2025 New Timbuktu Seminar Series: Race Work

The purpose of the New Timbuktu Community Education Institute is to provide high quality professional development that is based on and draws from methodologies that are derived from the bodies of work and community based institutions that have traditionally been marginalized. These seminars will provide a variety of African Centered, Liberation Focused, Community Empowerment tools that are substantively informed by racial equity. These tools are useful particularly for those who lead or work with Black Led organizations.

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LEARN ABOUT THE LEGACY OF RACE WORK

RACE WORK : Course Description

Race Work is a deeply rooted tradition of Black people helping Black people through culturally grounded, community-centered practices aimed at racial uplift. It is not simply about service provision—it is a radical, love-based strategy for survival, healing, and liberation in the face of systemic oppression. The stories, methods, and philosophies of Black-led, African-centered human service professionals have long been ignored or distorted within mainstream education. This course is designed to correct that erasure by centering Black voices, experiences, and knowledge traditions in ways that are essential for understanding how to meet the needs of Black communities on their own terms. The space is intentionally curated for Black participants because it prioritizes internal dialogue, cultural affirmation, and collective healing without the burden of translation or explanation.

RACE WORK APPROACH:

This online course will explore the contributions, narratives and application of Race Work. The contributions of race workers have been marginalized or omitted altogether from mainstream education, hindering a comprehensive understanding of how Black-lead, African-centered human service professionals successfully practice racial uplift.

Race work pioneers have played a pivotal role in social justice, community development, and advocacy. While there is an emerging body of literature that explores their stories and accomplishments little to no attention is given to the strategies and practices that they used that could prove useful for us today.

Instead their contributions have often been overshadowed by a Eurocentric perspective, limiting the understanding and importance of Black Human Service Professionals. Deconstructing the narratives of Black race work pioneers is crucial for understanding where Black people have been, what worked, what didn’t work and what tools, techniques and practices can support moving us forward.

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Learning Objectives:

After this course participants will be able to:

Investigate and Connect with the Legacy of Race Work

Examine key historical and contemporary Black-led, African-centered movements and figures, and draw connections between their strategies and today’s human service challenges.

Challenge and Replace Eurocentric Models

Critically assess dominant human service frameworks that marginalize Black contributions, and actively integrate Black knowledge traditions as essential tools for racial justice and community transformation.

Implement Race Work Strategies in Practice

Utilize practical tools, methods, and frameworks developed by Black Race Workers to respond to real-world issues in community care, organizing, and advocacy.

Strengthen Your Racially Conscious Practice

Develop and implement a self-determined, culturally affirming approach to your work as a Black human service professional through deep reflection and strategic planning.

Design a Real-World Race Work Project

Create a detailed plan for a program, practice, or initiative grounded in Race Work principles that addresses a specific need within your professional or community setting.

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If you have any questions about the course, contact: S. Rasheem. PhD – iam@shvillarasheem.com or visit www.srasheem.com for more inforamtion on the instructor.

For scholarship inquiries, contact - candace@lbsbaltimore.com