Statewide Hubs

For more information contact Stacey Stevens at sstevens@miroundtable.org or Yusef Shakur at yshakur@miroundtable.org or call (313) 870-1500 x107

Comprised of grassroots organizations and institutions dedicated to confronting and undoing systemic racism impacting their communities and the state of Michigan.  We have created 4 Racial Equity Hubs in Benton Harbor, Detroit, Flint, and the Native Community in the Upper Peninsula.

Approach

• We are taking an “uncoalition” approach to build a coalition.  An “uncoalition” approach uses a horizontal organizing approach that breaks down the traditional coalition organizing hierarchy that perpetuates white supremacy and inequity.  We recognize that this approach is on a learning curve and will be experiential and chaotic at times.

• Our work is aimed at eradicating racial inequity as manifested in the beliefs, actions, motivations, movements, policies, and structures of our society.  Therefore, we will be explicit in acknowledging its existence and will take an active approach to transformation.

History

In 2014, the Race2Equity Statewide Coalition first gathered to learn about issues affecting each community of Benton Harbor, Detroit, Flint, and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community.  Collectively, we came to understand more fully how racism plays out for our communities, our people, and ourselves when it comes to democracy and power.  We know white supremacy, white privilege, and racism are at the root of the social and economic crises we experience today.

Focus

The dynamics of race and the way race impacts individuals and communities is our focal point.  We will look at all of our work through an anti-racist lens to understand the structural barriers that prevent equity and justice.  Race2Equity will be a movement that raises the race questions. 

• What our race identities are,

• Power relationships and how that power has been used to justify systems of oppression,

• How we can unlearn our own reactions to racism and racial bias,

• How to unlearn racist feelings, thoughts, and behaviors as practitioners and partners in this work, 

• How we can advance equity in our work, and

• Incorporating healing as an integral process as well as self-love, self-care, and respite.

Outcomes

• Hosting pop-up programming including workshops and trainings to address community-identified issues

• Conducting at least one community dialogue that uses a race-lens and is modeled after the First Friday Forums and Healing Stories Models,

• Researching and Creating a Local History Exhibit.