FGC is excited to announce a new opportunity for all friends who are interested in deepening their commitment to the Quaker testimonies to apply to our Quakers Uprooting Racism Community Practice cohort. As we at Friends General Conference continue to deepen and integrate our commitment to our query; How does this decision support FGC in its goal to transform into an actively anti-racist faith community? We recognize our faith communities need for collaboration and mutual support to increase our efforts to dismantle white supremacy among Friends and beyond. Thus we co-created a coalition of Quaker organizations – including the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Friends Council on Education, Friends General Conference, and Pendle Hill to address racism in our Quaker communities. 

What has come of this two year coalition has been the creation of a ten month training for a cohort of roughly 80 Quakers that is set to run September 2021- June, 2022. Registration for the cohort is open now (see link at bottom to apply)! This cohort will be an intentionally diverse group of Quakers from various backgrounds, regions, ages, races and LGBTQ identity’s. We welcome all to apply who are interested, regardless of ‘knowledge’, ‘skill’ or ‘experience’ level. 

During this cohort participants will cultivate skills to see and disrupt racism within their Quaker communities and beyond. Throughout the time together participants will learn/share/create teaching tools and resources to inform their communities’ anti-racism work; plan for sustained racial justice work in participants’ home communities; and enhance sustained collective work on reparations, decolonization, and abolition. In understanding that this work is deeply personal and spiritual, we will incorporate Quaker practices for strength, grounding and courage. We are honored and excited to share that all sessions will be facilitated by two of FGC’s 2021 plenary speakers; Lisa Graustein and Niyonu Spann. 

The cohort’s time together will be monthly zoom sessions spanning September, 2021 through June, 2022. There will be one virtual retreat to begin and one in-person retreat at Pendle Hill in April 2022. 

Apply for the Uprooting Racism Community Practice cohort 2021-2022.

To learn more about this initiative and find out how to support, visit:

• Quakers Uprooting Racism vision, mission, goals, and theory of change. 
• Read a blog post about how this project came about
• Read another AFSC post on Quakers Uprooting Racism 

If you would like to support the project to reduce the per person cost for cohort members, please send a check to either AFSC or Pendle Hill earmarked for the Quakers Uprooting Racism Project.