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Please purchase and read/listen to “How the Other Half Eats: The Untold Story of Food and Inequality in America” by Priya Fielding-Singh, PhD before our virtual meeting on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4). The Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation's Reading for Understanding monthly virtual book discussions are free and have two requirements: Read the book and make time for the discussion. This book is a deep dive into racism’s impact on how and why we eat the way we do, through the lens of various families. – Alicia and Sabrina, Reading for Understanding Workgroup “Inequality in America manifests in many ways, but perhaps nowhere more than in how we eat. From her years of field research, sociologist and ethnographer Priya Fielding-Singh brings us into the kitchens of dozens of families from varied educational, economic, and ethnoracial backgrounds to explore how--and why--we eat the way we do. We get to know four families intimately: the Bakers, a Black family living below the federal poverty line; the Williamses, a working-class white family just above it; the Ortegas, a middle-class Latinx family; and the Cains, an affluent white family.” Source: https://bookshop.org/books/how-the-other-half-eats-the-untold-story-of-food-and-inequality-in-america/9780316427265 Purchase the book from Ida’s Bookshop, Collingswood, New Jersey. Each month we are celebrating a black-owned bookstore. Please consider supporting Ida’s Bookshop, Collingswood, New Jersey, https://www.oursisterbookshops.com/idas Purchase: https://bookshop.org/books/how-the-other-half-eats-the-untold-story-of-food-and-inequality-in-america/9780316427265 Please purchase and read/listen to “How the Other Half Eats: The Untold Story of Food and Inequality in America” by Priya Fielding-Singh, PhD before our virtual meeting on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4). Reading for Understanding Monthly virtual book discussions hosted by the Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation As a learning organization, the Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation seeks to provide opportunities to promote understanding and empathy. Book discussions provide participants with a shared experience and an opportunity to engage with others. The Center’s Reading for Understanding monthly book discussions are free and have two requirements: Read the book and make time for the discussion. What should a participant expect? Participants should expect an email with a read-ahead presentation and a one question quiz to access the meeting credentials preceding the event. All book discussions are two hours and use Zoom breakout rooms to create small virtual discussion groups. We start together as a large group (7-7:10pm), briefly return to a large group at the half-way point (7:50-8pm) and conclude as a large group (8:40-9pm). Virtual doors open at 6:45pm, unless otherwise noted. All times are Eastern United States. Support black-owned bookstores. Where and how you choose to spend money has power. Visit https://aalbc.com/bookstores/list.php to find a store in your area or shop directly from https://aalbc.com. “African American Literature Book Club, AALBC.com is the oldest, largest, and most frequently visited web site dedicated to books by, or about, people of African descent. Started in 1997, AALBC.com is a widely recognized source of information about Black authors.” Source: AALBC.com Participants are encouraged to continue learning through the Center’s Eradicating Racism: A Path Forward learning series and join our Finding Your Voice Program.

