Table of Contents

Introductions to the PACE Workshop "A Personal Approach to Change and Equity"

Our PACE Workshop is a thorough, intimate introduction to the strategies involved in creating multicultural environments. When you complete this course, we believe you will have the skills necessary to identify and challenge “isms” in yourself, in others, and within organizations. This session typically stresses increased learning at the emotional level, as well as new cognitive information and opportunities for practicing new approaches. 

Each of our workshops is unique. Because the program evolves to deliver the learning objectives, it may seem as though there is no specific agenda. However, trust that your facilitators are guiding the work of the group. Depending on the needs of each group, we stress different aspects of our core design. It is likely that attendance at two to four workshops would provide exposure to all the material we cover. 

If you wish to enhance your learning, we suggest that you write down some personal goals and hopes prior to the workshop. During the session, it is helpful to be open to your responses regarding both the information we present (content) and how we conduct the workshops (process). All workshops combine personal and group experiential learning with examination of oppression on four levels – personal, interpersonal, cultural, and institutional. 

VISIONS considers multicultural training as an ongoing process. It takes time and support to assimilate new information, to develop different behaviors, and to implement change. It is important you understand that completion of a PACE Workshop does not reflect the end of one’s journey in this area. Quite the contrary! For, even though you will be eager to experiment with making personal and organizational changes, you also will want to continue learning and gaining support and feedback. 

In that spirit, VISIONS also offers supervised follow-up programs. These monthly day-long and half-day sessions, and quarterly two-day programs, allow you to practice implementing multicultural approaches with the support and feedback of our trainers and other participants. These Ongoing Multicultural Skill Building Groups also provide opportunities to learn and share with others committed to creating working multicultural environments. 

Daily Readings During Training

Suggested articles are offered each day of the workshop. They involve up to two hours of reading. Please be prepared to allow time during the evenings and/or lunch breaks for this “homework”.

Attendance

The training process is most successful for both the individual and the group when all participants attend the entire four-day workshop. If you anticipate any problem with this expectation, please contact the main office at office@visions-inc.org or 617-541-4100.

More Information

For further information about VISIONS, visit our website at VISIONS-inc.org. We look forward to your participation in the workshop. 

Please double-check that you have the latest version of Zoom. Some planned activities may need it, so please take the time to get that ready ahead of time. 

You will receive the Zoom link for the sessions via a Google Calendar invite about 1-2 weeks before the workshop. 

Note: The materials assigned here are intended to supplement your PACE experience. Some of them are “old”.  Please know that if they are included, they reflect theory and/or practice that are important to understanding the historical and/or theoretical context of our work.   Several are “primary sources” and do not exist in “newer” versions.

As you review the materials and the links, please notice how your response to the date of an article or link may reflect a western worldview that “newer” is better.  A multicultural or inclusive perspective invites us to ask different questions.  For instance: What is useful about this article or link in deepening my understanding of how change happens? What is similar and different in my experience from when this article was written, or this link produced? What new material am I aware of that makes the point stated in this article/link? What makes it easier for me to “try on” an idea when I think it’s new or see a newer rendition?  

One of the major points we hope you will take away from a PACE session is how much our national work remains the same since 1964.  Instead of transformative social change, we have had much cosmetic change, hence the notion, “new melodies for the same old tunes.”  Since March 2020, the reality of VISIONS’ message since 1984 is apparent to all who can let themselves see what is happening. And yet, it is not clear if the United States can change course and fundamentally repair our faulty foundation.  We hope your PACE experience will enhance your tool kits for helping to do so!

Day 1 

Reviewing the Historical and Institutional level context

• Black Ghettos Are No Accident: How State-Sponsored Racism Shaped US Cities

• The History of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street Massacre

• The Massacre of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street

Exploring how this context plays out at the personal and interpersonal levels

• The role of feelings in the workplace

• Modern Racism: A TA Perspective

• Knowing and Changing the Cultural Script Component of Racism

• The Race Script of the Counselor

Day 2 

Naming and Changing at the Personal and Interpersonal level, including exploring cultural differences

• How Racism Hurts -- Literally -Madeline Drexler

• Critical Issues in Latino, American Indian and Asian Pacific American Identity Development

• Developing Trans-culturally Sensitive Theory and Practice 

• Black Physicians Experience with Race: Should We be Surprised?

• Using a Language That is Not Your Own

Day 3 

Three/Naming/Challenging the Institutional and Cultural Levels

• Mass. High Court Says Black Men May Have Legitimate Reason To Flee Police – Zeninjor Enwemeka 

• How to Discuss Wrongful Deaths of Black People with Our Youth – David Johns 

• White Working-Class Longevity Drops Along with White Privilege - Barbara Ehrenreich

• Critical Success Factors for an Inclusive Diversity Initiative – Thomas S. Griggs

• Notes on Re-entry - adapted from National Training Lab Institute (Kathy Lippert & Brendan Reddy

• Let’s Talk About Race in Latin@ Communities

Additional resources:

•  Assumptions and Definitions

• Race as the Target Variable

• Reading Assessment Form

• The Feeling Wheel -Dr. Gloria Wilcox

• VISIONS Supplemental Slides 

• Personal and organizational problem-solving worksheet