A Union's Commitment to Address Racism in our Union and in America

  AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE DESKS OF PARIS JONES AND WALTER BLAIR:

“The past several years have sparked national mobilization and reckoning on racial equity. To that end, AFSCME adopted Resolutions recommitting itself to “confronting and taking active measures to “address racism in our union and in America” and resolving to “examine our own institutions, procedures, and cultures to identify and address bias.” COURAGE to be Stronger is our union’s program to carry out this commitment.”

From AFSCME’s Resolution #33, “A commitment to standing strong for racial and economic justice, solidarity and equality. At AFSCME’s 44^th International Convention in 2020, delegates adopted Resolution 3 entitled ‘Confronting Racism’ in which we committed ourselves to examine our own institutions, procedures, and cultures to identify and address bias to become a more perfect union.”

As stated in Resolution 3:

“AFSCME’s past, present, and future are deeply rooted in the fight against racism and the struggle to build the bridge connecting labor rights, economic rights, human rights, and civil rights for all.  These fights are our fights, as exemplified by the historic 1968 Memphis Sanitation Worker Strike and the sacrifice of 1,300 men and their families who stood in the face of oppression, bigotry, and brutality to demand change and change3 that ultimately cost Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., his life.”

As a result of AFSCME’s commitment to our union families, the Beyond Bias Training Workshop was developed and introduced trainers to “An Introduction to Implicit Bias.” The workshop is geared towards training trainers to offer this “Implicit Bias” training to AFSCME locals.

This training offers materials that cover a Beyond Bias curriculum that is complete with handouts that share the eight strategies to reduce and interrupt implicit bias. Trainers and trainees worked together in practice and role-playing. Participants also experienced exploring their own implicit bias for a better understanding of how to interrupt these biases that are automatic from our own individual upbringings and environment.

After I completed this 4-day in-depth training on 12/01/2023, I have a set of new vocabulary in my toolbox to help me understand and interrupt implicit biases.  One of my many takeaways is, “The absence of taking risks means no progress.”  We are in a human-invented classification system created by humans who are not like me and are not inclusive to all humans. Physical differences between people are used as a tool for oppression and violence.

I look forward to interrupting the status quo and knowing that as an AFSCME leader, training more leaders on implicit bias means we have power in numbers as we stand stronger together in solidarity!