Panelists: Amy Brooks (Oakland Mills Online), Erika Strauss Chavarria (Columbia Community Care), Troy Grant (Beyond Rhetoric), Amanda Lay (People on the Go Maryland), Cleonie Maineville (Diversity & Inclusion for Community Empowerment), David Smith (University of Maryland, Office of Community Engagement) and Yolanda F. Sonnier (Howard County Maryland, Office of Human Rights & Equity) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 17, 2023 Winchester, MA – The Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation today announced its next event of the Let's Talk Series. On Wednesday, July 19, 2023, 7-9 p.m. EDT (UTC-4), panelists will present Let's Talk Series: Community Engagement – Activism, Organizing and What's In-between. How are you engaged with your community? Community engagement is a continuum that takes many forms. From organizing a neighborhood trash pick-up to founding a nonprofit organization. Our panel reflects the different ways you can engage with your community. Find out what they're doing, why it's rewarding, what they've learned and what tips they have for you. Panelists Amy Brooks, Cofounder, Oakland Mills Online (OMO) Erika Strauss Chavarria, Founder, Columbia Community Care (CCC) Troy Spencer Grant, PhD, Founder & President, Beyond Rhetoric Amanda Lay, Project S.T.I.R. Facilitator, People on the Go Maryland Cleonie Maineville, Founder, Diversity & Inclusion for Community Empowerment (DICE) David Smith, Lead Community Engagement Coordinator, University of Maryland, Office of Community Engagement Yolanda F. Sonnier, Administrator, Howard County Maryland, Office of Human Rights & Equity (OHRE) Whoever and wherever you are, you have the ability to use your skills and passion in service to your community. Before the Event All registered participants will have access to a brief pre-event survey that allows questions to be submitted to our panelists. During the Event This is a webinar style event. All registered participants will have the opportunity to submit questions to our panelists. Questions will be screened and asked, given the time allowed. After the Event All registered participants will receive a post-event email including a survey and additional resources. A recording of the event will be publicly available on the Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation website, in the days following our event. Please join us via Zoom on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, 7-9 p.m. EDT (UTC-4), for Let's Talk Series: Community Engagement – Activism, Organizing and What's In-between. Please register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lets-talk-series-community-engagement-tickets-633436053287?aff=pr About Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation The Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation is committed to human reconciliation and the eradication of racism and other forms of human oppression. Our work focuses on healing the internal emotional and cognitive harms that have allowed racism to continue to thrive in our society. We support the efforts of many other groups and individuals by providing opportunities for learning and self-reflection so that strategies to eradicate racism can become more successful. Additional information about the Center can be found by visiting the website and by following @dcbcenter. Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation Website: http://www.dcbcenter.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/dcbcenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dockcbracycenter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dcbcenter LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/dcbcenter TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@dcbcenter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEWo3ofiX7CdQDzHUsn3N2Q ###

Please purchase and read/listen to “An Uncommon Faith: A Pragmatic Approach to the Study of African American Religion” by Eddie S. Glaude Jr. before our virtual meeting on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4). The Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation's Reading for Understanding monthly virtual book discussions are free and have two requirements: Read the book and make time for the discussion. After reading “Begin Again” alongside James Baldwin’s “Notes of a Native Son,” I’m curious to know Dr. Glaude’s take on African American Religion. – Randee, Reading for Understanding Workgroup “With An Uncommon Faith Eddie S. Glaude Jr. makes explicit his pragmatic approach to the study of African American religion. He insists that scholars take seriously what he calls black religious attitudes, that is, enduring and deep-seated dispositions tied to a transformative ideal that compel individuals to be otherwise--no matter the risk. This claim emerges as Glaude puts forward a rather idiosyncratic view of what the phrase "African American religion" offers within the context of a critically pragmatic approach to writing African American religious history.” Source: https://bookshop.org/books/uncommon-faith-a-pragmatic-approach-to-the-study-of-african-american-religion/9780820354170 Purchase the book from Community Book Center, New Orleans, Louisiana. Each month we are celebrating a black-owned bookstore. Please consider supporting Community Book Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, https://readcbc.com Purchase: https://bookshop.org/books/uncommon-faith-a-pragmatic-approach-to-the-study-of-african-american-religion/9780820354170 Please purchase and read/listen to “An Uncommon Faith: A Pragmatic Approach to the Study of African American Religion” by Eddie S. Glaude Jr. before our virtual meeting on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4). Reading for Understanding Monthly virtual book discussions hosted by the Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation As a learning organization, the Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation seeks to provide opportunities to promote understanding and empathy. Book discussions provide participants with a shared experience and an opportunity to engage with others. The Center’s Reading for Understanding monthly book discussions are free and have two requirements: Read the book and make time for the discussion. What should a participant expect? Participants should expect an email with a read-ahead presentation and a one question quiz to access the meeting credentials preceding the event. All book discussions are two hours and use Zoom breakout rooms to create small virtual discussion groups. We start together as a large group (7-7:10pm), briefly return to a large group at the half-way point (7:50-8pm) and conclude as a large group (8:40-9pm). Virtual doors open at 6:45pm, unless otherwise noted. All times are Eastern United States. Support black-owned bookstores. Where and how you choose to spend money has power. Visit https://aalbc.com/bookstores/list.php to find a store in your area or shop directly from https://aalbc.com. “African American Literature Book Club, AALBC.com is the oldest, largest, and most frequently visited web site dedicated to books by, or about, people of African descent. Started in 1997, AALBC.com is a widely recognized source of information about Black authors.” Source: AALBC.com Participants are encouraged to continue learning through the Center’s Eradicating Racism: A Path Forward learning series and join our Finding Your Voice Program.

