healing_racism

Healing Racism Institute Announces Strategic Transition to Join the National Conference for Community and Justice at the Western Massachusetts Training Consortium

Sat, 02 May 2026 16:46:59 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, MA — The Board of Directors of the Healing Racism Institute (HRI) is pleased to announce a landmark decision in its mission to build racism-free communities. Following a rigorous evaluation and community-informed selection process, HRI plans to officially partner with the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ) to become a signature program under the umbrella of Western Massachusetts Training Consortium (the Consortium).

A Rigorous Search for Sustainability

The decision marks the conclusion of a comprehensive Request for Proposal (RFP) process launched in August 2025. Recognizing the shifting landscape of nonprofit funding and the urgent need for a more sustainable operational model, the HRI Board sought a partner capable of stewarding its legacy while deepening its systemic impact.

The selection process included a review of several high-quality proposals from regional and national organizations. Candidates were evaluated through intensive interviews focused on mission alignment, trauma-informed practices, and the ability to maintain the "Healing Racism" curriculum’s integrity while expanding its reach.

“From the very beginning, our goal was not simply to preserve the work of healing racism, but to ensure that it endures, evolves, and grows in impact far beyond the limits of a stand-alone nonprofit,” said Modesto Montero-Forman, President of the HRI Board of Directors. “Our commitment to this work is unwavering. By partnering with NCCJ at the Consortium, we are intentionally placing this mission within an organization that not only shares our values, but also possesses the infrastructure, expertise, and century-long legacy necessary to sustain and strengthen this work for generations to come. This transition is not an ending but rather a strategic step forward that allows the core of our mission to thrive, expand, and continue advancing equity, justice, and healing in deeper and more lasting ways.”

Ryan McCollum added, “Another monumental positive note is that, having served on both boards, I’ve long imagined how much stronger we could be together rather than apart. Bringing HRI and NCCJ under one roof transforms years of parallel work into a single, more powerful engine for healing, justice, and lasting community change.”

Why NCCJ at the Consortium?

The HRI Board selected NCCJ at the Consortium based on several critical pillars of strength:

Mission Alignment: With a centennial foundation in social justice and systemic reform, NCCJ embodies the same pursuit of racial equity that has defined HRI’s work since its inception.
Infrastructure and Stability: The Consortium’s 50-year history of social justice advocacy provides the robust fiscal and administrative support necessary to sustain HRI’s programming.
Expertise in Anti-Oppression: The partnership allows for the integration of HRI’s two-day seminars with NCCJ’s multi-layered approach to addressing intersectional forms of discrimination. This expertise includes:
Inclusive Belonging & Shared Understanding: Increasing inclusion, trust, and cross-cultural understanding among historically marginalized and broader community members.
Education for Equity and Action: Building community capacity through education that leads to informed advocacy and equitable policy and systems change.
Dialogue that Drives Transformation: Facilitating structured, equity-centered dialogue that informs decision-making and contributes to measurable community and systems-level outcomes.
Sustainable Community Impact: Strengthening long-term community leadership, partnerships, and infrastructure to sustain and scale equitable outcomes.

Preserving the Legacy, Expanding the Impact

A primary objective of this transition is the preservation of HRI’s signature two-day “Healing Racism” seminars. The partnership ensures that the core curriculum—which has reached thousands of participants across Western Massachusetts since 2012—remains a cornerstone of the region's racial justice efforts. By moving under the NCCJ umbrella, the program will benefit from enhanced trauma-informed protocols and a deeper focus on institutional and structural change.

The Path Forward

The formal transition process is currently underway. To ensure the highest standards of organizational alignment, HRI has engaged Shannon Mumblo Consulting, Inc. to facilitate the transition process. Leadership from both organizations, along with HRI’s dedicated facilitators and stakeholders, are collaborating to ensure a seamless integration of assets, data, and community relationships. The integration is being executed in phases, with the goal for HRI to be fully integrated as an NCCJ program by early summer 2026. Nyaunu Stevens is currently the Director leading the NCCJ Program with over 20 years of equity, social justice, and training experience. She looks forward to elevating the legacy of HRI through the offerings of NCCJ.

