Addressing Racism in the Organization: The Role of White Racial Affinity Groups in Creating Change

Abstract

Racial affinity group meetings, or caucuses, can be effective tools for human service agencies to address cultural responsiveness or shift their organizational paradigm toward antiracism. The development of such caucuses is seldom undertaken, however, often due to concerns about resources and the difficulty of envisioning the concrete benefits. This article describes the formation, implementation, and functioning of a White antiracism caucus, facilitated by the authors, in a large social service agency. Organizational context, group development, and attempts to address institutional racism are presented. Issues of professional identity development, the reification of White privilege, and internal systems of accountability are described.

Keywords:

• antiracism
• caucus
• institutional racism
• race
• race-based
• racial affinity
• racial equity
• White privilege

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Mary Pender Greene, Margery Freeman, and David Billings, DMin, of the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond. Their thoughtful guidance and keen insights about antiracism organizing and caucusing are valuable beyond measure.