Presentation by Cherie R. Brown, Founder & CEO, National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 27, 2022 Winchester, MA – The Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation today announced its next event of the Let’s Talk Series. On Wednesday, April 19, 2023, 7-9 p.m. EDT (UTC-4), Cherie R. Brown, Founder & CEO of the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI), will present Let's Talk Series: Antisemitism is Everyone’s Concern. What is antisemitism, and why is it everyone’s concern? Why is antisemitism so confusing and difficult to understand or talk about? This presentation offers a working definition of antisemitism. It explains how Antisemitism is used to divide groups from each other and how it hurts everyone—Jews and non-Jews alike. It describes why antisemitism is particularly harmful to working-class people and how it is used to shield those who profit from an unfair system. And it concludes with action steps that Jews and allies can take to eliminate antisemitism. Cherie R. Brown is the founder and executive director of the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI). Cherie has decades of experience leading training programs on diversity, equity, and inclusion on hundreds of campuses. She has led pioneering work on antisemitism, internalized antisemitism, and the intersection of antisemitism and racism for many campuses (e.g., Brown University, Michigan State University, University of North Carolina, Vassar College) and organizations (e.g., Anti-Defamation League, Hillel International, If Not Now, J Street, Jews United for Justice, National Council of Jewish Women, Truach, Union of Reform Judaism). Cherie Brown has been an adjunct faculty member at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, teaching courses for rabbis on antisemitism and the intersection of antisemitism and racism. She is the author of several manuals, including Leading Diverse Communities: A How-To Guide for Moving from Healing into Action; Working it Out: Blacks and Jews on College Campuses; Antisemitism: Why Is It Everyone’s Concern; and The Art of Coalition Building. “We are honored to have Cherie present at this Let's Talk Series event. It will be informative and provide all attendees with action steps on how everyone can help eliminate antisemitism.” -- Paul S. Bracy, Founder and President, Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation. Before the Event All registered participants will have access to a brief pre-event survey that allows questions to be submitted to our speaker. During the Event This is a webinar style event. All registered participants will have the opportunity to submit questions to our speaker during the presentation. Questions will be screened and asked, given the time allowed. After the Event All registered participants will receive a post-event email including a survey and additional resources. A recording of the event will be publicly available on the Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation website, in the days following our event. Join us via Zoom on April 19, 2023, 7-9 p.m. EDT (UTC-4), for Let's Talk Series: Antisemitism is Everyone’s Concern. Registration is required for this event. Please register at:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lets-talk-series-antisemitism-is-everyones-concern-tickets-558702282567?aff=pr About the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) The National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) is a renowned international leadership organization that builds Leadership for Diversity resource teams and customized training in diversity, equity, and inclusion skills on college campuses, community organizations, K-12 schools, corporations, government agencies and law enforcement worldwide. National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) Website: https://ncbi.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NCBIworld Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ncbiinternational LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/myncbi/ About Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation The Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation is committed to human reconciliation and the eradication of racism and other forms of human oppression. Our work focuses on healing the internal emotional and cognitive harms that have allowed racism to continue to thrive in our society. We support the efforts of many other groups and individuals by providing opportunities for learning and self-reflection so that strategies to eradicate racism can become more successful. Additional information about the Center can be found by visiting the website and by following @dcbcenter. Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation Website: http://www.dcbcenter.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/dcbcenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dockcbracycenter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dcbcenter LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/dcbcenter TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@dcbcenter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEWo3ofiX7CdQDzHUsn3N2Q ###

