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Dismantling Racism Resource Book

Assessing Organizational Racism

Western States Center Views, Winter 2001

"We don't really have a problem with racism in our community
because most of our population is white."

When it comes to race and racism, many social change organizations have trouble walking their talk
(and for some, even talking the talk gets short shrift). Predominantly white organizations may think
that racism is not their issue until more people of color join. Or they may think that the extent of
their work around race is to get more people of color to join.

The Dismantling Racism Project at Western States Center believes that racism is everyone's
problem, whether or not people of color are involved in your organization. Primarily white
organizations can and should become anti-racist, even if their racial composition does not change.
Becoming a multicultural organization is not a necessary goal of antiracist work.

The fact is, racism is reflected in every institution and organization in the U.S.: social change groups
are not exempt. The structures and cultures of community-based, grassroots groups reproduce the
white privilege and racial oppression of the wider society. Whatever your social change mission, it's
bound to fall short as long as racism continues to flourish and maintain the status quo.

Fortunately, organizations, like individuals, can evolve to become anti-racist. The transformation
begins with developing a comprehensive understanding of how racism and oppression operate within
an organization's own walls. From that analysis comes a commitment and concrete plans for
dismantling racism within the organization and in the larger society.

This Organizational Assessment — an excerpt of a longer self-evaluation tool used by the
Dismantling Racism Project — offers a place to start. This sampling of questions is designed to help
you examine and change the ways your organization replicates larger racist patterns.
Grab a snack and something to drink, get a pen and a pad of paper. Better yet, gather a few other
people from your organization and work through these questions together. As you read each
question, take a moment to answer it for your organization before reading the additional
commentary.

Finally, remember: this is a starting place. The fundamental evolution needed to become actively
antiracist is a long, slow, deep process. But organizations that have made the commitment are living
proof that it can be done. The changes they've made confirm that the hard work of transformation is
worth every minute.

Who makes decisions in your organization?
• Does your organization have a goal to dismantle racism? Is this goal reflected in your decision
making process?
• Is there a shared analysis of who has decision making power and who does not? Does everyone
know how decisions are made?

Dismantling Racism Project 65 Western States Center