"This is not an ending, but a strategic evolution," Montero-Forman added. "By joining forces with NCCJ at the Consortium, we are moving from a model of survival to a model of flourishing. We invite our donors, alumni, and community partners to join us in this exciting new chapter as we continue the work of personal and collective transformation."

About the Organizations

Healing Racism Institute (HRI): Founded in 2012, HRI provides transformative learning environments to build racism-free communities, organizations, and institutions through its signature seminar model.

NCCJ at the Consortium: The National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ) is a human relations organization dedicated to building inclusive communities. It is a program of Western Massachusetts Training Consortium, a 501(c)(3) organization with a 50-year legacy of social justice and community-based advocacy.

Media Contact: Modesto Montero-Forman Board President, Healing Racism Institute admin@healingracismpv.org

Request for Proposal - Program Transition & Strategic Partnership Opportunity

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 12:25:40 GMT

Release Date: August 29, 2025

Proposal Due Date: November 7, 2025

Introduction and Background

The Healing Racism Institute (HRI) is issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP) to identify a qualified organization or coalition of organizations to assume ownership, adaptation, and continued delivery of HRI’s core programming and mission. Founded in 2012 and inspired by a visit to the Grand Rapids Institute for Healing Racism, HRI has worked for over a decade to build racism-free communities, organizations, and institutions through transformative learning and dialogue. HRI became a stand-alone 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2021, offering its signature two-day “Healing Racism” seminars to thousands of Western Massachusetts community members—CEOs, volunteers, police officers, formerly incarcerated individuals, teachers, pastors, and many others. Participants also have come from Fortune 100 companies, grassroots nonprofits, municipalities, and small businesses. These individuals have sat together for hard, honest conversations about race and racism and left with a deeper understanding of one another and a stronger commitment to equity.

Like many organizations solely focused on anti-racism work, HRI has faced challenges in today’s nonprofit landscape. Funding streams have narrowed, and demand has shifted, even though the need for this work has never been greater. The Board of Directors is committed to ensuring that HRI’s mission continues. We recognize that the work of healing racism must endure, even if the structure of our organization evolves.

Purpose of the RFP

Over the past several months, HRI has engaged in meaningful community conversations to gather input and ensure that the voices of those served help shape next steps. HRI is seeking organizational partners by transferring stewardship of its programs to ensure the mission is carried forward with strength and sustainability. The purpose of this RFP is to invite proposals from mission‑aligned organizations with the capacity, experience, and vision to:

Sustain and expand HRI’s anti-racism programming
Integrate, adapt, or evolve the signature two-day “Healing Racism” seminar model
Address both interpersonal and systemic racism
Center the voices and experiences of Black and Brown communities
Foster long-term community engagement and accountability

The ideal partner will absorb HRI’s programming, intellectual assets, and relationships, and take responsibility for leading the next chapter of this work in close collaboration with existing community stakeholders.

History and Context

Origins and Founding

HRI was born from a 2011 leadership exchange in Grand Rapids, MI, and formally launched in 2012. Founding partners included Baystate Health, the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, and Holyoke Community College, among others. In 2021, HRI became an independent nonprofit organization.

Mission

The mission of the Healing Racism Institute (HRI) is to build racism-free communities, organizations and institutions. HRI is guided by a diverse group of individuals who believe that facilitating a sustained process of understanding the root causes and impact of racism can serve as a catalyst to overcome the historic and ongoing impact of racism on our society.

Signature Program

Two-day in-person “Healing Racism” seminars
Target audience: general public, institutions, nonprofit and corporate sectors
Focus on personal transformation and interpersonal racism

Recent Challenges

Model primarily focused on individual-level understanding, lacking structured “next steps”
Insufficient engagement with structural/systemic racism
Financial sustainability challenges with declining grant and program revenue

Scope of Work

We seek a partner to carry forward and improve upon HRI’s legacy. This may include:

Program Continuity & Innovation
Adapt the two-day Healing Racism seminar model
Develop a more layered, systemic approach to anti-racism education
Offer follow-up engagements, action planning, and accountability frameworks
Expand to include trauma-informed support for people most impacted by racism
Community Engagement
Maintain and deepen relationships with community partners
Ensure accessibility and inclusion in programming
Operational Sustainability
Build a financially viable model, including grant funding, earned income, and donor support
Align anti-racism efforts with broader organizational goals if integrated into an existing nonprofit
Equity Leadership
Ensure Black, Indigenous, and other people of color are in leadership roles and meaningfully shaping the work