Let's Talk Series by Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation On Wednesday, April 19, 2023, 7-9 p.m. EDT, Cherie R. Brown, Founder & CEO of the NCBI International (NCBI), presented Let's Talk Series: #Antisemitism is Everyone’s Concern. This presentation offers a working definition of antisemitism. It explains how antisemitism is used to divide groups from each other and how it hurts everyone—Jews and non-Jews alike. It describes why antisemitism is particularly harmful to working-class people and how it is used to shield those who profit from an unfair system. And it concludes with action steps that Jews and allies can take to eliminate antisemitism. Read "Antisemitism: Why is it everyone's concern?" Cherie R. Brown and Amy Leos-Urbel. A Jewish person is out with friends and someone makes a remark about Jews’ controlling the media. The Jewish person decides to let the comment pass, but in thinking about it later realizes it was hurtful and antisemitic. She mentions it to a trusted friend and gets brushed off with the response, “Oh, don’t say that. I know that person. They aren’t anti-Semitic.” The Jewish person suddenly doubts herself. She vows to think twice before raising the issue of antisemitism again. Resources National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) Jews and Allies to End Antisemitism Please consider making a donation to NCBI at: https://ncbi.org/donations/ For future Let's Talk Series events, please subscribe to our email list at: https://www.dcbcenter.org/subscribe.

There are 30 seats per learning series. If you can commit to attending all four sessions, please register below. Eradicating Racism: A Path Forward is a learning series of four two-hour sessions with the goal of assisting individuals to eradicate racism. Join us Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 7pm EDT (UTC-4) for our first of four two-hour learning sessions. Eradicating Racism: A Path Forward What are the goals of the learning series? Participants have the opportunity for dialogue about the complexity of racism in a safe learning environment with other concerned people. Participants understand the Center’s approach to eradicating racism. Participants become part of the Center’s Finding Your Voice Program. ​What should a participant expect? The Eradicating Racism: A Path Forward learning series with a suggested donation of $100*. Estimated time commitment for the entire series including the readings and videos (pre-work for each session) is approximately 16 hours. The learning series provides an introduction to the Dock C. Bracy Center’s understanding and approach to eradicating racism. Sessions include videos, articles, small group discussions and short presentations designed with adult learning concepts. Participants are expected to attend all four 2-hour sessions, one evening weekly for four consecutive weeks. Each session includes an introduction packet, to be completed in advance of the session, which provides participants a common experience to enhance small group discussions and complements the Center’s presentations. Following completion of the learning series participants will have the opportunity to continue their learning through the Finding Your Voice Program. We ask participants to commit to all four sessions: Session 1: The Complexity of Systemic Racism, Thursday, April 13, 2023, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4) Session 2: The Notion of White Privilege, Thursday, April 20, 2023, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4) Session 3: The Personal Impact of Racism, Thursday, April 27, 2023, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4) Session 4: Finding Your Voice, Thursday, May 4, 2023, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4) Registration closes Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 7pm EDT (UTC-4). For questions or feedback, contact the Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation. PLEASE NOTE: You need only to register for the Thursday, April 13, 2023 session – the first of four sessions. Please register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eradicating-racism-a-path-forward-tickets-468724155567 * We hope that you will consider making a donation of $100 to help cover the costs of the 4-session learning series. If this creates financial hardship, feel free to donate an amount that is appropriate for you — no one will be turned away due to inability to pay. Likewise, if you’d like to donate a bit more to help cover the cost of another participant, we would be very grateful! __ I am donating the suggested amount of $100 __ I cannot donate $100, but would like to donate ___ to help cover costs. __ I am making an additional donation of ___ to help cover costs for others. #dcbcenter #racism #series #socialjustice #white_privilege #racism_and_mental_health #racism_awareness #race_discussion #racism_discussion #learning_series #eradicating_racism #antiracism

