for the last 25 years I have been supporting people to work for social
supporting people to work for social
supporting people to work for social change across boundaries boundaries like
change across boundaries boundaries like
change across boundaries boundaries like race age class sexual identity gender
race age class sexual identity gender
race age class sexual identity gender and no matter what I’m doing whether I’m
and no matter what I’m doing whether I’m
and no matter what I’m doing whether I’m leading a workshop or running a meeting
leading a workshop or running a meeting
leading a workshop or running a meeting or helping to host a large conference I
or helping to host a large conference I
or helping to host a large conference I work to keep this one vow that I made 25
work to keep this one vow that I made 25
work to keep this one vow that I made 25 years ago which is basically just to
years ago which is basically just to
years ago which is basically just to engage that group in a period of quiet
engage that group in a period of quiet
engage that group in a period of quiet together some mindfulness meditation or
together some mindfulness meditation or
together some mindfulness meditation or gentle yoga I believe we have barely
gentle yoga I believe we have barely
gentle yoga I believe we have barely tapped the potential of these practices
tapped the potential of these practices
tapped the potential of these practices to really transform our politics and our
to really transform our politics and our
to really transform our politics and our future and today I want to show you how
future and today I want to show you how
future and today I want to show you how early in the black lives matter movement
early in the black lives matter movement
early in the black lives matter movement I was living in Houston and like a lot
I was living in Houston and like a lot
I was living in Houston and like a lot of other cities people there were
of other cities people there were
of other cities people there were holding town meetings organizing
holding town meetings organizing
holding town meetings organizing protests advocating for body cams all
protests advocating for body cams all
protests advocating for body cams all really vital actions there wasn’t
really vital actions there wasn’t
really vital actions there wasn’t however a lot of opportunity for people
however a lot of opportunity for people
however a lot of opportunity for people to come together and really connect
to come together and really connect
to come together and really connect across racial lines I was working at a
across racial lines I was working at a
across racial lines I was working at a place called the Rothko Chapel which is
place called the Rothko Chapel which is
place called the Rothko Chapel which is a very unique singular space for art
a very unique singular space for art
a very unique singular space for art spiritual practice in human rights and
spiritual practice in human rights and
spiritual practice in human rights and we decided to host a community forum
we decided to host a community forum
we decided to host a community forum called black lives matter getting beyond
called black lives matter getting beyond
called black lives matter getting beyond the hashtag we wanted folks of course to
the hashtag we wanted folks of course to
the hashtag we wanted folks of course to hear from experts of color so we invited
hear from experts of color so we invited
hear from experts of color so we invited historian and elder young organizer
historian and elder young organizer
historian and elder young organizer incredible voices of wisdom and we also
incredible voices of wisdom and we also
incredible voices of wisdom and we also wanted people to have an opportunity to
wanted people to have an opportunity to
wanted people to have an opportunity to actually feel their feelings in the
actually feel their feelings in the
actually feel their feelings in the midst of a turbulent time and really
midst of a turbulent time and really
midst of a turbulent time and really hear each other so I also led this very
hear each other so I also led this very
hear each other so I also led this very short guided meditation just inviting
short guided meditation just inviting
short guided meditation just inviting people into their heart into their
people into their heart into their
people into their heart into their breath and I explicitly welcomed these
breath and I explicitly welcomed these
breath and I explicitly welcomed these specific emotions I knew we were feeling
specific emotions I knew we were feeling
specific emotions I knew we were feeling things like fear rage grief compassion
things like fear rage grief compassion
things like fear rage grief compassion confusion motivation and then people
confusion motivation and then people
confusion motivation and then people split up into small groups to talk
split up into small groups to talk
split up into small groups to talk across race and age lines and pretty
across race and age lines and pretty
across race and age lines and pretty soon the space filled with that buzz of
soon the space filled with that buzz of
soon the space filled with that buzz of folks laughing and crying and when we
folks laughing and crying and when we
folks laughing and crying and when we came back together we opened up the
came back together we opened up the
came back together we opened up the space for people to share black parents
space for people to share black parents
space for people to share black parents talked about their communal concern for
talked about their communal concern for
talked about their communal concern for black youth a white woman discussed her
black youth a white woman discussed her
black youth a white woman discussed her struggles with a really racist and
struggles with a really racist and
struggles with a really racist and reactionary relative and a journalist
reactionary relative and a journalist
reactionary relative and a journalist talked about the challenges of covering
talked about the challenges of covering
