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Dismantling Racism Resource Book

It actively recruits and welcomes people of color and celebrates having a diverse staff and
board. It is committed to reducing prejudice within the group and offers programs that help
members learn more about the diverse cultures that make up the organization. White people in
the organization tend to feel good about the commitment to diversity. Like the previous two,
however, people of color are still asked to join the dominant culture and fit in.

An interesting point to consider is that most multi-national corporations are at this stage, while
most non-profits, even social change non-profits, are still predominantly in one of the first two
stages. Multi-national corporations recognize that their financial success is tied to their
customer base and their customer base is racially diverse. So, for example, in states where
there are active English-only campaigns, the banks are offering ATM machines in English and

Spanish. This is not to say we should model ourselves after multi-national corporations, but it is
worth thinking about how they are further ahead than most of us in thinking about the
implications of a changing demographics for their organization.

The Anti-Racist Organization

Based on an analysis of the history of racism and power in this country, this organization
supports the development of anti-racist white allies and empowered people of color through the
organization’s culture, norms, policies and procedures.

The Anti-Racist Organization integrates this commitment into the program, helping white
people work together and challenge each other around issues of racism, share power with people
of color, take leadership from and be accountable to people of color, feel comfortable with
being uncomfortable while understanding that we are all learning all the time. The Anti-Racist

Organization helps people of color become more empowered through taking leadership, sharing
in the power, transforming the organizational norms and culture, challenging white allies and
other people of color, sharing in decisions about how the organizations resources will be spent,
what work gets done as well as how it gets done, the setting of priorities, and allowing people of
color to make the same mistakes as white people. The organization does this by forming white
and people of color caucuses, providing training and encouraging discussions about racism, white
privilege, power, and accountability, setting clear standards for inclusion at all levels of the
organization, reviewing the mission, vision, policies, procedures, board agreements, etc. to insure
that the commitment to end racism is a consistent theme, helping people to understand the links
between the oppressions, and devoting organizational time and resources to building

relationships across race and other barriers.

Dismantling Racism Project 59 Western States Center