Wednesday, April 19, 2023, 7-9 p.m. EDT (UTC-4) What is antisemitism, and why is it everyone’s concern? Why is antisemitism so confusing and difficult to talk about or understand? Please join us via Zoom on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, 7-9 p.m. EDT (UTC-4), Cherie R. Brown, Founder & CEO of the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI), will present Let's Talk Series: Antisemitism is Everyone’s Concern. Registration is required for this event. “We are honored to have Cherie present at this Let's Talk Series event. It will be informative and provide all attendees with action steps on how everyone can eliminate antisemitism.” – Paul S. Bracy, Founder and President, Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation This presentation offers a working definition of antisemitism. It explains how antisemitism is used to divide groups from each other and how it hurts everyone—Jews and non-Jews alike. It describes why antisemitism is particularly harmful to working-class people and how it is used to shield those who profit from an unfair system. And it concludes with action steps that Jews and allies can take to eliminate antisemitism. Before the Event All registered participants will have access to a brief pre-event survey that allows questions to be submitted to our speaker. During the Event This is a webinar style event. All registered participants will have the opportunity to submit questions to our speaker. Questions will be screened and asked, given the time allowed. After the Event All registered participants will receive a post-event email including a survey and additional resources. A recording of the event will be publicly available on the Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation website, in the days following our event. Join us via Zoom on April 19, 2023, 7-9 p.m. EDT (UTC-4), for Let's Talk Series: Antisemitism is Everyone’s Concern. Registration is required for this event. Please register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lets-talk-series-antisemitism-is-everyones-concern-tickets-558702282567?aff=website Cherie R. Brown is the founder and executive director of the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI). Cherie has decades of experience leading training programs on diversity, equity, and inclusion on hundreds of campuses. She has led pioneering work on antisemitism, internalized antisemitism, and the intersection of antisemitism and racism for many campuses (e.g., Brown University, Michigan State University, University of North Carolina, Vassar College) and organizations (e.g., Anti-Defamation League, Hillel International, If Not Now, J Street, Jews United for Justice, National Council of Jewish Women, Truach, Union of Reform Judaism). Cherie Brown has been an adjunct faculty member at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, teaching courses for rabbis on antisemitism and the intersection of antisemitism and racism. She is the author of several manuals, including Leading Diverse Communities: A How-To Guide for Moving from Healing into Action; Working it Out: Blacks and Jews on College Campuses; Antisemitism: Why Is It Everyone’s Concern; and The Art of Coalition Building. About the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) The National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) is a renowned international leadership organization that builds Leadership for Diversity resource teams and customized training in diversity, equity, and inclusion skills on college campuses, community organizations, K-12 schools, corporations, government agencies and law enforcement worldwide. National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) Website: https://ncbi.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NCBIworld Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ncbiinternational LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/myncbi/

Please purchase and read/listen to “America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States” by Erika Lee before our virtual meeting on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4). The Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation's Reading for Understanding monthly virtual book discussions are free and have two requirements: Read the book and make time for the discussion. Fundamental to understanding the history of immigration in the United States, Erika Lee illustrates the integral role xenophobia plays in American systems (i.e., laws, policies, education, culture, politics, etc.). – Alicia and Sabrina, Reading for Understanding Workgroup “[The] United States is known as a nation of immigrants. But it is also a nation of xenophobia. In America for Americans, Erika Lee shows that an irrational fear, hatred, and hostility toward immigrants has been a defining feature of our nation from the colonial era to the Trump era. Benjamin Franklin ridiculed Germans for their "strange and foreign ways." Americans' anxiety over Irish Catholics turned xenophobia into a national political movement. Chinese immigrants were excluded, Japanese incarcerated, and Mexicans deported. Today, Americans fear Muslims, Latinos, and the so-called browning of America. Forcing us to confront this history, Lee explains how xenophobia works, why it has endured, and how it threatens America. Now updated with an epilogue reflecting on how the coronavirus pandemic turbocharged xenophobia, America for Americans is an urgent spur to action for any concerned citizen.” Source: https://bookshop.org/books/america-for-americans-a-history-of-xenophobia-in-the-united-states/9781541672611 Purchase the book from Uncle Bobbies, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Each month we are celebrating a black-owned bookstore. Please consider supporting Uncle Bobbies, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, https://www.unclebobbies.com Purchase: https://bookshop.org/books/america-for-americans-a-history-of-xenophobia-in-the-united-states/9781541672611 Please purchase and read/listen to “America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States” by Erika Lee before our virtual meeting on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 7-9pm EDT (UTC-4). Reading for Understanding Monthly virtual book discussions hosted by the Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation As a learning organization, the Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation seeks to provide opportunities to promote understanding and empathy. Book discussions provide participants with a shared experience and an opportunity to engage with others. The Center’s Reading for Understanding monthly book discussions are free and have two requirements: Read the book and make time for the discussion. What should a participant expect? Participants should expect an email with a read-ahead presentation and a one question quiz to access the meeting credentials preceding the event. All book discussions are two hours and use Zoom breakout rooms to create small virtual discussion groups. We start together as a large group (7-7:10pm), briefly return to a large group at the half-way point (7:50-8pm) and conclude as a large group (8:40-9pm). Virtual doors open at 6:45pm, unless otherwise noted. All times are Eastern United States. Support black-owned bookstores. Where and how you choose to spend money has power. Visit https://aalbc.com/bookstores/list.php to find a store in your area or shop directly from https://aalbc.com. “African American Literature Book Club, AALBC.com is the oldest, largest, and most frequently visited web site dedicated to books by, or about, people of African descent. Started in 1997, AALBC.com is a widely recognized source of information about Black authors.” Source: AALBC.com Participants are encouraged to continue learning through the Center’s Eradicating Racism: A Path Forward learning series and join our Finding Your Voice Program.

Finding My Voice: Randee Wilding You should know that I'm not a religious person. I wasn't raised in a particular faith tradition, other than celebrating Christmas and Easter at home. The only time I remember visiting Sunday school, I remember feeling upset that I didn't know any of the songs or games. Religion seemed most present at weddings and funerals. That said, having been peripherally exposed to many world religions, I've always believed that it doesn't matter how people commune with the Divine. What really matters is what good comes from that connection and how good is spread in practice. As a longtime resident of Howard County, Maryland, I had heard about Howard County Courageous Conversations (HoCo Courageous Conversations) on Race and Religious Bias when it began in 2017. Different faith groups coming together to have candid conversations on race and religious bias at different faith houses? What an amazing experience an opportunity for community building. Unfortunately, for me, there was no time to participate or a connection to one of the participating faith communities. The latter was an incorrect assumption on my part. In 2021, during COVID lock-down, HoCo Courageous Conversations went virtual. The program offered facilitation training to all who were interested, provided by Essential Partners. This opportunity was perfect for me. I wanted facilitation training and they needed facilitators. The training also allowed me to connect with those who had been involved with the discussion series since its inception and its dedicated core team. In fulfillment of the Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation (the Center) Anti-Racism Pro-Human Reconciliation Pledge, engaging with HoCo Courageous Conversations and making connections throughout my community, has been mutually beneficial. I acquired facilitation training, real-world practice and shared the work of the Center. In 2022, and still living with the threat of COVID, HoCo Courageous Conversations remained virtual. By this time, I'd established a relationship with the core team and offered the Center's technical support of the program with Zoom administration. As I shared in the Center's press release, “As a member of the community and past facilitator, these types of conversations are critical for interfaith understanding and growth. The Center is pleased to help provide technical support for this series, as it aligns with our shared vision.” The theme for 2022 was "Standing Together as Allies." I was able to use the Center's resources and my professional knowledge to enable the virtual discussion series. In addition to being the Center's Chief Operating Officer, I leveraged the Center's resources as a member of the Finding Your Voice Program (FYVP). The Finding Your Voice Program exists to support ongoing learning of those who have completed the Center's Eradicating Racism: A Path Forward learning series or programs similar. It is a commitment to continuous learning and improvement, working towards our shared vision and in solidarity with others. In the months leading up to the 2023 discussion series, I was asked to help plan this year's program. Due to the persistent threat of COVID, especially to those at highest-risk, it was decided to host a hybrid (in-person and virtual) event. This allowed those at home to experience the in-person openings, closings and supplemental presentations while using Zoom breakout rooms for discussion. The theme for 2023 was "Courageous Love." I introduced the work of Valarie Kaur to the core team and suggested using her inspirational 2018 TED Talk on "Revolutionary Love," as a keynote to our discussion series. In Valarie's words, "Stories can create the wonder that turns strangers into sisters and brothers. ...stories can help us see no stranger," and say, "You are a part of me I do not yet know." In combination with