Assets and Support Offered

The selected partner will receive access to:

$75,000 in starting capital to carry out the mission
Program curricula and facilitation guides
Historical documents and data
Contact lists and past participant information (subject to privacy compliance)
HRI branding and digital assets
Strategic handoff support from HRI leadership and board

Eligibility Criteria

Organizations must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) due by September 19, 2025.

Organizations must:

Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or fiscally sponsored entity
Demonstrate a clear commitment to racial equity and anti-racism
Have experience in community engagement, facilitation, or racial justice programming
Show organizational capacity to integrate or expand anti-racism initiatives
Exhibit financial and administrative infrastructure to support the work

Proposal Requirements

Please submit a proposal that includes:

Cover Letter
Brief statement of interest
Summary of qualifications and alignment with the mission
Organizational Overview
Mission and history
Programs and services
Key leadership and staff
Vision for the Work
How your organization would carry forward, evolve, and scale the programming
How you would integrate systemic and interpersonal approaches to racism
Plans for inclusivity and centering people most impacted by racism
Implementation Plan
Timeline for onboarding and program continuation
Staffing and leadership plan
Strategy for sustainability and funding
Budget Summary
High-level proposed budget for first year of programming
Existing resources and funding you plan to leverage
References
Three professional references familiar with your racial justice work

Selection Criteria

After discussions with the community and an evaluation conducted by an independent consultant, our suspicions have been confirmed: there is a critical need for this work in the community. However, we recognize that we are not currently equipped to implement the long-range plans that have been recommended. As a result, we must begin a transition process and identify the most effective way to continue this important work through a partnering entity.

This transition must be handled with great care. HRI will engage in a thoughtful and collaborative process with the selected organization. We view ourselves as active participants in both the transition and the long-term success of the program. Our commitment remains to ensure that the work continues in the best way possible.

To that end, as part of our decision-making process, we will be meeting with interested organizations to ensure that the outcome and resulting partnership align with our shared goal: building an anti-racism society and effectively serving the needs of the community.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following:

Alignment with HRI’s mission and values
Experience delivering racial equity programming
Organizational capacity and sustainability plan
Innovation and depth of proposed model
Community and stakeholder engagement strategies
Inclusivity and trauma-informed practices

Timeline

August 29, 2025 RFP Released
September 8, 2025 (12:00-1:00pm) Optional Info Session/Q&A

September 19, 2025 LOI Due
October 17, 2025 Proposal Submission Deadline
October 23, 2025 *Finalist Notified
October 27, 2025 Interviews Conducted
November 7, 2025 Partner Selected & Announced
Late 2025 (Exact dates to be determined and shared on HRI website.) Transition Planning Begins

Submission Instructions

Submit your full proposal as a single PDF to: Modesto Montero

Email: monteromodesto@gmail.com

Subject Line: RFP Submission – HRI Program Transition

Deadline: October 17, 2025

Late submissions will not be considered.

For questions about this RFP or to schedule an informational meeting, please contact:

Name: Modesto Montero

Email: monteromodesto@gmail.com

Phone: 901-628-9784

Final Note

We recognize this is an important moment—not just for HRI, but for the broader community’s work toward racial justice. We are deeply grateful to all organizations and individuals who are part of this movement. It is our hope that this transition will strengthen and expand the impact of healing racism work in Western Massachusetts and beyond.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Healing Racism Institute will hold a community dialogue on June 24 in Springfield

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 16:45:49 GMT

Her Springfield church is being rebuilt after arson and the man who set it on fire, in a racist tirade, is in custody accused of committing a hate crime. But for Rev. Terrlyn Curry Avery, the story isn’t over.

“As a pastor whose church was burned down, if we don’t look at the rhetoric that caused such racism and hatred we won’t get anywhere,” said Curry Avery, pastor of MLK Community Presbyterian Church and interim executive director of the Healing Racism Institute.

