Confronting White Supremacy at CIC

The UCC provides a thoughtful and impactful 6-week curriculum called "White Supremacy: Let's Talk" based upon the idea that if we in the white racial majority are to confront White Supremacy, it is critical is for us to expand our understanding of the Black experience in America. Two cohorts have completed this course.

Realizing that even the most earnest of us has work to do if we want to more successfully align our words and actions with our best intentions, In 2024 several of the people from the first two cohorts formed a Black Allyship Group to do this continue this work in community. We also created this tool [link to https://oly-wa.us/cic/Bingo.php] for making it more accessible for anyone to do this work on their own. Each square on the "Black Allyship BINGO card" will take you to specific suggestions. We welcome your recommendations and will incorporate them!

Our third curriculum cohort begins in March. We are fully subscribed! If you are interested in a future cohort, email forbes.kristine@gmail.com.

Black History Month Update

The Black Allyship group and new cohort members and others from CIC celebrated Black History Month with these activities:

• Many CICers attended the Pop-Up Black History Museum at the New Life Baptist Church and raved about it.

• Friday, February 14, 2025, several of us attended a screening of an award-winning film called Summer of Soul: The Revolution Could Not Be Televised at the Olympia Film Society. The film was a blast from the past that showed us a whole lot of history we had missed, woven together by amazing performances from a 19-year-old Stevie Wonder, a 25-year-old Gladys Knight, and many others. The music was interspersed with interviews of many who reflected on the festival and what it meant to them. While it was fun to cheer with the audience at the showing, you can stream the film on Amazon Prime. The film was introduced by Shawna Hawk M.A., founder of The Women of Color in Leadership Movement and Director of Media Island International. She said, "What this documentary represents to Foundational Black Americans is a capturing of hidden history, often times kept from us and the world intentionally. She brought exhibits explaining their vision for future development of the Rebecca Howard Park, which she was instrumental in getting renamed in 2021 to honor one of Olympia's Black pioneers. Shawna Hawk (far left) celebrates the unveiling of the Rebecca Howard sign at Rebecca Howard Park, photo from Pacifica Network

• Saturday, February 22, some of us took a field trip to Seattle's Northwest African-American Museum. The museum is beautifully laid out, interspersing the top-notch historical exhibits with galleries of amazing contemporary art by Black artists. There's somuch to see we are going to have to return. We were joined by some of Kristine's friends who lived nearby; they took us to a nearby Black-owned restaurant for a delicious lunch.

• Peg was fortunate enough to get a ticket to see Angela Davis (pictured, left) and other luminaries in the sold-out panel discussion at Olympia Film Society on Feb 21 st called "Collective Struggle in Critical Times." Dr. Davis said, "We cannot go on as usual. . .We cannot be moderate. We will have to be willing to stand up and say no with our combined spirits, our collective intellects, and our many bodies." Peg said the event was educational, inspiring, exciting and hopeful.

• Peg rounded out a busy weekend with attending a film screening of the 1921 film, "Reparations," followed by a panel of Black thought-leaders that included our mayor, Dontae Payne, discussing the topic "Unfulfilled Promises - A Conversation About Reparations."

Coming Up

• Saturday, March 29, we are gathering at 10am to take the Self-Guided Olympia Area Black Pioneers Walking Tour. We will start at the first location on the downtown portion of the tour, the Former Olympia City Hall on the SE Corner of Plum St and 8th Ave. then drive to Tumwater for the final 3 locations, including AASHO where we will have lunch. Get the Map. If you want to join us, please email Peg at margaretmh11@gmail.com.