White people are trapped in a history they don’t understand and until they understand it they cannot be released from it.
James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time
What To Expect
Confronting Whiteness is a unique journey that combines spiritual formation and intense antiracism training in a small group setting with a trained facilitator. Over the course of 9 weeks, participants will read and watch the work of Black authors, intellectuals, and artists (like James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, and Ava DuVerney), and gather each week for 90 minutes in a structured format to discuss what they have discovered in the readings and films. Participants will have the opportunity to write and share a racial autobiography, which will grow and expand in length and significance as the journey unfolds. Like everything in life, the more you bring of yourself to the journey, the more you will get out of it. The cost is $250, however, free and reduced cost scholarships are available to those with a financial hardship.
The difficulty the author, Rev. Dr. Ben Boswell, experienced trying to lead his congregation to work for racial justice in their community convinced him that there needs to be a new conversation about race and racism that helps members of White-dominant churches and institutions identify their own racial history and wrestle with what it means to be White. That conversation developed into Confronting Whiteness, an intentional spiritual journey of anti-racism to aid people racialized as White to identify and dismantle their Whiteness.
This program consists of nine sessions, each designed to last approximately 90 minutes. Preparation for the sessions requires completing assigned readings and viewings and writing a racial autobiography.
The participant's guide to Confronting Whiteness offers people of faith a new posture for addressing racial issues. Spiritual practices will help participants engage writings and films by Black authors and filmmakers and develop habits that confront and undermine the power of Whiteness. The guide was developed for groups of White people who will be led by a trained facilitator.
The facilitator's guide for Confronting Whiteness provides productive tools for conducting conversations with 5-10 participants. The facilitators need to have previous experience as a participant in Confronting Whiteness and a readiness to engage in the inner work necessary for transformation.
For more information, visit our FAQ page.