Community Learning Through Our Lunch and Learn Events
Our Racial Justice & Public Policy Team piloted a NEW community learning framework with Third Thursday Lunch & Learns. As a part of this restructuring, we reframed our sessions from a lecture-style structure to include participant engagement, cultivating richer conversations rooted in community voice and wisdom along with resources. 
Abolition as a Framework
In our September gathering, we facilitated a deep-dive conversation into the history and politics of abolition. With this, we covered an overview of the early beginnings of the abolitionist movement, the connections between abolitionist work and advocating for racial justice. One reason this topic was selected was in preparation for our It's Time to Talk: Forums on Race™ event with the iconic Angela Davis held in October. We enjoyed the opportunity to engage Professor Davis’ intellect and reflections on where abolition is now and where it can go. We also felt this was an important topic to cover given the upheaval in our local community during 2020 around the George Floyd protests. We aimed with this session to continue the ongoing radical imagination work that the artists and activists brought forth.
Resources for Further Learning
- We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom by Bettina Love
- Unapologetic: A Black, Queer, and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements by Charlene Carruthers
- Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
- For All the People by John Curl
Introduction to Environmental Justice
November’s Lunch & Learn brought the opportunity to talk with the community about the interlinkages between environmental activism and racial justice work. Building off of the history of Green Action, a California-based multiracial grassroots organization that fights for health and environmental justice with low-income, urban, rural and indigenous communities. Using their definitions of environmental justice, we also dove into the work of Octavia Butler’s "Parable of the Sower" and had time to reflect on the beautiful poetry of Ross Gay.
Resources for Further Learning
- Environmental justice organizations eye closing HERC in zero waste plan (sahanjournal.com)
- Environmental Justice | Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (mncenter.org)
- Interview with Robert Bullard: "Pollution is Segregated" Says the Father of Environmental Justice | Amanpour and Company – YouTube
Join Us Next Time!
As we continue these virtual gatherings, we are eager to host sessions that capture our communities' urgent and timely issues using the third Thursday of the month to have robust conversations alongside community members. Below are a few resources for further learning. JOIN US FOR AN UPCOMING LUNCH AND LEARN EVENT LEARN MORE ABOUT YWCA RACIAL JUSTICE PROGRAMSDONATE TO YWCA MINNEAPOLIS