Valarie's TED Talk, book "See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love" and inspiration from "The Revolutionary Love Learning Hub," we developed the topics and questions for each of the discussions: Love of the Divine: Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at St John's Baptist Church, Columbia, Maryland. Love of Ourselves: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at Beth Shalom Congregation, Columbia, Maryland. Love of Others (Neighbors): Tuesday, February 21, 2023 at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Clarksville, Maryland. Love of Opponents: Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at Dar Al Taqwa Mosque, Ellicott City, Maryland. Without question, I spent more time in houses of worship during February 2023 than in the last twenty years. I was able to bring my youngest son to the first session at St John Baptist Church and introduce him to the incredible core team. Seeing the hours of planning meetings, creation of discussion questions and hybrid event logistics come to successful fruition is extraordinarily rewarding. To know those who've participated in the conversations from one to six years were able to gather in-person and virtually, after two years of virtual requirement, warmed my heart. And getting to hug, smile, hand to heart greet those I've come to know and who also share my curiosity and passion for community building has made my heart grow. Together, HoCo Courageous Conversations and Revolutionary Love create a powerful framework for meaningful change. By engaging in honest and vulnerable conversations with others and responding with love and compassion, we can begin to break down the walls that divide us and build a more just and equitable society. To learn more about the Finding Your Voice Program, please visit: https://www.dcbcenter.org/finding-your-voice-program To learn more about Valarie Kaur and The Revolutionary Love Project, please visit the following websites: https://valariekaur.com and https://valariekaur.com/revolutionary-love-project/.

Please purchase and read/listen to “A Country of Strangers: Blacks and Whites in America” by David K. Shipler before our virtual meeting on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 7-9pm EST (UTC-5). The Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation's Reading for Understanding monthly virtual book discussions are free and have two requirements: Read the book and make time for the discussion. This book is an exploration of personal narratives from the experiences of black and white people in America. Through this book we will learn from the specific experiences of Black and White people. This book was written during the Clinton administration. Following The 1619 Project, we can deduce how much ‘progress’ has been made. – Alicia and Sabrina, Reading for Understanding Workgroup “A Country of Strangers is a magnificent exploration of the psychological landscape where blacks and whites meet. To tell the story in human rather than abstract terms, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer David K. Shipler bypasses both extremists and celebrities and takes us among ordinary Americans as they encounter one another across racial lines.” Source: https://cafeconlibrosbooks.indielite.org/book/9780679734543 Purchase the book from Cafe con Libros, Brooklyn, New York. Each month we are celebrating a black-owned bookstore. Please consider supporting Cafe con Libros, Brooklyn, New York, https://www.cafeconlibrosbk.com Purchase: https://cafeconlibrosbooks.indielite.org/book/9780679734543 Please purchase and read/listen to “A Country of Strangers: Blacks and Whites in America” by David K. Shipler before our virtual meeting on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 7-9pm EST (UTC-5). Reading for Understanding Monthly virtual book discussions hosted by the Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation As a learning organization, the Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation seeks to provide opportunities to promote understanding and empathy. Book discussions provide participants with a shared experience and an opportunity to engage with others. The Center’s Reading for Understanding monthly book discussions are free and have two requirements: Read the book and make time for the discussion. What should a participant expect? Participants should expect an email with a read-ahead presentation and a one question quiz to access the meeting credentials preceding the event. All book discussions are two hours and use Zoom breakout rooms to create small virtual discussion groups. We start together as a large group (7-7:10pm), briefly return to a large group at the half-way point (7:50-8pm) and conclude as a large group (8:40-9pm). Virtual doors open at 6:45pm, unless otherwise noted. All times are Eastern United States. Support black-owned bookstores. Where and how you choose to spend money has power. Visit https://aalbc.com/bookstores/list.php to find a store in your area or shop directly from https://aalbc.com. “African American Literature Book Club, AALBC.com is the oldest, largest, and most frequently visited web site dedicated to books by, or about, people of African descent. Started in 1997, AALBC.com is a widely recognized source of information about Black authors.” Source: AALBC.com Participants are encouraged to continue learning through the Center’s Eradicating Racism: A Path Forward learning series and join our Finding Your Voice Program.

