| Program: | Racism Awareness Program, Akron, PA | | Contact(s): | Tobin Miller Shearer, Director: (717) 859-3889 | | Purpose: | To dismantle racism in Mennonite and Brethren churches by providing training, education, resource development and consultation | | Background The Racism Awareness Program (RAP) was created in 1993 to create a network of Mennonite and Brethren individuals in churches around the country who would be committed to ending racism in their communities. Since then, RAP has expanded its mandate to provide anti-racism training, education, resource development and consultation to the Mennonite and Brethren in churches around the country. Program Operations
RAP offers individuals several services, including training workshops and both individual and institutional consultations on racism. One of the primary projects that RAP sponsors is the Damascus Road Project. The Damascus Road Project brings together about eight five-member teams for a four-part annual training cycle, including workshops that focus on emphasizing team development, the biblical reasons to support anti-racism, an institutional analysis of racism, and anti-racism educating and organizing skills. These sessions also prepare the teams to develop both short-term (1-5 years) and long-term (10-20 years) plans on how to fight racism, and to conduct full-day anti-racism workshops. Outcomes and Significant Accomplishments Since its inception, the Racism Awareness Program has been responsible for training 25 teams of people, holding over 110 workshops of a half-day or more, and producing numerous articles and written resources. RAP staff also maintain bibliographies and files on racism, and they also collect resources to support anti-racism efforts. |
