The UNtraining: Untraining White Liberal Racism

What is the UNtraining?
As children, we do not choose to take on our white conditioning, but as adults we can choose to undo it. The UNtraining provides a challenging and compassionate environment for white people to look at personal and collective issues around race. The program offers tools and practices to investigate white cultural conditioning, to uncover the ways it shapes our experience of ourselves and people of color, and to support change in ourselves and in the world.

Key UNtraining concepts (download pdf)
Short booklist (download pdf)

Why Only White People?
We believe that white people have the responsibility to educate ourselves about racism, rather than expecting people of color to be our teachers. In white caucus work, people are more free to express difficult feelings and to examine complex situations around race. This honesty, often held back in mixed groups to avoid embarrassment or for fear of causing harm, is crucial for learning and healing. Sharing common experiences breaks down two other aspects of white conditioning—isolation and the taboo of talking about
personal issues around race.

White Privilege and the Cost of Whiteness
The premise of the UNtraining is that we are all affected by racism. No matter how aware our parents may have been, how liberal, loving or spiritual we may be, as white people we have been trained to be "white" by media, educational systems and continual subtle feedback from those around us.

Although it may not be obvious at first, we benefit from racism in our daily lives through the privileges associated with light-colored skin. Even less apparent, however, is the cost to us as white people living within this hierarchical system. Many of us live with guilt, fear, and defensiveness. Our curiosity is stifled and our passions blunted. This keeps us from speaking out and taking action against racism. Or if we do, we may come across as righteous and judgmental, which is rarely helpful or effective.

How can white people reconcile heartfelt antiracist beliefs with the invisible power of this white training?

The UNtraining Program
The UNtraining is held in small groups that meet once a month for six months in a workshop format that combines presentation of concepts and tools, experiential exercises, self-reflection and group process. Each group consists of a maximum of ten men and women who are "white identified." The meetings are generally held on weekends.

There are three phases of the UNtraining. Each phase is complete in itself, although they build on each other:

Phase One introduces the basic concepts and tools of the UNtraining
Phase Two deepens the experience of using the tools in the group process
Phase Three is tailored to the needs that arise in the particular group

The cost is a sliding scale from $360 to $660 for a six month series.

Community Building
We recognize that there are many approaches to dismantling racism and standing for social justice—and that collaboration is essential for systemic change to occur. In 2007, the UNtraining began building connections with other white anti-racist organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, part of a growing national movement. Starting in 2008, members of the UNtraining community are piloting a series of open meetings where white folks can come to learn more about racism, share experiences, and expand their capacity for addressing racism in their lives.

Other UNtraining Services
UNtraining teachers are available for workshops, presentations, and private consultations.

Organizations we have worked with include:
JFK University, Spirit Rock Meditation Center, San Joaquin Delta College, Institute for Transpersonal Psychology, UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare, Berkeley Psychotherapy Institute, Starr King School for the Ministry