Let's Talk Series by Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation On Wednesday, January 18, 2023, 7-9 p.m. EST, nationally known Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) pioneers Laura L. Kangas and James O. Rodgers shared lessons learned from a lifetime of helping others to become more inclusive. Based on their new book, Diversity Training that Generates Real Change; Inclusive Approaches that Benefit Individuals, Business, and Society (Berrett-Koehler, 2022), Laura and James shared both what led them to write this book and key learnings for facilitating real change in a wide variety of organizations. For future Let's Talk Series events, please subscribe to our email list at: https://www.dcbcenter.org/subscribe.

Howard County, Maryland Courageous Conversations Begins February 7, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 20, 2023 Winchester, MA – The Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation today announced its second year of technical support of an interfaith dialog series, Howard County Courageous Conversations on Race and Religious Bias (HoCo Courageous Conversations). "There are many important and courageous conversations worth having today. I believe the conversations made possible by Courageous Conversations on Race and Religious Bias are among the most important. I have participated in the program since its beginning. The experiences shared by others have deepened my understanding of those whose lives, faiths, races and cultures differ from mine. That understanding has led to an appreciation and love that continues to inform and enrich my life." -- Cari Larkins, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints As a learning organization, the Center seeks to provide opportunities to promote understanding and empathy. HoCo Courageous Conversations interfaith dialog series provides participants with a facilitated opportunity to connect with others. “As a member of the community and past facilitator, these types of conversations are critical for interfaith understanding and growth. The Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation is pleased to help provide technical support for this series, as it aligns with our shared vision.” -- Randee Wilding, Chief Operating Officer HoCo Courageous Conversations was formed in 2017 by a coalition of faith leaders to bring people together to share and learn from each other’s perspectives on race, ethnic and religious bias; and in the process build bridges of cooperation and mutual respect in our community. This effort was championed by the late Honorable Elijah E. Cummings, Maryland State Delegate Vanessa Atterbury and organized by a team of six founding Howard County interfaith leaders including Rev. Dr. Robert A. F. Turner of St John's Baptist Church, Rabbi Dr. Susan Grossman of Beth Shalom Congregation, Rev. Paige Getty of Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia, Father Gerald Bowen of St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, Shehlla Khan of Dar al Tawqa Mosque, and Rev. Rod Miller of Mt. Vernon Place United Methodist Church. From our original six founding congregations, over 55 congregations and ethnic groups are now represented. Participants have developed new perspectives and friendships; have connected to take action on racial injustice and religious and ethnic bias; and have continued to meet regularly to further interfaith dialogues and activities. The dialogs are based on curriculum originally developed by Essential Partners, made possible by a grant from the Horizon Foundation. The 2023 HoCo Courageous Conversations dialog series theme is “Courageous Love” and begins on Tuesday, February 7th. To learn more about HoCo Courageous Conversations, please visit their website. Registration begins Monday, January 23, 2023. About the Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation The Dock C. Bracy Center is committed to human reconciliation and the eradication of racism and other forms of human oppression. Our work focuses on healing the internal emotional and cognitive harms that have allowed racism to continue to thrive in our society. We support the efforts of many other groups and individuals by providing opportunities for learning and self-reflection so that strategies to eradicate racism can become more successful. Additional information about the Center can be found by visiting the website and by following @dcbcenter. The Dock C. Bracy Center for Human Reconciliation Website: http://www.dcbcenter.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/dcbcenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dockcbracycenter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dcbcenter LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/dcbcenter TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@dcbcenter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEWo3ofiX7CdQDzHUsn3N2Q ###