About this Event

This free 5-workshop Series led by, Alexis Jemal, J.D., LCSW, LCADC, PhD and Karen Gaffney, PhD, will provide safe, open, expert-lead discussions on numerous myths at the heart of systemic racism and unconscious bias. These workshops will include interactive exercises, educational presentations, follow-up activities, and open discussion periods. Upon participation in all five sessions, volunteers will receive a certificate of completion.

Session Three

This third session will build on the prior two sessions by sharing tools so participants can recognize their racial self-awareness, a necessary component to develop a healthy mentoring relationship. This session has three main objectives: 1) to dismantle misconceptions and myths that maintain the racial status quo; 2) to present participants with foundational and historical information regarding racism on which participants can continue to build; and 3) to introduce key terms and concepts needed to understand and conceptualize racism to inform and guide anti-racism efforts.

Why is this so important?

If you have attended a TRUE Mentors Orientation in 2019-2020, you are likely aware that of 100+ participants involved in our programs, over 88% of our participants identify as youth of color. In addition, pre-COVID-19 reporting showed that between 88% - 93% of our participants come from households at or below the low-income thresholds. This interplay of racial and socioeconomic factors makes our participants distinctly at-risk. For more information on the impact of these risk factors, please feel free to request a copy of our updated orientation.

TRUE Mentors is dedicated to providing not only meaningful, but positive relationships to all our participants. In order for our volunteers to understand the barriers the youth we service face, they must also understand their place in the realm of antiracism work. This training is an important step in providing the education and support necessary to ensure our volunteers are equipment to provide the best possible assistance to us, our participants, and each other.