Confronting Anti-Blackness and Erasure through Racial Storytelling

Overview

We are living in deeply challenging times — a time when truth itself feels endangered, when voices that once spoke for justice are being silenced, and when the erasure of Black history and experience has become not just a pattern, but a political project. Yet these challenges also bring opportunity, an invitation to look beyond fear, beyond separation, and to recognize that our liberation is bound together. We do not have to agree on everything to stand together in defense of truth and the right to exist.

Anti-Blackness remains the central pillar of oppression in the United States — but it does not end there. Every group seeking liberation — from poor and working-class white communities to radical queer and trans movements — is also targeted by systems that thrive on division and silence. When we confront anti-Blackness, we are not only defending Black life; we are defending the very possibility of freedom for all people.

The Racial Justice Collaborative invites you to close this year in truth, courage, and solidarity — to tell the stories that must not be erased, to witness one another, and to build the emotional and moral strength to face whatever lies ahead. As we prepare to enter 2026, our theme — Community Storytelling for Racial Healing — reminds us that every voice matters, every story holds wisdom, and healing begins when we dare to listen and speak from the heart.

Agenda

• 2025 Reflections: A brief overview of the RJC’s work and progress this year
• Storytelling & Truth-Telling: RJC members share stories about confronting anti-Blackness
• Small Group Circles: Participants reflect and share their own stories and experiences
• Large Group: Sharing insights and closing reflections on collective healing

Event Description

As the Racial Justice Collaborative closes another powerful year, we invite you to join us for Confronting Anti-Blackness and Erasure through Racial Storytelling — a space for truth, connection, and healing. At a time when conversations about race and equity are being silenced, we stand in the light of truth and invite others to do the same. Through storytelling, we reclaim the voices and histories that have been erased and create new pathways for mutual understanding and repair.

The RJC’s work has always centered on courage — the courage to name what is often left unspoken, the courage to stay in dialogue when it becomes uncomfortable, and the courage to believe in a future rooted in shared humanity. Anti-Blackness remains the foundation of racial division in America; it harms not only Black people but the moral and emotional fabric of all communities. By confronting it together, we begin to heal the racial divide and strengthen our collective capacity to face what is real.

This year-end event sets the stage for our 2026 theme: Community Storytelling for Racial Healing. In the coming year, we will deepen this work — listening to one another, sharing stories across race and class, and building community through truth-telling. We believe that when we honor the stories that have been silenced, we begin to repair what has been broken.

Every voice matters. Every story holds wisdom. Healing begins when we dare to listen and speak from the heart.

What to Expect

This is a 90-minute virtual gathering held on Zoom. You’ll be invited to listen deeply, reflect, and share in small and large groups. Participation is open to all who are seeking truth, connection, and community healing. Cameras are welcome but not required — come as you are, with an open heart and a willingness to engage. Please bring an object, recipe, or photo that connects to your story or your roots.

Together, we will end the year in reflection and begin the next year grounded in honesty, courage, and hope.

About the Host

The Racial Justice Collaborative (RJC) is a Somerville-based nonprofit dedicated to healing the racial divide through truth, dialogue, and emotional awareness. We help communities build relationships across race and class by engaging in honest, heart-centered conversations. Our mission is to make conversations about race a regular part of community life, bringing people together to heal the racial divide and strengthen our shared humanity.