Dr. Sheena Mason
In this ground-breaking workshop series Dr. Sheena Mason, author of the upcoming book Theory of Racelessness shows participants how the concept of race continues to be naturalised and viewed as something “of nature,” which unintentionally goes against the “antiracist” agenda.
Over the series, participants will learn how and why racism masquerades as race and, how the utility of race prevents us from conceptions of building a truly fair and equitable society; and Africans a reconnection to indigenous beliefs, values and customs.
Do we need to be liberated from race to be liberated from racism? If so, what of the notions Black and Blackness? Can the abolition of race serve as a proxy to advance the goal of African liberation?
Learning Objectives:
Participants will leave able to do and continue thinking deeply about the following:
1. How to better identify and define philosophies of race in social and personal interactions
2. Cultivate thinking and philosophy on lessening the impact of the racial hierarchy and racial trauma
3. How to separate culture from race and race from ethnicity.
4. How to identify and acknowledge diversity that extends well beyond the bounds of racialised human beings
5. How to imagine and create solutions, initiatives, policies, and procedures that celebrate diversity and stop unintentionally upholding racism and other forms of discrimination
Session One: Overview: The Theory of Racelessness
Welcome & Warm-up Exercise: Define key words | Journaling activity (5 minutes)
Presentation: The presentation will take up to 30 minutes and includes a brief history of race, racialization, and racism, naming and defining philosophies of race, and sharing words coined. (30 minutes)
Questions and Answers: Participants will be invited to ask questions. Dr. Mason will answer and/or provide resources for more information. (30 minutes)
Debrief Exercise: Journaling activity (20 minutes)
Conclusion: Summary of the day’s discussion. Dr. Mason will share resources (PDFs of books, essays, suggested readings and viewings, links to podcasts, etc.). (10 minutes)
Session Two: Race(ism), Culture, & Ethnicity & Their History of Masquerading as “Race”
Welcome & Warm-up Exercise: Define key words | Journaling activity (5 minutes)
Presentation: Recap of learning from last session and some new content. Deeper dive into “race” and the first three core tenets. (25 minutes)
Questions and Answers: Participants will be invited to ask questions. Dr. Mason will answer and/or provide resources for more information. (25 minutes)
Discuss: Now, let’s talk. Participants will be invited to share any changes regarding how they think compared to how they thought at the outset, including new directions they feel inspired to consider and potential solutions. (10-15 minutes)
Reflection: Time to journal and reflect. Participants will define key terms for themselves and think of examples. They’ll have time to consider the history of “race.” (15-20 minutes)
Session Three: Applying the Tools of the Theory of Racelessness | Translating “Race”
Welcome & Warm-up Exercise: Define key words | Journaling activity (5 minutes)
Presentation: Recap of learning from last session and some new content. Deeper dive into skepticism and eliminativism | constructionism and eliminativism with examples of how to “translate race.” (15 minutes)
Questions and Answers: Participants will be invited to ask questions. Dr. Mason will answer and/or provide resources for more information. (25 minutes)
Breakout Group Activity: Translating Race | Each group will get a series of passages or a video clip(s) that contain “race” language. They will be tasked with translating that language into more precise language. They will be invited to do so from a deracialized positionality. (25 minutes)
Reflection: Groups will be invited to share their examples and translations. Participants will reflect and journal their learning and aha moments. (15 minutes)
Conclusion: Brief words of wisdom and observations from Dr. Mason with an eye toward to next and last session. (10 minutes)