On June 24, the institute will hold a two-hour community dialogue at the University of Massachusetts Henry M. Thomas III campus in Springfield. The agenda: discuss how to fight and heal from racism, especially in the current political environment.

Read the full article at www.masslive.com

Springfield pastor visits Ghana to trace origins of her ancestors

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 16:23:11 GMT

The Rev. Terrlyn Curry Avery sits in a boat next to the Botti Falls in Ghana. The pastor of Springfield's Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Presbyterian Church recently traveled to Ghana to trace the origins of her ancestors.

SPRINGFIELD — The Rev. Terrlyn Curry Avery stood in the darkness of a dungeon beneath a castle in Ghana, the emptiness revealing how her ancestors must have suffered in that place.

“Enslaved people would be kept in a dungeon where they had to stay in their own urine, feces, blood, vomit or whatever other sickness they had,” the Springfield-based pastor said in an interview. “They were given very little food. It was dark and they were treated severely. I imagine they were scared. Like animals, they were branded with hot irons to mark them as property.”

Read the full story at MassLive

Download a PDF Version of This Story

Pastor of church targeted with fire hopes seminars help heal racism

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 14:09:24 GMT

SPRINGFIELD — The Rev. Terrlyn Curry Avery is the pastor at Martin Luther King Jr. Presbyterian Church. She has advanced degrees including a doctorate from Hofstra University and is interim executive director of the Healing Racism Institute.

Even with those accomplishments, Curry Avery, who is Black, told The Republican she is still judged, not by her credentials but by the color of her skin.

“I was going to my (white, female) doctor and talking about some of my health concerns, and when I tried to talk about race, her response was, ‘I don’t get into that political stuff.’ My doctor could not understand how race impacts an individual’s life, how race contributes to stress,’” Curry Avery said.

The Springfield pastor also said when she tried to get some work done on her house, the white, female project consultant asked if Curry Avery owned the home.

“It’s a pretty presumptuous question to just assume that I don’t own my house. Those are the things people of color have to deal with all the time,” said the pastor, who also saw her church nearly burned to the ground, the result of a hate crime in 2020.

June 29 Moral March gathers steam as PC(USA) and others offer continued support

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 14:21:37 GMT

LOUISVILLE — The Poor People’s Campaign held a virtual pep rally this week to encourage the public to head to Washington, D.C., for an in-person Moral March that’s being organized to stimulate voter turnout and push for policies to uplift people who are struggling under the weight of poverty.

“June 29 at 10 a.m. on the corner of Pennsylvania and Third, it’s time for our voices, our faces to be heard” along with “our commitment to building the most massive turnout to the polls that we’ve seen,” said Bishop William J. Barber II, who co-chairs the Poor People’s Campaign with the Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, a Presbyterian minister.

With help from faith leaders, labor groups and other supporters around the country, the Poor People’s Campaign is pushing a 17-point agenda that it hopes candidates running for office will commit to enacting. The demands include abolishing poverty, establishing a minimum wage of at least $15 an hour, guaranteeing workers’ rights, and ending voter suppression. The PPC also is advocating for affordable, adequate housing and an end to the criminalization of homelessness.

“The homeless and the poor are not just faceless statistics,” said the Rev. Dr. Terrlyn L. Curry Avery, who pastors Martin Luther King Jr. Community Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Massachusetts. “They are our neighbors, our fellow human beings. They are individuals who, like us, deserve dignity, compassion and opportunity.”

Curry Avery was part of a long string of speakers who extended enthusiastic invitations to the march and laid out the need for policy reform. She cited several statistics about how hard it is to make ends meet and to keep a roof over one’s head in her home state and appealed to viewers’ sense of morality and justice.

Healing Racism Institute Appoints Interim Director; The Rev. Dr. Terrlyn Curry Avery to Lead Initiative

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 16:36:17 GMT

Springfield—The Healing Racism Institute (HRI) today announced the appointment of

The Rev. Dr. Terrlyn L. Curry Avery (TLC) as Interim Director of the initiative,

succeeding Vanessa Otero, who served on the HRI Board before being appointed its

Executive Director. Otero left HRI in February to pursue other opportunities in the

community.