talked about the challenges of covering all of these complexities in today’s
all of these complexities in today’s
all of these complexities in today’s media and everybody was witnessed with
media and everybody was witnessed with
media and everybody was witnessed with great compassion and great attention I
great compassion and great attention I
great compassion and great attention I tell you this story because if we are
tell you this story because if we are
tell you this story because if we are really interested in true social
really interested in true social
really interested in true social transformation it’s likely we are
transformation it’s likely we are
transformation it’s likely we are spending a lot of time in groups our
spending a lot of time in groups our
spending a lot of time in groups our progress depends on how well we can hang
progress depends on how well we can hang
progress depends on how well we can hang together and get things done
together and get things done
together and get things done whether that’s shifting policy building
whether that’s shifting policy building
whether that’s shifting policy building alternative institutions or stopping a
alternative institutions or stopping a
alternative institutions or stopping a war and these groups mean that we are by
war and these groups mean that we are by
war and these groups mean that we are by definition in today’s society crossing a
definition in today’s society crossing a
definition in today’s society crossing a lot of boundaries in fact we’re being
lot of boundaries in fact we’re being
lot of boundaries in fact we’re being asked to cross more boundaries more
asked to cross more boundaries more
asked to cross more boundaries more often and with a lot greater skill this
often and with a lot greater skill this
often and with a lot greater skill this is really exciting because there’s a lot
is really exciting because there’s a lot
is really exciting because there’s a lot of creative energy at the boundary think
of creative energy at the boundary think
of creative energy at the boundary think about those places where the sea meets
about those places where the sea meets
about those places where the sea meets the shore where an open field
the shore where an open field
the shore where an open field transitions to forest or that edge of
transitions to forest or that edge of
transitions to forest or that edge of society where revolutionary ideas come
society where revolutionary ideas come
society where revolutionary ideas come from differences meet at a boundary and
from differences meet at a boundary and
from differences meet at a boundary and there’s great possibilities that abound
there’s great possibilities that abound
there’s great possibilities that abound but these boundaries are also a real
but these boundaries are also a real
but these boundaries are also a real test of our humanity these lines of
test of our humanity these lines of
test of our humanity these lines of difference can really really easily
difference can really really easily
difference can really really easily become fault lines our good behavior one
become fault lines our good behavior one
become fault lines our good behavior one on one it doesn’t translate up so easily
on one it doesn’t translate up so easily
on one it doesn’t translate up so easily the larger and more diverse groups got
the larger and more diverse groups got
the larger and more diverse groups got the more competitive and less friendly
the more competitive and less friendly
the more competitive and less friendly we tend to be we can certainly see this
we tend to be we can certainly see this
we tend to be we can certainly see this today in our political climate or around
today in our political climate or around
today in our political climate or around hot-button issues we know what it looks
hot-button issues we know what it looks
hot-button issues we know what it looks like and even when we do agree we
like and even when we do agree we
like and even when we do agree we stumble we fail to build on each other’s
stumble we fail to build on each other’s
stumble we fail to build on each other’s good ideas and we’re not so great at
good ideas and we’re not so great at
good ideas and we’re not so great at creating trust that would really allow
creating trust that would really allow
creating trust that would really allow for the kind of work we need over the
for the kind of work we need over the
for the kind of work we need over the long haul so just take that in a minute
long haul so just take that in a minute
long haul so just take that in a minute what does that mean not to be able to
what does that mean not to be able to
what does that mean not to be able to build these relationships of trust I
build these relationships of trust I
build these relationships of trust I think part of it is that we are raised
think part of it is that we are raised
think part of it is that we are raised to fear or reject what we don’t
to fear or reject what we don’t
to fear or reject what we don’t understand this manifests often as what
understand this manifests often as what
understand this manifests often as what we could call implicit bias we all have
we could call implicit bias we all have
we could call implicit bias we all have that those are assessments that it lie
that those are assessments that it lie
that those are assessments that it lie deep in the subconscious they tend to
deep in the subconscious they tend to
deep in the subconscious they tend to start early on just by nature of the
start early on just by nature of the
start early on just by nature of the society we live in and they continue to
society we live in and they continue to
society we live in and they continue to motivate our behavior I have this you
motivate our behavior I have this you
motivate our behavior I have this you have this we’ve seen the devastating
have this we’ve seen the devastating
have this we’ve seen the devastating effects of implicit bias when it comes
effects of implicit bias when it comes
effects of implicit bias when it comes to race and racism and we need to get
