Ahh … our break has been wonderful – and productive! As we promised, those of us on the organizing team have engaged in a “retreat” – meeting for several hours-long sessions to renew our vision of “Overdue Reckoning on Racism in Nursing” – and we are ready to start up again! We will continue our two monthly zoom sessions – the first Saturday, and the last Saturday of every month. For September because of the holiday on the first Saturday, we will postpone to the 2nd Saturday, September 11

Each month will have a focus – the September focus is students! Students, please join us to form networks of support, to explore how to address and confront issues around racism, and how to create new possibilities for an anti-racist future. Practicing nurses and educators, join our discussions to support the students, to learn what they envision for their education, and explore anti-racist actions in nursing education.

Each meeting will have its own zoom registration; once your register you will receive the information for the meeting. If you lose the zoom information just register again! Here is the information for our September sessions:

September 11th –

4 – 5:30 pm Eastern – “Overdue Reckoning on Racism in Nursing”

Discussions led by Lucinda Canty and other nurses of color exploring anti-racism activism in nursing. 

• Register in advance –
  • https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAoc-GqqjIpGNOD7uoe6jepbk3_zAxqCw37
• After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

September 25th –

4 – 5:30 pm Eastern – BILNOC Reckoning with Racism

Bringing together Black, Indigenous, Latinx and other Nurses of Color to explore avenues for further antiracism actions. These discussions include ideas for personal, family, workplace, and larger community and organizational change. All are welcome to join with the understanding that BILNOC nurses will take the lead in these discussions.

• Register in advance for this meeting:
  • https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAud-qgqzwiGNa6bre3IlDdszz5kwKVwDvp
• After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

To inspire us as we look forward to September, here is one more short video that gives a great overview related to the work we are doing!

This Thursday, take 5 minutes to watch and think about this short video from anti-racism trainer Matthew Kincaid from Overcoming Racism based in New Orleans. Yes, the message in this video is directed to white people, but everyone benefits from taking in the fundamental messages here about race and racism.

Yes indeed! Saturday July 31st will be our last “summer” gathering, focused on networking and support among Black,Indigenous, Latina/x and other nurses of color! We have shifted zoom access to a “registration” system — all you need to do is follow the link to register on Zoom, and the meeting link and meeting information will be delivered to your email! If you register and then lose the meeting information, just register again!! Here is the registration link for July 31st –

Jul 31, 2021 04:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAtcO6urTkpG9QPDgN-OiotFFqVfC8wCt-O

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

During August, our organizing team is having a retreat to renew our commitment and shape the ongoing vision for “overdue reckoning on racism in nursing.” This work is not something that has an end point, or a product … it is a process that requires the kind of unrelenting attention, dedication and planning that “growing” anything demands. We are creating the “soil” from which to grow new possibilities for nursing and health care, where the damaging effects of racism are confronted, where we nurture “tough conversation” skills that change the landscape of human interaction.

During this August break from our gatherings, we will post here every Thursday, providing the latest news about the plans for September and beyond! We will also include information about inspirations and resources to continue our reflections and growing anti-racism awareness.

Resource for this week –

The National Museum of African American History and Culture provides a wonderful introduction and guide for “Being Antiracist.” They give clear explanations of the various levels and types of racism – individual, interpersonal, institutional and structural. In explaining what it means to be “antiracist” they point out:

Being antiracist is different for white people than it is for people of color. For white people, being antiracist evolves with their racial identity development. They must acknowledge and understand their privilege, work to change their internalized racism, and interrupt racism when they see it. For people of color, it means recognizing how race and racism have been internalized, and whether it has been applied to other people of color.

https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking-about-race/topics/being-antiracist

I highly recommend taking the time to read and reflect on “Being Antiracist.” It is clear and thought-provoking – packed with examples and prompts for action! I even recommend reading through this page several times during the month of August! You can use this one resource as a guide for moving your own antiracism journey further down the path that we are seeking!

This video is featured on the “Being Antiracist” page – but I am posting it here as well because it is so important – and so powerful!