During a week filled with hot-topic issues from cultural appropriation and racial institutionalization locally and nationwide, it is fitting a group focused in on racism during a forum Friday at Northern Light United Church.
The series, “Racial Equity and Liberation,” has been taking place for five weeks now and has one week left. This week’s lesson, led by Ati Nasiah and Jessie Morgan, allowed a group of nearly 20 people to open up about personal experiences dealing with race on different levels.
Some shared stories relating to last weekend’s “Wearable Art” show and the backlash over cultural appropriation, while others talked about work-related issues. All topics and ideas were met with open ears as “active listening” was encouraged.
Five weeks into the series, Nasiah, the Prevention and Outreach Director at AWARE, said she hoped it has allowed the community to develop a deeper understanding of some of the practices and tools that lead to organizational change.
Morgan, the Community Restoration Coordinator at AWARE and of Tlingit-Gwich’in heritage, said she has been pleased with the feedback from the attendees over the first installations of the series.
“I am very grateful for the positive feedback,” Morgan said. “My takeaway is that people want to engage in the practices and tools to connect with ourselves and show our best selves in conversation.”
Both believed as “gatekeepers of institutions” it was their duty to give a platform for people to have an open format for discussions that felt comfortable.
One of the Friday’s attendees, Jorden Nigro, explained she liked having a forum to discuss these matters.
“I think it is great to have these groups,” she said. “These are hard topics to discuss and being able to work and grow in a supportive and safe setting is important.”
Nigro also talked about the larger role she would like to take on.
“I think our community is at the tip of the iceberg with this stuff,” she said. “I want to do my own personal work and work as a partner in the community to make the place I live a place makes equity and inclusion a value.”
While only one more part in the series remains, Nasiah and Morgan, would like to continue this type of platform going forward.
“The community has expressed it would like to have conversations,” Nasiah said. “We would like to have a place where we get local leaders who can lift up their voices that lead to change in gender and social inequity.”
• Contact reporter Gregory Philson at gphilson@juneauempire.com or call at 523-2265. Follow him on twitter @GTPhilson.
Wendi Siebold, of Strategic Prevention Solutions, center, speaks during a Racial Equity and Liberation meeting at Northern Light United Church on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