to race and racism and we need to get
to race and racism and we need to get braver about acknowledging how it
braver about acknowledging how it
braver about acknowledging how it unfolds in our daily lives as a white
unfolds in our daily lives as a white
unfolds in our daily lives as a white woman working mostly in multiracial
woman working mostly in multiracial
woman working mostly in multiracial settings I’ve had so much opportunity to
settings I’ve had so much opportunity to
settings I’ve had so much opportunity to examine my own failings and interrogate
examine my own failings and interrogate
examine my own failings and interrogate my own biases there’s a lot of times
my own biases there’s a lot of times
my own biases there’s a lot of times where it would be much easier for me to
where it would be much easier for me to
where it would be much easier for me to just freeze up in my confusion or let my
just freeze up in my confusion or let my
just freeze up in my confusion or let my anxiety about making a mistake push me
anxiety about making a mistake push me
anxiety about making a mistake push me to a safer sideline but I have been
to a safer sideline but I have been
to a safer sideline but I have been really lucky to have places that allow
really lucky to have places that allow
really lucky to have places that allow for vulnerability around this and I’ve
for vulnerability around this and I’ve
for vulnerability around this and I’ve tried to create those kinds of spaces
tried to create those kinds of spaces
tried to create those kinds of spaces for other people I’ve seen what happens
for other people I’ve seen what happens
for other people I’ve seen what happens when the rough edges of racism are met
when the rough edges of racism are met
when the rough edges of racism are met with a gentle fierceness and I know the
with a gentle fierceness and I know the
with a gentle fierceness and I know the difference now between unhealthy shame
difference now between unhealthy shame
difference now between unhealthy shame and healthy regret think about that what
and healthy regret think about that what
and healthy regret think about that what is the difference between unhealthy
is the difference between unhealthy
is the difference between unhealthy shame and healthy regret I also know
shame and healthy regret I also know
shame and healthy regret I also know what’s possible when we meet at the
what’s possible when we meet at the
what’s possible when we meet at the boundary with courage and that’s where
boundary with courage and that’s where
boundary with courage and that’s where practice comes in there’s been so much
practice comes in there’s been so much
practice comes in there’s been so much amazing research that we know so much
amazing research that we know so much
amazing research that we know so much about the benefits of these practices
about the benefits of these practices
about the benefits of these practices like meditation and yoga increased
like meditation and yoga increased
like meditation and yoga increased attention span greater ability to
attention span greater ability to
attention span greater ability to regulate emotions and cope with stress
regulate emotions and cope with stress
regulate emotions and cope with stress less depression students acting out less
less depression students acting out less
less depression students acting out less there’s even been one study and we need
there’s even been one study and we need
there’s even been one study and we need a lot more that has shown that
a lot more that has shown that
a lot more that has shown that meditation can reduce implicit bias
meditation can reduce implicit bias
meditation can reduce implicit bias around race and age and this makes sense
around race and age and this makes sense
around race and age and this makes sense intuitively think about how a little bit
intuitively think about how a little bit
intuitively think about how a little bit of mindfulness can really begin to shift
of mindfulness can really begin to shift
of mindfulness can really begin to shift and slow down that mental stream of
and slow down that mental stream of
and slow down that mental stream of activity that seems so constant how it
activity that seems so constant how it
activity that seems so constant how it like interrupts the conditioning and how
like interrupts the conditioning and how
like interrupts the conditioning and how it can enable us to step back into what
it can enable us to step back into what
it can enable us to step back into what the Yogi’s call witness consciousness
the Yogi’s call witness consciousness
the Yogi’s call witness consciousness which is a kind of meta awareness that
which is a kind of meta awareness that
which is a kind of meta awareness that allows for non-attachment and a lot more
allows for non-attachment and a lot more
allows for non-attachment and a lot more wisdom and compassion to come through I
wisdom and compassion to come through I
wisdom and compassion to come through I want to invite you just to take a look
want to invite you just to take a look
want to invite you just to take a look around the room and imagine right now I
around the room and imagine right now I
around the room and imagine right now I won’t do it but imagine I asked you to
won’t do it but imagine I asked you to
won’t do it but imagine I asked you to get into small groups with three or four
get into small groups with three or four
get into small groups with three or four people that you don’t know and then
people that you don’t know and then
people that you don’t know and then imagine I asked you to share a little
imagine I asked you to share a little
imagine I asked you to share a little bit about your own biases or your
bit about your own biases or your
bit about your own biases or your experiences with racism notice what
experiences with racism notice what
experiences with racism notice what arises for you maybe curiosity maybe a
arises for you maybe curiosity maybe a
arises for you maybe curiosity maybe a little bit of discomfort I know I could