Dr. Curry Avery is recognized as a trailblazer at the intersection of pastoring and

psychology. She currently serves as the pastor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Community

Presbyterian Church in Springfield and will serve in the Interim Director position on a

part-time basis while she continues to minister.

She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Howard University, a Master of Divinity

from Yale University, and a Ph.D. from Hofstra University.

Dr. Curry Avery is a public speaker, author and retreat leader recognized for her

grounded approach in bridging racial divides in institutions and communities while

promoting racial equity.

HRI is engaged in the process of identifying a permanent director for the over decade-

old initiative that offers intensive two-day Healing Racism seminars as well as an online

program designed around the principles of safety, listening, and transformation in a

healing process. Since its inception over 1,000 individuals have participated in HRI’s

signature two-day program or its multiple-session virtual series.

According to Healing Racism Institute Board Chair Modesto Montero, “On behalf of the

HRI Board I welcome Dr. Curry Avery. She is grounded in the work of racial healing and

has experience in creating spaces for people to recognize the impact that racism has on

all of us. She has a distinguished history of doing transformative work in the field and

she will be a great asset to HRI as we continue these difficult conversations and this

critical work.”

According to Dr. Curry Avery, “I am passionate about the work of racial equity and

social justice. I've been engaged in this work since the early 90s and consider it my

honor to continue the legacy of my ancestors who were committed to making the world

more loving, peaceful, and equitable for all of humanity. Serving as the Interim

Executive Director of HRI affords me the opportunity to expand my sphere of influence

in this area and join a team of individuals who recognize that we are all interconnected

and when one group of individuals hurts, it impacts all other groups. I am excited to join

this dedicated team of advocates."

Dr. Curry Avery has hosted a radio program “Dismantle Racism with the Rev. Dr. TLC,”

and is the author of Dismantling Racism: Healing Separation from the Inside Out.

HRI hosts public in-person and virtual seminars and also private seminars and

programs for interested organizations or companies. Its signature two-day in-person

seminar, held from 8:30am-4:30pm each day, is held at Springfield Technology Park,

and its virtual series consists of five two-hour sessions.

Upcoming two-day in-person seminars include April 24 and April 25; May 22 and May

23; and June 27 and June 28. Virtual series dates will be forthcoming.

The cost for the two-day program is $475 and those interested can register at

www.healingracismpv.org/seminars. Scholarships are available to those with financial

need. The Healing Racism Institute was formed in 2012 by a group of local leaders and

is modeled after similar programs that have been established nationwide including an

Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which has served as a model for the local initiative.

About HRI: The Healing Racism Institute works to build racism-free communities. Founded in 2012, HRI has engaged over 1,000 individuals and 200 organizations across nearly 20 sectors through its signature two-day seminars held in the Pioneer Valley and in Greater Boston, and through its Virtual Series. The Institute provides a safe environment to learn about the impact of racism on communities and individuals and offers a process that is

engaging and transformative. Learn more at https://www.healingracismpv.org/.

11-year-old raises $700 to benefit Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 19:04:33 GMT

Killian Nutting, 11, loves art. He’s also passionate about fairness and equality. He recently decided to combine the two and create a powerful image of a rainbow combined with the title Black Lives Matter. His mother Patty Grandfield was so impressed with the artwork that she made copies of the poster and sold them online for $5 each, raising $700 for the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley in Springfield.

“I was really happy to hear that we raised $700. I want people to appreciate the Black culture,” said Nutting, who is white.

The Healing Institute works to build a racism-free community through its two-day seminars. Nutting chose to support the institute because he believes fervently in its mission of fairness for all.

“I like that they teach that Black people are not treated nice in this country and its wrong because everybody should be treated the same. I’m proud of myself because people actually bought the posters and cared,” said Nutting.

Grandfield is a single mother of three children. She says she has “age-appropriate” conversations with her children about fairness and compassion, and the message has resonated more than she could have imagined with Killian.

“It’s important to me that people recognize the need for change and the need for compassion and equality. For my son who’s 11 to come out on his own with that mindset and try to raise awareness for the need to heal racism blows me away. I’m beyond proud,” she says.

A conversation about racism in America and the need to heal brings tears to Killian, who stops frequently to collect his thoughts.

