As Dr. Barbara Love said in her very well-attended talk to our community which was sponsored by “Coming Together”,  if ending racism were just a matter of learning, we would have ended it long ago.  We need to also heal from the hurts of racism – both people of color and white people.  (There is no comparison between the horrific hurts of racism experienced by people of color and what white people experience, yet we have all been dehumanized and have healing to do.)

We heal when we get to tell our stories and be listened to with respect and caring.  We help others heal when we invite them to tell their stories and listen to them with caring attention.  Our healing is deepened when we can also feel our feelings connected to race and racism and let them out.  “What’s your earliest memory of being aware of racial differences?  Of race-based mistreatment?  Of white advantage?  How has your life been different because of racism?”

Here’s a description of a workable way to exchange listening around this topic:
How to Begin Support Listening Sessions for Ending Racism

Here are some topics for listening exchanges or conversations:
Topics for Support Listening Sessions or Conversations

Here’s an interesting relevant article:
We All Have Feelings about Race and Racism