little bit of discomfort I know I could
little bit of discomfort I know I could start to feel that in my belly you might
start to feel that in my belly you might
start to feel that in my belly you might feel it in your chest or in your jaw and
feel it in your chest or in your jaw and
feel it in your chest or in your jaw and of course we don’t want to live in this
of course we don’t want to live in this
of course we don’t want to live in this place of tension so let’s take a nice
place of tension so let’s take a nice
place of tension so let’s take a nice inhale and exhale little breathing room
inhale and exhale little breathing room
inhale and exhale little breathing room is what allows us
is what allows us
is what allows us to come back to wiser thinking and our
to come back to wiser thinking and our
to come back to wiser thinking and our best selves taking another breath in and
best selves taking another breath in and
best selves taking another breath in and another breath out and one more nice
another breath out and one more nice
another breath out and one more nice full breath in and exhale when I get a
full breath in and exhale when I get a
full breath in and exhale when I get a little breathing room
little breathing room
little breathing room I can observe my own thoughts and other
I can observe my own thoughts and other
I can observe my own thoughts and other people with less judgment and I’m Way
people with less judgment and I’m Way
people with less judgment and I’m Way more open that’s the witness and it has
more open that’s the witness and it has
more open that’s the witness and it has so much power to short-circuit these
so much power to short-circuit these
so much power to short-circuit these prejudices these biases even the effects
prejudices these biases even the effects
prejudices these biases even the effects of internalized oppression for this
of internalized oppression for this
of internalized oppression for this reason I feel like we need to be super
reason I feel like we need to be super
reason I feel like we need to be super planful and intentional about how we
planful and intentional about how we
planful and intentional about how we include practice in every kind of
include practice in every kind of
include practice in every kind of political and activist group experience
political and activist group experience
political and activist group experience that were a part of I plan for it now
that were a part of I plan for it now
that were a part of I plan for it now intentionally so that I can keep that
intentionally so that I can keep that
intentionally so that I can keep that valley me 25 years ago it’s just like
valley me 25 years ago it’s just like
valley me 25 years ago it’s just like planning what food to serve or it can be
planning what food to serve or it can be
planning what food to serve or it can be an intervention sometimes if I notice
an intervention sometimes if I notice
an intervention sometimes if I notice someone in a meeting starting to round
someone in a meeting starting to round
someone in a meeting starting to round forward I know something’s going on that
forward I know something’s going on that
forward I know something’s going on that maybe isn’t the most productive
maybe isn’t the most productive
maybe isn’t the most productive contribution so I just invite them to
contribution so I just invite them to
contribution so I just invite them to inhale open their chest and drop their
inhale open their chest and drop their
inhale open their chest and drop their shoulders you can try that right now and
shoulders you can try that right now and
shoulders you can try that right now and I’ve also called for practice when it’s
I’ve also called for practice when it’s
I’ve also called for practice when it’s so clear that talking has run its course
so clear that talking has run its course
so clear that talking has run its course and people need to drop down from their
and people need to drop down from their
and people need to drop down from their head into their heart or their gut many
head into their heart or their gut many
head into their heart or their gut many years ago I was working with a high
years ago I was working with a high
years ago I was working with a high school program for students it was a
school program for students it was a
school program for students it was a faith-based program the topic of race
faith-based program the topic of race
faith-based program the topic of race came up and a lot of things started
came up and a lot of things started
came up and a lot of things started happening at once white students were
happening at once white students were
happening at once white students were sort of acting out of traditional
sort of acting out of traditional
sort of acting out of traditional stereotypes and students of color were
stereotypes and students of color were
stereotypes and students of color were very frustrated and understandably angry
very frustrated and understandably angry
very frustrated and understandably angry so we met as a staff to try to figure
so we met as a staff to try to figure
so we met as a staff to try to figure out what to do and we had a rich
out what to do and we had a rich
out what to do and we had a rich conversation but it didn’t lead to a lot
conversation but it didn’t lead to a lot
conversation but it didn’t lead to a lot of clarity so I just suggested that we
of clarity so I just suggested that we
of clarity so I just suggested that we take 10 minutes together to be quiet
take 10 minutes together to be quiet
take 10 minutes together to be quiet after 10 minutes were up and I came out
after 10 minutes were up and I came out
after 10 minutes were up and I came out of my own meditation practice I looked
of my own meditation practice I looked
of my own meditation practice I looked around the room and I saw my colleagues
around the room and I saw my colleagues
around the room and I saw my colleagues my friend Jason a white rabbi was
my friend Jason a white rabbi was
my friend Jason a white rabbi was standing at the window
