Unity Dialogues: Breaking Down The Separation Of Racism

Racism. Ouch! Just the word creates so many images and ideas, pain, discouragement. One of the most common reactions to the word is to withdraw immediately as if from a hot stove. But we are here to BE the beLOVEd Community. So maybe, just maybe, we might have to get a little bit uncomfortable to be the architects of change we are here to be.

What is the Unity Dialogues? It’s simpler than it seems—but simple is not always easy.

It’s a group of people, willing and committed to sharing their personal experiences, uncovering their own false ideas and stepping into a conversation, in a safe space, where we can begin to break down the ideas of separation. That is a lot of words that simply mean, let’s talk about it! Let us sit in a circle and be guided by questions that allow us to open up to each other about our experiences—a circle that gives us the space to create a dialogue that exposes us to our own false ideas so we can come up with new ways to be in community.

Let us sit in a circle and be guided by questions that allow us to open up to each other about our experiences—a circle that gives us the space to create a dialogue that exposes us to our own false ideas so we can come up with new ways to be in community.

Recently, I wrote an article for our Edjustice.org website and included the following:

“In these circles, teachers, educators, and students have an opportunity to work together to come up with solutions and to ensure that everyone is heard and recognized. As violence, institutional racism, and anti-immigrant sentiment continue to erupt in America, we cannot pretend that what we are experiencing as adults and teachers is not, in many ways, also affecting our students.

While peace circles may seem like a small step for coping in these tense times, they can be one of the first ways to deal with the hurt that our students have brought back to school with them; and they can also help us unravel what we are feeling as education professionals. Is it going to be easy for students and teachers? No. Will it make some of us uncomfortable? It certainly will. Do we have to have the conversations anyway? Yes, we do.”

Formatted using restorative justice principles, also known as peace circles, the Unity Dialogues is a way for us as a community to move into action. Words have power. We know that. Let us use our words to break down ideas of separation.

Unity Dialogues is a way for us as a community to move into action. Words have power. We know that. Let us use our words to break down ideas of separation.

Like I said, it may not be easy. It will make us uncomfortable. And yes, each of us will undoubtedly say the “wrong” thing at some point. But who better to learn with? We are uniquely suited to be in a conversation about the experience of the world of form and at the same time Know the Truth so that it may be revealed on the planet.

We will meet one Sunday a month after service over the course of a year and allow ourselves to by guided by the conversation. I will facilitate the circle where we each share individually, listen deeply and grow exponentially. We can do this. Together.

Article written by Gina Harris, LSP