Leading the Charge: Women Advancing Racial Equity

RAARE WOMAN COLLECTIVE LIVE: CHAMPIONING RADICAL CHANGE & WHERE TO FROM HERE

November 2-4, 2023: Louisville, KY

Event Recap and Article By Erin Hunt Moore and Christine Hildebrand

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” Maya Angelou

This past November 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky, the heart of racial equity work and healing in the US, a powerful and unprecedented movement for radical social change was launched: the RAARE Woman Collective - Radical Action Advancing Racial Equity. Designed and orchestrated by Dr. Nikki R. Lanier and her team at Harper Slade Racial Equity Advisors, RAARE is a racial equity suite curated, designed and presented by Black Women to inspire, educate, and activate inclined white women to collectively advance racial equity in America.

We were among the 130 women who convened in the ballroom of Louisville’s Brown Hotel, who over three intense days sat in community listening, learning, and visioning - individually and collectively creating a plan of action for positive change and progress, advancing a world in which we ALL want to live.

This body of work addresses key components and takeaways from RAARE. While we understand that racism has impacted other racial, gender, and identity groups, our recap focuses on how racism has affected black people and the relationship between white and black people, in particular.

We aim to convey insights gained from our participation in RAARE in November 2023, exploring how these lessons can serve as a catalyst for meaningful change: delving into topics such as inherent bias, perceptions, and generational prejudice that have persisted over time, with a particular focus on understanding the profound impact of racism and its relevance to our current circumstances.

This is just the beginning. We’re both honored to be ambassadors for this important work and forward momentum as a result of the RAARE Woman Live event and connection with Dr. Nikki Lanier and look forward to continuing to partner with our sisters - White, Black and Brown - to move us into a new and powerful era of equality and honor.

WHAT IS THE RAARE WOMEN’S COLLECTIVE?

The RAARE Women’s Collective was designed and created by Dr. Nikki Lanier of Harper Slade, Inc. The Collective is curated, designed and presented by Black Women to inspire, educate, and activate inclined white women to advance racial equity in America.

The RAARE Women Collective LIVE was the first Live 3-Day Conference held at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky on November 2-4, 2023.

RAARE stands for:

R Radical

A Action

A Advancing

R Racial

E Equity

WHAT IS RACISM?

Fundamental belief and propagation, implementation, and advancement of beliefs that white people are inherently better and are above black people and other people of color.

We have not followed or taken action toward this foundational truth in our constitution.

WHY ARE BLACK WOMEN CALLING ON WHITE WOMEN TO JOIN THEM IN THE MOVEMENT TO END RACISM?

• Women are central to where values are created and are chiefly influential in how those values are expressed in our homes, communities and workplaces.
• Women have voting power.
• Black women can’t do it alone, neither can white women.
• White women have influence. power, position, and proximity to white men to create change that can benefit us all.
• Notable white women have historically been a part of the civil rights movement, and this time is no different.
• We must do it together and this means healing white shame and black trauma so we can come together for mutually beneficial outcomes.

WHY IS RACISM SO IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT NOW?

1. Ending Racism is an Economic Imperative: Racism is one of the most significant economic issues we face today and therefore must be addressed in every system, structure, family, community and organization where it thrives.The U.S. has lost 16 trillion in GDP in the last 20 years because of policies, laws, and prejudice that keep people of color from advancing. Source: Federal Reserve Bank, San Francisco Source from Citibank. Source from NPR, September 2020. Preservation and Empowerment of the Middle Class advances our economyThe majority typically make up the middle class.The middle class is where the Federal Reserve originates monetary policy and where Congress originates fiscal policy.Incentives toward homeownership have created the middle class, which black people and people of color have historically been kept from.
2. By 2045, There will be a Shift in U.S. Demography. By 2045, people of color will comprise the majority. If we don’t fix our current trend, the consequences are huge.
3. The Quality of ALL Lives is at StakeLack of resources and economic opportunity for black people and people of color cost ALL of us: increased crime, civil unrest, stressed healthcare system, social service system, justice system inequity, prison system overcrowding, education disparity, political unrest, and more.
4. Our Democracy is at Risk AND Our VOTES MatterLaws + Policies created in the last century have created outcomes that are causing civil unrest at the local level are not able to be remedied locally but must be remedied federally.Laws are made by people. We have a responsibility (red or blue) to look more deeply into the people we are putting into office. Are they continuing to advance suppression of black/brown people, and folks of different identities, or are they working to bring unity and abundance to all Americans? As our national division widens and we continue the trend of separation vs unification, we risk not only our internal security and common welfare, but our fractionalization makes us more vulnerable internationally.

OUR CURRENT CULTURE IS A PRODUCT OF OUR INTENTIONS, LAWS AND POLICIES.

Continue reading the recap here to learn more about the following topics:

1. Some of the things in history that contributed to how we got here.
2. US Federal and State laws and policies blocking the advancement of black people.
3. A few places where racism is active now.
4. How does Racism affect Black People?
5. What has RACISM stolen from you, as a White Person?
6. Talking about racism is the 1st step toward healing. Ground Rules for Conversations.Conversation Starters.
7. Advancing Racial Equity is our work. Ideas on how to get started.
8. Learning about what blocks us is just as important as learning what will advance us. What prevents us from doing the work?
9. What can white and black women do together to join forces to create change?
10. What RAARE is advocating as Racial Equity work outcomes?
11. How are human evolution and eradicating racism connected?
12. Getting on the same page around definitions.
13. The RAARE Live Takeaway: A RACIAL EQUITY LEGACY PLAN

Continue reading the recap here.

Join us for RAARE Women Collective LIVE San Francisco on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 15th at 9am to 1pm at Ciel Creative Studios in Berkeley.

Be a part of the movement and learn how to get involved in collaborating with women on creating racial equity in your community and workplace.

Tickets are $115 and include breakfast.

Learn more and register here:?https://www.raarewomancollective.com/shop/p/raare-on-the-road