By Courteney Leinonen (Greater Philadelphia Branch)
Convener, Racial Justice Working Group of the AHR Issues Committee

The Racial Justice Working Group of the Advancing Human Rights Issues Committee, moving us forward from the energizing, informative, thoughtful, and overflow-attendance workshop held at the 2017 Triennial Congress last summer in Chicago, is off to a great start after our first meeting in February!

Our vision: A strong racial justice movement with members who are racially aware and cognizant of the history of racism in the US and the importance of ending racism.

Join us on March 22 for the next of our monthly meetings, held on the fourth Thursdays of each month at 5 pm pacific / 6 pm mountain / 7 pm central / 8 pm eastern! If you are not already registered, please register for our Maestro Conferencing call series with this hyperlink: http://myaccount.maestroconference.com/conference/register/0SQL87ZTAOY4M4K0

Our mission is to:

• Deepen the understanding of race in the U.S. context
• Establish a greater understanding of movements for racial justice
• Develop an understanding on how WILPF can become better allies and members of racial justice movements
• Acknowledge that we have all fallen victim to white supremacy
• Leave the “helping” mentality, instead, working together to achieve a goal

Our working group aims for WILPF members and the wider community to develop a sense of self-reflection in terms of race. To become stronger members of the movement for racial justice in the US, a deeper understanding of race in the US context is needed. To know a movement is to grow a movement!

A selection of reading materials will be discussed at our monthly meetings in a free, safe space wherein ideas can be exchanged.

Alongside developing a stronger racially conscious mentality, this committee hopes to educate others outside of WILPF on racism and the need for racial justice.

Contact: Courteney LeinonenRacial Justice Working Group (AHR) Convener, courteneyleinonen@gmail.com