ARCs will meet at least once every two weeks during the academic year. ARCs may meet more than that and may, if they choose, meet over the summer, but this is not required.
In order to make being part of an ARC a sustainable long-term practice, outside preparation needs to be kept minimal. However, to ensure that the group continues to focus on anti-racist work and doesn’t just become a book club or drinking group (though reading books together and consuming adult beverages in moderation are certainly allowed), all ARCs will be given a prompt every two weeks to shape their discussion.
Because an essential part of an ARC’s purpose is to help members process things that are happening in their lives, prompts should be regarded as spurs to discussion rather than a reason to exclude other topics.
ARCs must model inclusivity and promote the well-being and full participation of every member of the group. Each group will be responsible for coming to a consensus on discussion and interaction guidelines that support this goal. These guidelines should be renegotiated whenever a new member joins a group, rather than asking the new member simply to accept existing guidelines. A model for guidelines is provided in "ARC Member Commitments" on the Membership page of this site.
It is worth noting here that while ARC includes the word "Circle" in its name, ARCs are not modeled on, nor should they be construed as an attempt to appropriate, indigenous conflict-resolution practices. ARCs are conceived of simply as informal, problem-solving circles. However, an individual ARC may choose to engage in the study and respectful application of indigenous circle practices if its members feel that more formal restorative modes of interaction are helpful (1).
ARCs are responsible for managing their own scheduling and other basic logistics. A member of an ARC may be designated to be in charge of this part of the ARC's functioning or the responsibility may be shared.
All ARCs will discuss the same prompt at the same time. This will facilitate informal “crossover” discussions between members of various groups and will enable ARCs to be part of a campus response to events, issues, and incidents that may arise.
ARCs will take turns developing the prompt, and the process for doing so will be coordinated by the ARC Coordinating Committee (see the Leadership page of this site).
In early January and at the end of May, all ARCs will be invited to come together for a larger “summit” meeting. The format and content of these meetings will be determined by the Coordinating Committee with input from the members of all the groups.
In late August, those who have never been part of an ARC and wish to participate in the upcoming year will be placed in a group that works for their schedule and meeting location preferences, and will be given a grounding in ARC principles by the Coordinating Committee.
The goal of ARCs is first and foremost to provide support and ongoing opportunities for reflection for those who have committed to anti-racism. While a commitment to activism is not required for membership in an ARC, the process of participating in the reflection and dialogue that takes place within an ARC is likely, for most, to lead sooner or later to some kind of concrete action to dismantle the unjust system in which we live. Indeed, for individual habits to change, it is essential for the environment in which individuals live to change.
Thus, the hope is that ARCs will have a “bias toward action” and a desire to make tangible change rather than merely reflect on the status quo. The specific form this activism takes, however, is up to the individual and/or group, depending on their talents, temperaments, time, opportunities, and where they are on their anti-racist journey.