CLX and UI Launch Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Community of Practice

Imagine a world where anti-racism and anti-oppression were instilled in every person and organization.

On March 18, 2021, the Chicago Learning Exchange and Urban Initiatives will begin to make this vision a reality for Chicago’s youth development community. We are launching an Anti-Racist, Anti-Oppression Community of Practice (COP).

This CoP offers space, time, and tools to reflect on your personal and organizational anti-racist and anti-oppression journey. The CoP was created with partners Thrive Chicago, 826CHI, Marwen, and Laureus Sport for Good.

The CoP will consist of six sessions; three of which will be facilitated by Dr. Bianca Baldridge, an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Her research critically examines the confluence of race, class, and gender, and its impact on educational reforms that shape community-based spaces that engage Black and Latinx youth.

Baldridge explores the organizational and pedagogical practices employed by youth workers/community-based educators amidst neoliberal education restructuring. Her facilitated sessions will focus on topics including:

• Building common language on anti-racist and anti-oppressive youth work
• Engaging youth in conversations about racism and oppression in a developmentally appropriate way.
• Creating an inclusive and affirming space for youth of all identities while centering youth voices in decision-making

The remaining three sessions will be driven by the participants utilizing tools learned during the facilitated sessions. Our goal is to assist in the thought process of how anti-racist practices can be implemented into participants' individual journeys and organizational program goals.

We are at capacity, but if you’re interested and inspired join our waitlist, here.