About the Course
Racism is a power hierarchy based on the color of people’s skin. But many people have varied understandings of racism as institutional powers of oppression. Many do not know or acknowledge the SYSTEMS that support supremacy. Without this understanding, we may unconsciously uphold those systems that support racism. Any of us can have individual racial prejudice, but what makes racism different from individual prejudice is who has institutional power.
Racism is a LEARNED BEHAVIOR, which can therefore be unlearned. Understanding racism as a power hierarchy and being able to identify the negative impacts that trickle into every fabric of life, is the first step to affirming the lived experiences of those who daily experience is. But then, with this knowledge what do you do?
This program explores the relationships between under-represented and dominant populations, and the concepts of race and ethnicity. We explore the structural causes of inequality and sociological perspectives that impact negative perceptions of certain social identities. Being an ally is actively advancing inclusion for a marginalized group of people by using your voice, your influence, and your privilege. You’ll learn to recognize opportunities to educate and encourage others to dismantle inequities and understand everyday micro-aggressions and discriminatory actions. You’ll learn communication tools, techniques and ways to foster an inclusive culture by advocating for others.
Skills You'll Learn
Goals
This 2 week stand-alone certificate course focused on raising awareness of unconscious bias and steps individuals can take to prevent biased attitudes and behaviors from interfering with their decisions and interactions. Participants will also delve into the neuroscience that drives our biases and beliefs and learn ways to RETRAIN the brain to view people differently.
IDPT’s Unlearning Racism and Becoming an Ally uncovers:
- The legal evolution of racism in America.
- Understanding of the systems that we live under that continue to support racialized supremacy.
- Focus on solutions that will unhinge racial disparities within your network of influence.
- Understand how to be an ally and what you can do to support marginalized people.
- Pinpoint what your responsibilities are as a leader within your organization or your community to ensure the workplace is safe and respectful for all employees.
- The connection of empathy to inclusionary practices, leading to feelings of belonging of marginalized people.
- Helps you to identify often overlooked employee monitoring and performance management practices.
- Provides you with a communication toolkit to combat racism.
IDPI’s Unlearning Racism and Becoming an Ally program is an industry-leading training workshop for all of your organizational leaders. Upon completion of the certification, participants will be able to:
UNDERSTAND THE BIOLOGICAL AND IDENTIFY DIFFERENCES OF VARIOUS RACES OF PEOPLE: Biology has shown that there are no genetically distinct races, racial identity—how you and others perceive your race. However, racial inferiority was taught as FACT and the beliefs and attitudes still (mainly unconscious) permeate today.
AWARENESS: Of the core tenants of anti-racism work and the collective impact we can make. You’ll experience the trauma, tragedy and pain that is the lived experience of many.
UNDERSTANDING: how to move towards anti-racist practices and implementation in your personal, social and professional life.
INFLUENCE AND ENGAGEMENT: You will have the tools to influence others to deconstruct oppressive past practices and focus on racial equity work.
DEVELOP YOUR INDIVIDUAL PLAN OF ACTION: To stand up against racial injustices with confidence. You’ll have the tools, templates, communication resources and historical knowledge to stand tall. You’ll also have the empathetic communication skills to provide support and developmental feedback.
Take a Look Inside
Across the world there has been public outcry over incidents in the workplace and within our community that highlights discrimination and prejudiced beliefs and behaviors.
We believe that incorporating positive and proactive content into your sessions will maximize engagement and give everyone a meaningful role to play in creating an anti-racist workplace. Our training supports staff, managers and leaders to understand privilege and challenge discrimination.
Our training enables solid peer support networks, starts difficult but worthwhile conversations, and makes practical and structural changes that benefit all employees — resulting in all participants having a deeper understanding of their own privilege.
With our anti-racism and allyship training, you can explore how privilege and power impact systems of racism, in your community and at work. You will learn the tools to hold constructive and challenges conversations as you stand up to raise concerns to those who have the power and privilege to make a change.
The “UNLEARNING RACISM AND EXPLORING BEING AN ALLY” certification program is developed and validated by university professionals trained at Harvard University,UC Berkeley, UC Davis and University of Central Missouri. It is designed to encourage honest self-reflection of our own biases, their origin and the drivers that continue to feed them. With this knowledge, along with a basic understanding of neuroscience (how our brain works and the correlation biased thoughts and behaviors), participants will be able to drive chase within their network of influence.
The “Unlearning Racism and Becoming an Ally” certificate requirements include:
- 7 On-demand modules
- 2 Industry interviews
- 3 Interactive activities
- 3 Podcast
- 4 Worksheets
- 3 Strategies/Tools
- 4 Case studies
- Perspective taking exercises
Course Topics
The Legal Evolution of Racism in the U.S.
Racial discrimination and misrepresentation, beginning with the social categorization of ethnic groups and the utilization of people for political, property and financial gain was an INTENTIONAL act of discrimination. Learn the legalization of racism and the systems that created them.
