Racial Sobriety Workshop

Racial Sobriety is a process which enables us to witness to ourselves and others that our thinking, feeling and acting reflects our commitment to seeing each person as a child of God, a member of the same human family, and our brother or our sister.   Throughout the workshop we become more aware of our own attitudes toward others and enter into the process of transforming our own hearts and minds so that we may begin to see others with “sober” eyes.  In this context “sober” means Seeing Others as Being Entitled to Respect.  When we are transformed we can begin to influence those around us and help facilitate their transformation, too.

Introducing Racial Sobriety is a 2½ - 3 hour facilitated workshop that introduces the audience to a unifying approach to begin the conversation on racisms (the varying manifestations of racism).  The experience includes an explanation of the three elements of talking about race that typically bring on anxiety: fear, ignorance and guilt.  It facilitates a discussion on finding one’s own “voice” in the conversation on racial issues; allows for a discovery of one’s “Racial History” and introduces other instruments for continuing one’s understanding of the Racial Sobriety approach. 

The Archdiocese of New Orleans provides facilitators certified by the Institute for Recovery from Racism.    For information on the institute visit www.racialsobriety.com.  To arrange for a workshop contact Wayne Castillo at the office at 861-6272 or wcastillo@arch-no.org