increasing the speed and sustainability of self and social transformation; and 3)
understanding the "getting unstuck" process in addressing white privilege. Our institute
will be a highly interactive experience and offer action-oriented, concrete takeaways
about how to leverage these polarities.
Beth Applegate

9) Good Limbic Food: On Being Together, Unfolding Our LGBTQ Sense of Self
(All levels)
A General Theory of Love (Lewis, Amini and Lannon: New York, Random House, 2007),
on the psychobiology of connection, and The Developing Mind: How Relationships and
the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are (Siegel: New York, The Guilford Press, 2012),
open us to what happens in our interactions with each other and in cultivating our sense
of Self. The concept of good limbic food comes from our understanding of how the
limbic brain is central to the process of becoming who we are. The reflection and
resonance of information from one mammalian brain to another and the resulting
stabilizing effect we experience is central to our identities. We cannot know ourselves
until we are known by others. Through our connection and relationship with each other,
we can learn to resist the dominant LGBTQ narrative associated with our identities. Our
work together can give us the limbic food and strength to articulate our knowing what is
best for us and the kind of connections we want to have with others. We can learn to
speak a language that we create together by challenging the historical messages

consistently coming our way. This, in turn, fuels our activism in new ways. In this
interactive, experiential institute we explore the concept of good limbic food and its
relationship to undoing the harmful effects of the dominant LGBTQ narrative.
Stephanie Puentes, Jordon Johnson & Storme Lynn

10) Blackness, Whiteness, & Womynness: Embracing the Intersectionality of Race and
Gender Practice While Building Equitable and Just Relationships Toward Effective Anti-
Racist (Beginner)
As we strive to build cross-racial anti-racist partnerships, what are the challenges we
face that may prevent us from working together effectively? This institute will draw on
our experiences as a Black cisgender womyn and a white cisgender womyn partnering
as anti-racist educators and administrators with a commitment to re-imagining equity
and justice in our relationships as womyn. We will share personal narratives and
accounts of how the relationships between womyn in the United States have been
impacted by intergenerational legacies of racism and white supremacy that have
influenced our racial identity development and our ways of being. This institute will also
provide participants with opportunities for personal reflection, storytelling, and
dialogue to explore some of the patterns of behavior or barriers that often exist as
womyn in cross-racial relationships. Based on our experiences working, learning, and
growing together, we will collectively identify effective strategies for overcoming these
challenges and taking action.
Orinthia Swindell & Natania Kremer

11. White Followership Centering People of Color and Building Effective White
Practices for Racial Justice & Systemic Change (Intermediate/Advanced)
Informed by current movements for racial justice led by people of color, this participant-
centered, action-oriented and reflective workshop will introduce and apply the white
followership framework. White followership is a leadership framework constructed on
the notion that in order for racial justice to be achieved, White people who are, or want
to be engaged in racial justice efforts must actively center the experiences, sensibilities,
interests, methods, critiques and visions offered by peoples and communities of color
who are most adversely impacted by white supremacy and most actively invested in
systemic change.
Jesse Villalobos & Lisa Albrecht

12) Advanced Facilitation Skills for Navigating Difficult Conversations About
Racism, White Privilege, and Oppression (Advanced)
This institute will be a call to Let Freedom Ring through an in depth exploration of
systemic racism and its impacts and how we can engage evocative and necessary
dialogue on white supremacy and its impacts in the United States.
Participants will be presented with facilitation skills and various methodologies needed
to engage meaningful, effective, 1:1, large, and small intergroup conversation related to
issues of racism, white privilege, white supremacy and oppression. We will also practice
utilizing these skills in a variety of scenarios.

Additionally participants will critically examine how to construct a safe space including
development of a compassionate understanding of the difference between safe and
comfortable." By increasing our comfort in clearly defining, explaining, and discussing
the construction of racism to individuals who are at varying levels of experience, and
deepening the understanding of how to establish safer spaces using ground rules,
dialogue principles, non-judgmental listening, and unconditional care we will offer
tools and techniques necessary to Reimagine Equity and Justice in the United States by
supporting and engaging difficult conversations on racism and white supremacy.
Natalie J. Thoreson

13) Black Male Think Tank 4 (ALL)
The WPC - BMTT is a 10-year strategic plan committed to building a professional
network and resource database focused on improving the lives of young Black men
through personal, professional, and community growth. Additionally, we are committed
to supporting local businesses, honoring local leaders and facilitating cross-generational
networking and personal (responsibility) action. Our goal is to bring together folks for a
day of understanding, respecting, connecting and action planning. The BMTT is an
opportunity for Young Black Men to meet mentors, develop a personal (responsibility)
action plan and strategy for implementation over one year. WPC - BMTT is an
opportunity to focus collectively and collaboratively on understanding structural
challenges while simultaneously creating a personal (responsibility) action plan. Local
leaders in the greater Philadelphia community (region) are encouraged to attend.