standing at the window
standing at the window preying my friend Liz whose Catholic and
preying my friend Liz whose Catholic and
preying my friend Liz whose Catholic and latina was on her knees with her hands
latina was on her knees with her hands
latina was on her knees with her hands clasped in prayer and Christian and
clasped in prayer and Christian and
clasped in prayer and Christian and african-american Baptist had taken his
african-american Baptist had taken his
african-american Baptist had taken his Bible out we regrouped and wisdom just
Bible out we regrouped and wisdom just
Bible out we regrouped and wisdom just flew around the circle we quickly came
flew around the circle we quickly came
flew around the circle we quickly came up with a plan to introduce a framework
up with a plan to introduce a framework
up with a plan to introduce a framework of oppression Center the voices of
of oppression Center the voices of
of oppression Center the voices of students of color and give everyone a
students of color and give everyone a
students of color and give everyone a chance to speak so what I’m saying is
chance to speak so what I’m saying is
chance to speak so what I’m saying is this I didn’t learn the skills to cross
this I didn’t learn the skills to cross
this I didn’t learn the skills to cross boundaries when I was growing up you
boundaries when I was growing up you
boundaries when I was growing up you probably didn’t either but we can learn
probably didn’t either but we can learn
probably didn’t either but we can learn them now and we have to our collective
them now and we have to our collective
them now and we have to our collective survival and our shared humanity it
survival and our shared humanity it
survival and our shared humanity it depends on me and you breaking through
depends on me and you breaking through
depends on me and you breaking through the fears we have and literally re
the fears we have and literally re
the fears we have and literally re patterning our behavior so that these
patterning our behavior so that these
patterning our behavior so that these fault these lines of difference don’t
fault these lines of difference don’t
fault these lines of difference don’t become fault lines I believe that this
become fault lines I believe that this
become fault lines I believe that this nation is in its early adolescence when
nation is in its early adolescence when
nation is in its early adolescence when it comes to engaging the realities and
it comes to engaging the realities and
it comes to engaging the realities and the consequences of racism and I believe
the consequences of racism and I believe
the consequences of racism and I believe we all want to grow up and the good news
we all want to grow up and the good news
we all want to grow up and the good news is that these practices that thirty
is that these practices that thirty
is that these practices that thirty million of us are using every day can
million of us are using every day can
million of us are using every day can help these are the ways that we start to
help these are the ways that we start to
help these are the ways that we start to shift but we have to be willing we have
shift but we have to be willing we have
shift but we have to be willing we have to be willing to scale up mindfulness so
to be willing to scale up mindfulness so
to be willing to scale up mindfulness so that we can meet at the boundary and
that we can meet at the boundary and
that we can meet at the boundary and build relationships of solidarity and
build relationships of solidarity and
build relationships of solidarity and that means we have to be willing to be
that means we have to be willing to be
that means we have to be willing to be brave to struggle even squirm it’s like
brave to struggle even squirm it’s like
brave to struggle even squirm it’s like going further in a yoga pose if we’re
going further in a yoga pose if we’re
going further in a yoga pose if we’re mindful of a stretch it is a really
mindful of a stretch it is a really
mindful of a stretch it is a really fruitful place of growth and expansion
fruitful place of growth and expansion
fruitful place of growth and expansion if we’re mindless we can get hurt if we
if we’re mindless we can get hurt if we
if we’re mindless we can get hurt if we relax into the breath and the body the
relax into the breath and the body the
relax into the breath and the body the mind softens and what is difficult
mind softens and what is difficult
mind softens and what is difficult becomes generative this is just like
becomes generative this is just like
becomes generative this is just like cells building a body it starts with our
cells building a body it starts with our
cells building a body it starts with our daily interactions the groups you find
daily interactions the groups you find
daily interactions the groups you find yourselves in difficult family
yourselves in difficult family
yourselves in difficult family conversations meetings at work or at
conversations meetings at work or at
conversations meetings at work or at school the activism you’re a part of
school the activism you’re a part of
school the activism you’re a part of lunch right now
lunch right now
lunch right now I believe that we all want with those
I believe that we all want with those
I believe that we all want with those folks in Houston wanted what those
folks in Houston wanted what those
folks in Houston wanted what those students wanted what every group I’ve
students wanted what every group I’ve
students wanted what every group I’ve ever worked with has wanted to be seen
ever worked with has wanted to be seen
ever worked with has wanted to be seen and heard for who we really are
and heard for who we really are
and heard for who we really are to connect authentically across lines of
to connect authentically across lines of
to connect authentically across lines of difference and to move together toward
difference and to move together toward
difference and to move together toward justice thank you
”
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