“Never Let Anyone Steal Your Joy” - Online Discussions on Racism and Allyship
Recap on the weeklong:
Last week Hometown Stomping Ground partnered with Nina Tucker, a black educator and activist, to facilitate discussion with the camp community on racism and allyship. The week was incredibly motivating and we’re so grateful for Nina and all of the campers who participated in this dialogue. The participants ranged in age from 7-52 which enriched discussion and allowed all of us to learn from one another. These discussions were honest, open, and meaningful.
On Monday, we started by introducing ourselves to one another, and getting to know each other. Then Nina asked to reflect on the following list of vocabulary words:
Race
Ethnicity
Colorism
Racism
Prejudice
Stereotype
Inequality
Protest
Systemic
White Passing
Equality
Intersectionality
Ally/allyship
BIPOC/POC
We discussed words we recognized, words that confused us, and words that we had never seen/heard before. We also discussed where we had heard or learned any words that were familiar to us. These words helped us build a common vocabulary with each other to discuss concepts and ask questions throughout the week.
For the rest of the week we started sessions with a video or an online story (resources attached below) that addressed themes of racism and/or allyship. These resources gave us a starting point to start to identify our role in oppressive systems depending on our racial identities. We posed questions for each other and reflected on experiences as aspiring allies or individuals experiencing racism.
Nina shared a quote with us that comes from her father, “Never let anyone steal your joy.” This quote became our anthem and guiding theme for the week. Our group started to understand that as soon as anti-racist work begins to come from a place of anger or hate, we are losing momentum and purpose. Camper Xander, age 11, put it best when he said, “Being an ally is showing love.” As radically empathetic decision makers it is our responsibility to be anti-racist; actively striving to understand the perspective of others and building authentic relationships through understanding and conversation.
Each day kids and staff meet on Zoom to discuss racism and allyship!
This setting was so impactful as a space for adults and kids to learn together. In most spaces, adults tend to hold more power than kids as people who have had more life experience. When it comes to anti-racist work, this is not the case. As I heard from Nana, age 52, share about her experience with allyship and figuring out her role, and then from Tiegan, an SG teen, share her experience with allyship and how she’s confronted those she disagrees with, it became clear to me that camp is such an important space to have these conversations. Summer camp is a unique opportunity for kids and grown ups to connect in different ways than they do in schools or other child-centered spaces. Online camp is no different, and discussing racism and allyship with folks older and younger than us allows us to grow in unique and powerful ways.
Trusting one another and feeling comfortable to admit mistakes and hold one another accountable is crucial when it comes to anti-racist work and conversation. I had some of the most meaningful conversations on race with this group than I have with peers my own age, and learned important lessons from kids much younger than me. I am so grateful to Nina and the other participants for fostering an inclusive and welcoming space, allowing us all to share our truths and learn from one another.
A note from Nina -
My week at Hometown Stomping Ground was enriching in a way that I could’ve never imagined. I am so thankful to Klee, Laura, and the whole SG family for hosting such an incredible week. I am forever appreciative (and blown away) by their warm hospitality, inclusivity, and the way they run their camp with love.
It’s always daunting to try and translate sensitive and complex concepts like race to anyone— let alone kids. I was really nervous about how the things would go, and how well things would end up running. It felt like no amount of fun activities or planning could make things go smoothly because the content was so rough!
Unsurprisingly, the brilliance and open-mindedness of the campers made the process beautiful. Everyone was so eager and willing to learn— regardless of inevitable first day nerves. Our space was so incredibly inclusive, productive, and empathic from day one.
The beauty of kids interacting with this kind of subject matter is the fact that they are working to just learn, and not ‘unlearn’, in the way that adults often have to. The group absorbed all of the week’s intricate and heavy content in a way that bred authentic understanding.
I left the week feeling totally inspired. Campers were able to learn from and teach one another, and as a result, came to better understand their personal experiences. It was so encouraging and motivating to be in a safe, educational space where genuine sharing could happen. Nana really summed up my feelings when she said that the camp session, and all of the incredible work that the campers were doing, made her have faith in the future. I feel that hope now more than ever.
Moving Forward
In the future we are looking forward to partnering with Nina to find new audiences and new programs to discuss racism and allyship both online and in-person when it is safe to do so. We are excited to announce that August 17-August 21 we will run a weeklong on racism and allyship specifically for teens. If you are interested in learning more send me an email at:
