Consulting

I provide workplace training and consulting on issues of cultural diversity and social justice, with a special focus on race relations. I can provide workshops alone or bring in other consultants with whom I partner in order to provide inter-racial teams. I combine theory with activities that engage participants. A partial list of my clients includes the Seattle Police Department, Washington State Department of Health & Human Resources, the YMCA, Commonwealth Corporation, and Seattle Public Schools.

Approach: Sessions are always interactive and practice-oriented.  My race-relations sessions take an anti-racist approach. An anti-racist approach includes: acknowledging and challenging the historic and current power differentials between people of color and white people, addressing the patterns that develop between team members due to the dynamics of internalized racism and internalized dominance, building processes and norms that are designed to be vigilant about these patterns, creating a non-blaming climate that recognizes the inevitability of racial mistakes and seeks to redress them with generosity. I make sure to: (1) set a positive climate for learning through guidelines, role-modeling, and use of self, (2) take into account the groups’ diversity and how that diversity impacts the group’s dynamics, (3) balance the intellectual with the emotional components of learning, and (4) make learning resources available. In addition to content knowledge, my expertise is in presenting information that is difficult or emotionally charged in a welcoming and inclusive manner. My primary goal is always to deepen skills and relationships among team members and between social groups.

Sample Agenda

  • Explore our early socialization and how it shapes our perspectives cross-racially
  • Facilitate a diagnostic analysis of your organization in terms of inclusion
  • Provide a common language for discussing race and social justice issues
  • Build skills in recognizing and interrupting exclusive dynamics
  • Recognize common barriers to bridging group divides and introduce the skills necessary for bridging them
  • Identify resources for supporting the work of inclusion
  • Recognize the above as an on-going process and build motivation to continue

This agenda can be customized to meet your specific needs. I can also support you in sustaining the work in your organization via film showings, lunch time discussions, creating caucus groups, development of a Change Team, etc.

Formats:  I provide sessions ranging from 2-4 hours to 1-3 full days, depending on your need.  I recommend that all sessions be supported by customized follow-up training in order to reinforce learning and convey leadership commitment to the training goals.