On August 12, 2020, ELIE Circle will hold the second virtual meeting of the Antiracist Dialogues for Action – convenings for out-of-school time educators (e.g., afterschool staff, librarians, teaching artists, researchers) to learn, share collective knowledge, and work together to dismantle racism and injustice. The dialogues consist of:

1. A 30-minute presentation providing context, research, and historical perspectives on the main dialogue topic,
2. A 45-minute small-group dialogue on a related subtopic for participants to a) share collective knowledge and b) work with other educators to determine goals and next steps, and
3. A 15-minute closing and larger group share out.

All dialogues are designed for educators which include those that are working directly with young people in any capacity and those at out-of-school-time organizations without direct contact. The dialogues are characterized in two categories:

• Educators – dialogues specific to the antiracist journey of educators
• Youth Work – dialogues specific to educators assisting young people on their antiracist journey in out-of-school time programs

Current Educator Dialogues

• Internalized Racism and White Privilege
• Racism and Other Intersections
• Social Justice Advocacy in Education
• Wellness/Healing

Current Youth Work Dialogues

• Antiracist OST Curriculum/Activities
• Antiracist OST Programs
• Conversations with Young People on Racism
• Wellness/Healing

Other convenings will be added based on what emerges from the dialogues.

One of the goals of the dialogues to uplift educators that are working to dismantle racism in their work. There is a Request for Presenters process for individuals interested in leading a small group dialogue.

Presenters will be responsible for:

• Meeting with organizers prior to the dialogue
• Sharing knowledge and resources as a leader in the field
• Having attendees introduce themselves
• Facilitating a collective knowledge conversation with attendees
• Assisting attendees with creating goals and next steps related to the subtopic
• Enforcing discussion norms

About Organizers

Debralyn Woodberry-Shaw founded ELIE Circle to mitigate the impacts of race-based, historical, complex, and secondary traumas in the out-of-school time field through research, professional development training sessions/programs, and consulting. She is currently a student at the University of Pittsburgh in the School of Education obtaining her PhD. Stephanie Lewis is volunteering with ELIE Circle to assist with organizing the convenings. Stephanie Lewis has spent the last 10 years serving young Black people in Pittsburgh through direct service and systems-level work in the out-of-school time field. She is currently the Director of United Way’s Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST).