Talking About Race: A Workbook

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

NOW 2014 Conference Photos! Enjoy!





    1. Big crowd for the late morning plenary on Strength in Diversity! #now14 #human #feminism pic.twitter.com/VyMFyWau5f
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    1. Jihane Bergaoui ‏@jbergaoui  Jun 27
      @NationalNOW #NOW14 Plenary on Strength in Diversity pic.twitter.com/vweTT
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Monday, July 7, 2014

Henry White and Kaolin speaking at Holyoke Community College in the Fall

Henry White and I will be speaking at Holyoke Community College about systemic racism in small liberal towns pre-launching of our book on the subject, Wednesday Oct, 1, 2014 11-12:30 pm. Hope you will be able to join us!

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

National Organization for Women Conference 2014: Feminism Strength in Diversity June 27-29, 2014 Albuquerque, New Mexico

The National Organization Conference (NOW) for Women was spectacular!

It was an honor to be Keynote Plenary Speaker on White Privilege.

Along with Desiree Jordan, moderated by Coline Jenkins we ran a workshop.

Here is a description of what our workshop entailed:

The Spirit of Change: Working the Racial Equality Muscle
In the spirit of change we want to discuss the resistance one has to talking about race. We understand family-of-origin issues such as incest, often interfere in the process of healing which can impact one’s ability and willingness to remain mindful of white privilege. We will address the effect this has on activism, policy and how one can influence & accelerate change in these areas. We’ll discuss the ‘bystander syndrome’ & demonstrate how you might stand up and out when confrontation is necessary to make your position on racial equality clear in your circle. You will form a ‘solid identity’ that gives you the knowledge & ability to transform the meaning of whiteness, therefore becoming a game-changer where racism is concerned.
Moderator: Coline Jenkins
Panelists: Desiree Jordan and Kaolin
Take a look at the amazing speakers who spoke at the conference. Everyone left inspired and ready to return to the work ahead of us!

Thank you to NOW for the incredibly important work they are doing. 

And to all the attendees for being so responsive to fostering racial equality in their lives today!


Monday, June 16, 2014

My Writing Process Blog Tour

JUNE 16, 2014 My Writing Process Blog Tour ~ I was honored to be invited by Catherine McCall, international best-selling author of the memoir, “Never Tell,” to participate in the #mywritingprocess blog tour. 

The following four questions have been asked of everyone who has and will participate in this community of writers.

 1) What am I working on? I am working on a speech I will be giving as Keynote Plenary Speaker on  WHITE PRIVILEGE and a workshop I am presenting with Desiree Jordan titled, THE SPIRIT OF CHANGE: WORKING THE RACIAL EQUALITY MUSCLE at the 2014 (NOW) NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN CONFERENCE at the Hyatt Regency in Albuquerque, New Mexico June 27 -29 2014. In addition, my 2nd book co-authored by Mr. Henry White, producer and host of NCTV's Spotlighting Paradise, is titled: Protocol: Welcome to Paradise, Watch Your Step will be launched in the fall 2014. It is about racism in Northampton, MA. and in small towns across the country also known for their liberalism.

 2.) How does my work differ from others of its genre? It clarifies the affect of systemic racism upon the individual, encouraging my readers to "transform the meaning of whiteness" by taking action in their daily lives to foster racial equality. It also encourages individuals to get validation for their efforts.

 3) Why do I write what I do? I write what I do because white privilege is a perversion of power for its own sake and I prefer to look at the possibilities that do exist for us once we have begun to dissemble systemic racism, since racism permeates our existence no matter where we look, where we live, whom we know or who we are. I am convinced that racism is our inheritance and it is one we can all do without!

 4) How does my writing process work?


  1. Most often I visualize what I believe needs to be said. Then I   start to jot down one liners about the subject. 
  2. Occasionally, I start writing right away and then return to it until it is a finished product. 
  3. Sometimes I do wait until I can see the piece in its entirety. 
  4. Writing is pleasurable and a necessary form of expression. 
  5. It is also work that requires your entire body. 
  6. I walk a great deal in between writing.
  7.  Shut the phone off as much as possible. 
  8. Give myself room to be inspired. 
  9. Create an aura of solitude and serenity when I write. 
  10. It is important to be confident of what I have to say and my right to say it. 
When  you write you are exercising a freedom that cannot be taken away from you.

I recommend that many who are struggling to find their voice sit down and start writing!

The week of June 23rd there will be a real treat for you. Three writer's will be joining the Blogging Tour. They have been associates of mine for years and are brilliant, benevolent and extremely busy humanitarians. I am honored to have met them and sustain such profoundly loving and respectful relationships to each one of them. Be sure to look at their blogs the week of June 23rd to find out more about their work and writing process!

Ms. Sanya Hudson-Payne is a consummate educator. In 1997 she was selected to launch New York City's pilot Inclusion Program integrating general and special education students. As a result, her teaching methods were modeled and instituted in classrooms across NYC. A whimsical writer in 2005, her first book "The Season of Love" was launched. Afterwards she secured a lucrative publishing deal for her second book "A Love I can Trust" which has led to international success, taking her career a step further partnering with 1209 Enterprise LLC to become the Vice-President of 1209 Publishing Co. Ms. Hudson-Payne has contributed numerous articles to Sisterhood Agenda, Moving Forward and the Associated Press. Her latest book is, "Your Dreams Can Come True." "Encourage, Empower, Educate" is her mantra.
www.sanyahudson.blogspot.com

Dr. Allana Graca Toddman holds a Doctorate in Education (Professional Studies) from Capella University. She received a Master’s Degree in Communication with a specialization in New Media from Emerson College. Dr. Da Graca has served as a freelance professional and radio host for notable media conglomerates. She has served on various panels pertaining to community advocacy and diversity awareness. For the past seventeen years, Dr. Da Graca has taught a variety of public speaking and theatre courses at the High School, and University Level. For ten years she directly assisted a non-profit in using arts and communication techniques to foster retention and academic success. Currently she teaches a variety of communication courses (Mass Media, Intro to Comm, Social Media, Group Comm) as an online instructor at Walden University. She is the recipient of the Robert C. Ford Fellowship, Martin Luther King Leadership BHCC Award, and the Chahara Foundation Award. Her focus as an educator is to help adult learners with professional development with respect to they way in which they communicate in personal and professional settings. In addition to this, Dr. Da Graca has an passion for civic engagement with communities and organizations that foster the development of self-esteem and persistence in young girls and women.
Author, Educator & Artist (Music, Theatre, Poetry) Website: http://allanadagraca.wordpress.com/

John T Wills - http://thoughtprovokingperspectives.wordpress.com/Mr. Wills has earned a Master’s and Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. He’s been a professor at Sojourner-Douglass College (HBC), Past Board Member of the Bowie State University Foundation, President of JT Wills Consulting, Past Vice President of the MD/DC Minority Supplier Development Council, one of the founding members of the Black Empowered Men group, author of “Just a Season” and “Legacy – A New Season”, a Journalist by way of the Washington Examiner and a blogging; in addition to being supporter of several community organizations, a volunteer, a strong advocate for literacy empowerment and friend to many. A

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Do read the article I wrote in UnityFirst E Mailzine about the 8th Annual Northeast Regional Fair Housing and Civil Rights Conference 2014 on April 10th and 11th at the Springfield Marriott, Springfield, MA. Here is the article: http://unityfirst.com/assets/regionalemags/uf2014specialissue/index.html#p=20">
http://thoughtprovokingperspectives.wordpress.com/2014/05/06/8th-annual-northwest-regional-fair-housing-and-civil-rights-commission-2014/ ">

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Celebrating The 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and The 25th Anniversary of the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in Springfield, MA Kaolin will be having a book signing at this event Thursday April 10, 2014 4:00-6:00 Thursday April 10th and Friday April 11th! www.2014conference.massfairhousing.org

Friday, February 28, 2014

For White Womyn who were subjected to family-of-origin abuse/s and wonder if or how they might be able to join with other race-workers in our effort to dismantle racism: “It is through a form of recognition/connection, identity/memory crisis and moments of exclusion, that each of us can formally and relentlessly continue to recognize and validate the crisis of racism and the perpetual assault of poc/woc whose lives are always threatened and rendered useless, irrelevant, worthless no matter their age … Most all women are born into families-in-crisis. We can and do take aspects of those crisis with us but my faith in white womyn in particular, where racism is concerned, lies in the fact that we can (and many do) take that crisis along with the transcendent value within it and relate it back to the larger group of womyn-in-crisis with fortitude, grace and knowledge in order to elevate and insert our love, strength and courage with regard to the inner and exterior work of fostering racial equality in our own lives, every day. It is thru the kinds of responses many of you write to me and the kind of stories you tell me about yourself, that WE CAN, WE DO and WE WILL continue to break through the which binds us all in a myriad of confusion, pain, abuse, despair, isolation, loneliness and rage.” ~ Kaolin, Talking About Race: A Workbook about White People Fostering Racial Equality in Their Lives Do keep sending me emails about your life along with any questions you might have about how to integrate your desire to foster racial equality with your self-care plan/work having survived early childhood and pre-adolescent trauma within your family-of-origin. Thank you! KAOLINLTAR@COMCAST.NET

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Kaolin, is one of the Judges for the 2014 Quality of Life Innovations Program (QLI)! Working In Support of Education (WISE) 2014 Scholars Competition. This program asks NYC high school students to choose, research a real world "quality of life" issue and then to develop a feasible recommendation to resolve their issue. Students submit their proposal that is entered into a scholarship competition. Follow this link: http://www.wise-ny.org for more information.

Friday, January 3, 2014

Sad and disturbing news about Jones Library in Amherst, MA. ... read the following link about it - "It doesn't surprise me though in Amherst. They should all do a community read and dialogue with your book." ~ A resident of Northampton, MA. http://www.gazettenet.com/home/10041349-95/tintin-comics-to-remain-in-amherst-library-childrens-room-despite-parents-objections