Mission
Women Confronting Racism is dedicated to addressing the critical issues of our time that disproportionately affect women, especially women of color. We create space for education, dialogue, and bold action to challenge and dismantle systemic racism. Together with allies, we are committed to driving meaningful and lasting change in our communities and beyond.
Women Confronting Racism offers educational programs to explore issues of racism through the lens of historical facts, social and political analysis, and personal/community experience. In addition, the organization seeks to engage primarily white women in the study of white privilege through various means: web site postings, book club activities, workshops, etc.
History
Women Confronting Racism was inspired by a workshop that proved to be one of the most popular sessions at the October, 2017 Women’s Convention in Detroit, Michigan. This session, entitled “Confronting White Womanhood” drew an overflow crowd to the original workshop and an even larger crowd when a repeat session was added. (https://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a13113728/womens-convention-confronting-white-womanhood-panel/)
After the convention a group of interested women gathered to work to dismantle racism in their own lives and in the broader community. The group eventually adopted the name “Women Confronting Racism” and a goal was set to sponsor a conference in May, 2018. That first conference had over 100 attendees. In May, 2019, a second conference using Open Space was held that addressed “Intersectionality”. A third conference scheduled for May, 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic.
Undaunted, WCR took the pandemic as an opportunity to explore different methods of delivery and many virtual events were held during 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Since its inception Women Confronting Racism has worked to provide informational programs and resources through conferences, workshops, facilitated book discussions, webinars, an active Facebook page, website and more.