The Social Construction and Inequality of Race
One of the origins of scientific racism can be traced to a sociologist of the 18th century’s work on the classification of man, which had devastating and far-reaching consequences for humanity. This topic traces the development of an idea which became fundamental, taught as TRUTH in the history of anthropology, and has had devastating and far-reaching consequences for humanity, including the dehumanization of non-Europeans and justification of evils like slavery and indigenous genocide.
What is Anti-Racism?
Anti-racism is the active process of identifying and eliminating racism by changing systems, organizational structures, policies and practices and attitudes, so that power is redistributed and shared equitably. Anti-racism is an active way of seeing and being in the world, in order to transform it. Because racism occurs at all levels and spheres of society and can function to produce and maintain exclusionary “levels” and “spheres,” anti-racism education/activism is necessary in all aspects of society.
A person who practices anti-racism is someone who works to become aware of:
- How racism affects the lived experience of people of colour and Indigenous people
- How racism is systemic, and has been part of many foundational aspects of society throughout history, and can be manifested in both individual attitudes and behaviors as well as formal.
The Misunderstanding of White Privilege
Privilege, particularly white privilege, is hard to see for those who were born with access to power and resources. It is very visible for those to whom privilege was not granted. However, many people do not understand the components of privilege (which extends to gender, wealth and other identities of privilege). The Random House Dictionary (1993) defines privilege as “a right, immunity, or benefit enjoyed only by a person beyond the advantages of most.” So think of it as an “unearned” privilege that impacts conditions of daily experiences, which aren’t available to everybody. But let’s explore the meaning and its manifestation further.
Racism, Trauma, Tragedy and Pain
When traumatization is due to experiences of racism it is sometimes called racial trauma. Psychologists use the term trauma to describe an emotional response to a terrible event and race-based trauma is no different. It refers to the specific mental and/or emotional harms linked to racism and discrimination which can happen at work, or in the community. It can be large or small occurrences such as workplace or everyday discrimination and microaggressions.
Colorblindness & Other Untruths
Without a medical diagnosis, or negative impact on seeing the color spectrum, you’re probably not colorblind. When people state they are colorblind, it is typically the racial ideology that they don’t focus on the color of the people they are around. Many assume that best way to end discrimination is by treating individuals as equally as possible, without regard to race, culture, or ethnicity.
On the surface, this ideology seems like a positive stance, however, it is actually a dismissal of the lived experiences of people of color, and suggests that racism does not exist so long as one ignores it. The concept of colorblindness ignores the structural and systematic racism.
Bystander Intervention
A bystander is an individual who observes or witnesses a situation of discrimination or violence committed by someone and has the opportunity to either condone, intervene, or do nothing. What will you do? Do you have the courage and the tools to step up, to speak up? Learn to be an upstander, which is a bystander who recognizes acts of injustice and makes a conscious decision to take a stand by interrupting and challenging situations that occur.
Microaggressions, The Impact Is Not So Small
Microaggressions should actually be renamed MACRO aggressions, because the impact is harmful and long lasting. Studies show that microaggressions have a macro impact as they affect the standard of living of a marginalized group. It’s important to recognize what everyday micro aggressions are – in words and actions and learn how to have discussions, sometimes difficult, about these instances of typically subtle, and sometimes unconscious harassment. These conversations are necessary to affect change. We’ll provide you with the tools to stand up to microaggressions, whether directed to you or others.
Disruptive Discussion: Being an Ally is a Verb
Webster Dictionary defines ally as “a person or organization that cooperates with or helps another in a particular activity.” Implied in the definition is action, not that it should be just used as an identity. But the reality is that words (like ally) need to translate into action.
Listen to Dion Jordan as he walks us thru the components of being an ally, its value, and some of the obstacles allies might face. It takes courage to be an ally because it’s anchored in ACTION.
TOOLKIT: Communications Playbook to Combat Racism
You’ll also receive a toolkit to help you plan your communication and feedback.
Certificate Information
Certificate requirements:
- Certificate courses must be completed within 1 year of enrollment.
- Completing all required modules is mandatory during the outlined timeframe to be eligible fro receive a certificate of completion.
- Knowledge check completion at 75%+ is required to pass each module.
Measuring Impact
- Participants will take a Pre and Post Anti-Racism and Allyship Assessment to identify their knowledge about anti-racist principles and opportunities to show up as an ally.
- Development of a working framework that will uncover anti-racist activities that could exist in your organization or community, and a communications pathway for relevant stakeholders.
- Ability to identify measurable outcomes to minimize anti-racist actions at work and uncover systems that support supremacy.
- Increase in skills and confidence to stand up to prejudice and discrimination.
Enrollment Information
Enroll
Set your goals
Solicit your company to sponsor you in your DEI leadership journey. Here’s a template to request your letter of support. Also, based on the goals you have personally set, you might consider taking advantage of multiple certification programs. It’s both cost efficient and will enhance the trajectory of your DEI knowledge and skills, as well as your ability to be an effective DEI leader.
Gain support
Solicit your company to sponsor you in your DEI leadership journey. Here’s a template to request your letter of support.
