Upcoming Events
5/13 "Fancy Dance" Screening and Discussion
On Tues., May 13, 6:30 join Whites for Racial Equity and the Unitarian Universalist Church for a powerful screening of Fancy Dance, the critically acclaimed film that tells a gripping story of resilience, family, and resistance in the face of systemic violence. It stars Lily Gladstone.
Gladstone is the first Native American to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture and be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.
Joining us will be Miram Coronado to talk about the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW)here in Monterey County. This event is not just a film screening—it’s a call to action.
All across our nation Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit relatives are going missing and being murdered at staggering rates—too often without investigation, without justice, and without the national outcry they deserve.
Let’s gather, witness, and uplift. Let’s speak the names and stories that too often go unheard.
5/9-5/11 Walk of Remembrance - Pacific Grove
The Walk of Remembrance celebrates Monterey’s pioneering fishing community and the impacts the residents and their descendants have had on California’s Central Coast and beyond. We invite you to join us for a day of joy and learning as we pay tribute to these incredible members of our community.
Details
Cost: Free
Registration: Required for certain events due to capacity (see Eventbrite for more details)
Doors Open: 10:00 am, rally begins at 1:00pm
What to Expect: A learning experience from many talented speakers, educators, and storytellers and a celebration of the unique and vital history of the Fishing Village community and their impact on Monterey County in the past until the present. This event does not have an age range, and visitors of any age are welcome to join in the events or the Walk.
Duration: variable over multiple events so visitors can choose what they want to do with their day/weekend. The Walk itself is approximately 2 hours with the rally and lion dance included.
4/26 Praying for Rain, A Centenial Celebration of James Baldwin
Come enjoy a celebration of James Baldwin’s 100th Birthday with Daniel B. Summerhill as he reads from both Baldwin’s work and from his latest project, which is a conversation with Baldwin’s writings.
Monterey County Social Justice Calendar
Who We Are and What We Do
Whites for Racial Equity is the Monterey County affiliate of SURJ (Showing up for Racial Justice). SURJ moves white folks into accountable action as part of a multi-racial movement through community organizing, mobilizing and education.
Cultivating greater racial competency and examining the ways in which we consciously or unconsciously enact our own white privilege can be difficult and uncomfortable. Our quarterly meetings are designed for white people to take risks, and to dig deep, as we examine white privilege more critically and personally. These meetings are not designed for people of color, as it can be painful to listen to white people struggle and stumble. Also, there is often a tendency to put the burden of educating white people onto people of color in the room.
We believe it is crucial that we take on this burden ourselves, and do the hard work of educating ourselves and one another. We hold other gatherings that are designed to be multiracial: video discussions and a monthly book group, as well as occasional panels and trainings. We share resources on our website and Facebook page, and collaborate with other local and national groups (SURJ, NCBI, NAACP, etc.). We welcome everyone to join us for these activities.This group is not a replacement for multi-racial activism — far from it. But, we need to do our work. White supremacy is our problem as white people. We created it and we benefit from it and so we must work to dismantle it. Whites for Racial Equity (whites working on awareness, reflection, and action).
May the socially constructed but very meaningful concept of race sunset as a predictor of a person’s outcomes in the areas of health care, education, housing, career and promotion, criminal justice, voting rights, wealth, policing, wealth accumulation and more.
What We Do
Whites for Racial Equity (WRE) was co-founded by Anita Crawley, Caroline Haskell, Fred Jealous, JT Mason, and Sue Parris in 2015. While Whites for Racial Equity is not a membership organization nor do we collect dues, we are the Monterey County affiliate of SURJ (Showing up for Racial Justice).
Historically, White Affinity group meetings were scheduled on the second Saturday of most months and either a monthly book or movie discussion, co-sponsored with the Unitarian Universalist Church, were scheduled on the second Tuesday of most months. The weekly eBlast newsletter and website have the most current information about upcoming activities. Return often for 2024 activities.
These activities and communication tools are intended for white folks to educate themselves for the purpose of taking action to dismantle racism. Additional activities include co-sponsoring and participating in anti-racist community events. We also provide a platform for organizations led by people of color to promote their offerings.
The best way to become involved is to start receiving the eBlast and come to WRE or other community events. In most cases all you have to do is show up or register for a Zoom link. Select the Contact Us link to be added to the mailing list. We will not share your information with anyone.