Please join us Wednesday evening, April 13, 2016 for our Reception (6-8 pm). This space
is open to everyone; however, the focus is Young Black Males. The mission of the
(Young) Black Male Think Tank is to provide opportunities for scholars, activists,
politicians and concerned citizens to share effective research, stats, action plans and
strategies, that encourage and support the A-Shield Model. Most importantly, the
BMTT is committed to accountability and action related to developing and
strengthening the individual capacity of YBM. We are dedicated to developing and
sharing successful techniques and models leading to healthy and stable programs that
challenge, empower, enlighten and encourage YBMs, to close their personal
achievement gaps. We believe the A-Shield model is simple, replicable and will benefit
YBMs domestically and internationally.
14, 15) YAP (Youth Action Project) Institutes
The YAP is an experience for Middle and High School youth to engage in meaningful
dialogue about white privilege, white supremacy, and methods of breaking down
systems of oppression.
The concept of YAP is simple ... SNAP(See-Name-Act-Proceed) Students will SEE and be
fully aware of the multiple manifestations of white supremacy, white privilege, and
other forms of oppression. Students will gain the courage and confidence to NAME

white supremacy, white privilege, and other forms of oppression. Students will ACT by
taking effective, creative, and urgent measures to dismantle white supremacy, white
privilege, and other forms of oppression. Students will PROCEED as leaders, planting
ongoing seeds of change.
12) Middle School Institute
A basic 1 Day Exploration of White Privilege, and an introduction to tools for dismantling
isms associated with White Supremacy.
13) High School Institute
1 Day Exploration of White Privilege, manifestations of white supremacy, and an
introduction to tools for dismantling isms associated with White Supremacy. Youth
will create their own methods to address white privilege in their schools and
communities and engage in engaging dialogue

SUNDAY, April 17, 2016

1) Seeking a Path to Freedom: A Process of Liberation from Internalized Racism

(All levels)
Nina Simones voice echoes the internalized thinking of racially oppressed people in her
song, I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free when she says, I wish I could break
all the chains holdin me. Internalized racism is part of the system of chains
contributing to the continuation of racism affecting racially oppressed groups. Because
this is a cognitive phenomenon over which individuals can have agency, it is important
to study, understand, and seek out ways that groups of Color are able to gain a
liberatory perspective in the midst of a racist society, just as it is important for whites to
work to gain a liberatory perspective over internalized dominance. This workshop uses a
study of Black and African American women to explore a process of liberation from
internalized racism. It will explore the move from experiencing lack of control to an
experience of having agency; the ability to gain agency from developing greater
knowledge and pride of a positive racial identity; the ability to replace negative
socialization with a knowledge of self; and being supported in liberation by a systemic
analysis of racism. The workshop will also explore the complexity of the phenomena of
internalized racism and liberation exhibited by participants continuing to practice
manifestations of internalized racism while practicing a liberatory consciousness, which
confirms the theories of the cyclical nature of identity.
Tanya Williams

2) Self-Care and Healing as Change Agents (Intermediate)

Feeling exhausted, burned out from working to dismantle racism and white supremacy,
and other forms of oppression in organizations, groups, and individuals? Still deeply
committed to creating greater equity, inclusion and social justice in society and in
organizations, yet finding yourself, at times, too weary or overwhelmed to make
meaningful change? We all deserve spaces to heal, refuel, and re-commit to our vision
and goals. In this engaging, supportive session, participants will explore the roots of
their stress and burn-out and deepen their capacity to rejuvenate, re-energize, and
retool themselves as powerful change agents.
Kathy Obear

3) Let Freedom Ring: Reclaiming And Freeing The Indigenous Self To Live In Whole
Ways (Designed For Indigenous People/People of Color)
(All levels)
Working as one, in this institute, facilitators and participants will find our way back to
center, into harmony, within ourselves and into deeper connection with each other (and
the Whole). Taking an inclusive, interactive and experiential approach to iterative
learning, we will define our indigenous selves, and, together, peel back the layers upon
layers of shame injuring and separating us. In this institute, we will work to be
vulnerable in our connections with each other. Without the ability to be vulnerable,
authentic connection does not happen (see Bren Browns work on shame and
vulnerability), We will uncover issues of shame we need to be aware of, and look at
ways we might free ourselves of erroneous notions of Self/Indigenous Self.

Using a multi-faceted approach, this institute will harness both science and spirituality
to explore practices and activities that might allow us to more fully embrace whole,
authentic self. Together, we will look at how to continue this work individually and in
community upon our return home. This institute is for Indigenous People/People of
Color who have just begun to explore reclaiming Indigenous Self, for those who are in
the midst of an exploration, and for those who are well on their way.
Storme Lynn, J.R. Reynolds & Paula Terrero

4) Where are all the White People? (Intermediate)
In this interactive session, participants will explore how to actively organize a base of
white people to advance racial justice. The workshop will share tools and allow
participants to practice concrete ways to bring more white people into the fight for
racial justice. This training is part of a broader strategy of Showing Up for Racial Justice
(SURJ) to significantly expand the base of white people who can work in powerful,
accountable and respectful partnerships with people of color to build a broad-based
multi-racial progressive movement for racial, social, environmental and economic
justice.
Erin Healey & Showing Up for Racial Justice

5) Re-Imagining Education (Early Childhood through Adults): Stories We Tell, Actions
We Take (Intermediate)

In the midst of chaos comes opportunities that call for deeper and sustaining
engagements as our need for peace and connection become more apparent. This
session will examine the role of education in re-imaging freedom ringing. We invite
participants to join us in telling their stories of actions that bring us toward a more just
and equitable country.
Susan Fleming, Theressa Lenear, Noah Bowman & Anjela Burns