Racial Equity Workshops, Program Planned for FY 2020

At the beginning of the 2019 fiscal year, Leadership Montgomery introduced Racial Equity Workshop offerings to members and the community as a pilot project under the organization’s Leadership in Action Initiative. In the intensive two-day Workshops, led by the Racial Equity Institute, participants interactively explored perspectives on race, racism, and racial and ethnic disparities. The workshops were then followed by debrief sessions aimed at further understanding the roles we play when it comes to equity in America, our communities, and our organizations. Due to the overwhelming popularity of the sold-out initial offerings, six more workshops were added to finish out the fiscal year.

To continue the implementation of the Leadership in Action initiative, LM will introduce a new racial equity program in fiscal year 2020 to join its CORE, SLM, EL, CVC and MoCo Insider program offerings. The REAL Inclusion (Racial Equity Action Leadership) program will begin in October 2019 and examine the systemic beliefs, practices, and policies that have perpetuated racial inequities and situates that analysis within the context of organizational leadership. This eight-month program will incorporate a unique and structured dialogue process that begins with understanding the historical roots of racism and ends with examining best practices for operationalizing equity within organizations. At the end of the program, students will receive a certificate of completion acknowledging completion of the work and a commitment to work towards operating through a racial equity lens.

In addition, LM will continue offering Racial Equity Workshops during the fiscal year.

Registration for the REAL Inclusion certificate program is online and can be found here. The two-day Racial Equity Workshops will be offered in August, October, and December in 2019 and February, April and June in 2020. Registration for the workshops can be found here.

Leadership Montgomery would like to thank the following funders and partners who have been an integral part of the pilot year of workshops and the upcoming extension of the REAL Inclusion Program: Meyer Foundation, Healthcare Initiative Foundation, Carl M. Freeman Foundation, Montgomery County, and Montgomery College.

For more information about the REAL Inclusion Program, please contact Dana Pauley at dana.pauley@leadermont.org. or 301.881.3333.