Transforming White Organizational Culture
A live, interactive online workshop that looks at how people can work for racial justice in your organization by:
- Identifying and exploring the characteristics of white organizational culture
- Understanding how white organizational culture operates in your organization
- Exploring remedies to help replace white organizational culture with multiracial, anti-racist culture and to heal and repair the negative impact of white organizational culture on your organization
- Transforming your organization to be anti-racist, diverse, equitable and inclusive
Moving toward an Anti-Racist Multiracial Organization
Many professionals and organizations know something about “white privilege,” and maybe “structural racism,” but fail to recognize how their organizational culture embodies white cultural values, practices, norms, and expectations. What appears to be “business as usual” and “the way things are” actually reflects unexamined white cultural values which are often problematic and limiting. Learning what this means and what to do about it are key skills in light of the persistence of white organizational culture.
The workshop uses an explicitly anti-racist frame, rather than a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) perspective. DEI broadly outlines the efforts an institution takes to create a more welcoming environment for people of less-privileged identities. Anti-racism focuses on being actively conscious of race and racism, and taking action to end racial inequities. This includes challenging systemic racial oppression manifested in our organizations and institutions.
Our task in this workshop is to explore transforming white organizational culture by decentering whiteness and centering an anti-racist multiracial culture.
The workshop uses didactic presentation, and both small and large group discussion. All sessions are videorecorded, and recordings are shared with registered participants.
Sessions Open for Registration
If you are interested in this workshop but no dates are listed here, sign up for our WAITLIST.
Who Should Attend
You may want to take this workshop if your organization is one where:
- HR people say, “We can’t find qualified People of Color”
- Staff members object, “Why talk about race — there’s no problem here”
- You have difficulty retaining skilled employees of color
- Staff of color identify and/or experience an unsupportive work atmosphere
- You cannot get traction in communities of color or even figure out how to begin
- People say the organization is “too white,” or you suspect that yourself
The workshop is appropriate for:
- Managers
- Supervisors
- Organizational decision-makers
- Board members
- Staff members
- Anyone who has an interest in transforming an organization to one that is truly multiracial and anti-racist
Workshop Topics
The workshop touches on several topics in an introductory way, including:
- Definitions of culture & white organizational culture
- Values and beliefs of white organizational culture
- Socialization process into white organizational culture
- Comparison of personal values and beliefs to white organizational culture
- Manifestations of organizational culture in your organization
- Impact of organizational culture
- Ability to influence change
- Inclusive, anti-racist organizational culture
- Remedies to help replace white organizational culture with multiracial, anti-racist culture and to heal and repair the negative impact of white organizational culture
- Next steps as agents of change
What people are saying…
I learned a great deal about identifying the characteristics of white organizational culture, and understanding how white organizational culture operates in my organization.
Thank you! I’ve been so pleased and have learned much with all of the workshops I’ve taken with you.
I find myself referencing what I learned in the workshop regularly.
I learned a great deal about remedies to the negative impact of white organizational culture. I learned something about transforming my organization to be truly multiracial, multicultural, and antiracist.
I thought this was a fabulous workshop. I wish it could have been longer! I really looked forward to each session and was astounded by the bravery and vulnerability of participants. I learned so much, not just from the educators, but also from fellow participants.
The content is comprehensive and up to date and materials are all organized and presented in such a way that students at many different stages can easily benefit. Without exception, the trainers were consistently empathetic and understanding in response to questions and comments. I was highly impressed by the way they embodied and modeled the values of Relational Culture. (This is something I have never actually seen before and wasn’t even sure it could be done!)
Excellent workshop! I recommend it.
A big part for me was the very frank discussion and listing of white supremacy characteristics in small and large groups. I thought that the presenters had strategies in place for helping people who might be experiencing difficult emotions. I came away with some ideas for what I could do in my organization.
This workshop is essential for any of us who are working for racial equity and justice. Its deep analysis of white organizational culture is rooted in an historical context… The workshop clarified my understanding so I am better able to explain the daily impact of white organizational culture on us all.
As a result of this workshop, I am extremely motivated to work towards transforming white organizational culture in my organization. I would recommend the workshop to others.