The Work Toward Racial Justice
Three critical, interconnected domains of work
Racial justice requires a lifelong commitment across three interconnected domains: doing the internal work, building accountable relationships, and actively disrupting unjust systems.
First Domain: Embracing Internal Work
Racial justice starts within by confronting internalized racism, entitlement, and perfectionism. This means managing discomfort and defensiveness, seeking own learning, and observing resistance to change or protection of the status quo.
Second Domain: Building Authentic Relationships
Racial justice is not a solo project. Committing to honest, accountable relationships means listening without centering ourselves, trusting feedback, and showing up consistently.
Third Domain: Disrupting Systems
Addressing individual actions or attitudes is not enough. Racial equity demands systemic change. This means transforming the institutions, laws, and policies that uphold inequity—especially in education, employment, income, and justice. Shifting these levers is essential to lasting, meaningful change.
What the work looks like within each domain...
What it looks like:
What it looks like:
What it looks like:
- Connect your purpose to racial equity as a core value.
- Listen deeply to BIPOC voices, w/o defensiveness.
- Recognize and seek out marginalized voices.
- Notice and challenge norms that center whiteness (even in yourself).
- Unpack guilt and perfection with honesty and self-compassion.
- Notice where you could diversity your networks.
- Explore how justice feels and moves in your body (somatic practice).
What it looks like:
What it looks like:
What it looks like:
- Build authentic, trust-based relationships with BIPOC.
- Listen deeply and accept feedback without defensiveness.
- Apologize when needed, learn, and commit to doing better.
- Invest in amplify voices working for justice and BIPOC-led work.
- Show up consistently.
- Join in white affinity groups for learning and accountability.
- Notice relationship patter
- Build authentic, trust-based relationships with BIPOC.
- Listen deeply and accept feedback without defensiveness.
- Apologize when needed, learn, and commit to doing better.
- Invest in amplify voices working for justice and BIPOC-led work.
- Show up consistently.
- Join in white affinity groups for learning and accountability.
- Notice relationship patterns in your life and expand your networks.
- Understand when your presence is helpful and when to step back.
What it looks like:
What it looks like:
What it looks like:
- Speak up against inequitable policies using your platform.
- Activley diversity your networks and decision-making spaces.
- Prioritize racial justice through your voting and advocacy.
- Invest in Black-led initiatives and divest in exclusionary organizations.
- Examine and shift whiteness in your spaces, networks, and systems.
- Support racial equity in
- Speak up against inequitable policies using your platform.
- Activley diversity your networks and decision-making spaces.
- Prioritize racial justice through your voting and advocacy.
- Invest in Black-led initiatives and divest in exclusionary organizations.
- Examine and shift whiteness in your spaces, networks, and systems.
- Support racial equity in policy, pushing for systemic change in:
- CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Push for policing and justice system reform; end cash bail; decriminalize minor offenses, and eliminate mandatory minimums.
- EDUCATION: Advocate for full, accurate history education; equitable school funding; End discriminatory discipline practices and dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline; Support higher education access and HBCU funding.
- ECONOMIC: Back policies for fair employment, wealth-building, and student debt relief; Influence equitable hiring, pay, and workplace policies.
- HEALTH:Work to eliminate medical racism and expand healthcare access, including Medicaid and bias-free medical training.
- HOUSING: Advocate for fair housing laws, expanded affordable housing, and investment in marginalized communities.
- VOTING: Protect voting rights; support automatic registration; restore voting rights for the formerly incarcerated; fight gerrymandering.
Action Planning
Embracing Your New Role
- This work matters to me because…
- A practice I want to start or deepen is….
- I can integrate this into my life by…
- I can stay committed by checking in with…
- When I feel discouraged or stuck, I will…
Juneteenth Ideas
- Intentionally shop at Black-owned businesses (especially if it’s an ongoing order)
- Go to a black-owned restaurant
- Contribute to Black-led organizations working for justice (e.g., EJI, NMAAHC, NAACP, SPLC, Mothers of Gynecology Health & Wellness Clinic)
- Find a local event (for those in DC...)
- Anacostia Community Museum Juneteenth Celebration (June 19, 10 AM–5 PM)
A free, full-day program featuring cultural performances, art, and community-based learning - Ward 7 Juneteenth community parade (starting at 10 AM) and festival in Fort Dupont Park—an opportunity to walk in solidarity
- See the Emancipation Proclamation Display at the National Archives
- Visit the National Museum of African American History & Culture for storytime, book signing, crafts, and live jazz.
- Go to the festivities at National Harbor, shop the marketplace of Black-owned businesses, see double Dutch teams, high school step dancers, contemporary dance ensembles, DJs, live music, and an evening showing of Black Panther.
- Explore We Gather at the Edge, a contemporary quilt exhibition by Black women artists at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (Renwick Gallery), open through June 22
- Get ready for Independence Day by watching Frederick Douglass descendants recite “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”
What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas were finally informed of their freedom. Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived with federal troops and issued General Order No. 3, which officially declared that all enslaved people in Texas were free, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed (January 1, 1863). It reminds us that freedom in the U.S. has always been delayed, contested, and incomplete. This date is now commemorated as Juneteenth, as a day of Black liberation, joy, mourning, and continued struggle for justice.
A Fourth Domain
For Leaders
There is a fourth domain: Institutions
The values an organization lives by critically influences inclusion (or exclusion). When an organization commits to being an inclusive one, it enters into a process of new understanding, auditing, and restructuring its processes, procedures with inclusive practices. And practice is a good word - just as an individual practices who they want to be, so does an organization. When an organization sees and values difference, it creates a culture that continually overcomes all forms of oppression. Then full participation is evidenced in limitless ways of personal satisfaction, fulfillment, and organizational success.