“He’s always been a compassionate kid standing up for equality and people who are not being treated fairly,” says Killian’s mother. “Equality and equity are important to him. He’s very passionate about that. He was touched very deeply by some of the events of last year and he wanted to try to do something so he came up with the idea making and selling those posters so he could donate the money that he raised to a local community charity.”

The Healing Institute was surprised and delighted that Killian would think of them for his donation. They now have a special friend in this special young man, says Vanessa Otero, the institute’s director.

“We’re honored that such a unique boy was even thinking about this and wanting to take action. I got to meet him and he’s a sweet, wonderful boy. It’s an inspiring, powerful story,” she says. “He’ll always be a part of us for his courage and his ability to take action.”

Nutting loves art and the powerful way it delivers his message. He’s using it to make a difference in the world, and in his community. “I feel like everyone should be treated equally and I get upset when they’re not,” he says. “I think art is a good way for me to express my feelings. I’m trying to stop racism and people bought the posters to help my cause. I’m proud of that.”

Credit: Masslive.com

Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley Announces Seven New Board Members

info@wildappledesigngroup.com (Eric Belliveau) — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 18:00:12 GMT

Now a standalone 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, board diversified, expanded

The Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley (HRIPV) has announced several new members of its Board of Directors, expanding and diversifying to reflect the diversity of the region since recently establishing itself as a standalone 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

New members include Elizabeth Dineen; Lidya Early; Talia Gee; Richard Griffin; Oliva Kynard; Ryan McCollum; and Modesto Montero.

The board provides oversight to the director, plans strategy, is engaged in the work of Healing Racism, supports resource development and is designed to represent the community.

The Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley was formed in 2012; since then over 1,000 people from Western Massachusetts and throughout the state of Massachusetts have participated in its signature two-day Healing Racism program. HRIPV was formed as a result of the City2City of Pioneer Valley visit to Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2011 where area leaders discovered a similar model embedded in the Greater Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce.

Dineen serves as Chief Executive Officer of the YWCA of Western Massachusetts, and throughout her career has been a strong advocate for women and children. For 27 years she served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office, focusing primarily on sexual assaults, domestic violence, physical and sexual child abuse, and child homicide cases.

Early serves as Director of Community Engagement at Springfield Technical Community College. Prior to STCC, Early served as Program Manager and Grants Coordinator for the Springfield Housing Authority. She also serves on the boards of Way Finders; Square One; Partners For Community; and Professional Women’s Chamber.

Attorney Gee is Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the City of Springfield, where she is responsible for the development and implementation of proactive diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in hiring, career development, and leadership opportunities.

Griffin is Vice President of Community Development at MassDevelopment where he facilitates brownfields and pre-development financing, collaborative workspaces, and participation in the region’s three Transformative Development Initiative districts. Prior to MassDevelopment, Griffin worked as a Senior Project Manager for the City of Springfield.

Kynard serves as the Affirmative Action Officer and Title IX Coordinator for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She has over 20 years of leadership and management experience and an extensive background in culture climate, implicit bias and microaggressions that impact our BIPOC community.

McCollum is Principal/Owner of RMC Strategies, where has worked on campaigns at every level. He also spent significant time working at the Massachusetts Statehouse for several State Senators and also in the Administration of former Governor Deval Patrick.

Montero is Founder and Executive Director of Libertas Academy Charter School in Springfield. He has served in a variety of leadership roles in schools and in the military, and prior to Libertas, Montero most recently worked with Teach For America as a Manager of Teacher Leadership Development in Memphis, Tennessee.

HRIPV recently established itself as a standalone 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. In addition to HRIPV’s signature two-day training seminars, HRIPV offers half and full-day board/staff training and cohort development whereby the Institute provides tools and training, allowing organizations to continue the internal process of examining racism and its impact on organizations and the larger community. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, HRIPV has developed a completely online curriculum to sustain and grow its reach and impact.

HRIPV has a capital campaign underway, and has reached 60% of its goal. Funding from the capital campaign will help the Institute identify a permanent home, add critical staff, expand facilitator training, and provide scholarships for individuals unable to afford participation in the two-day signature session and related programming. Holyoke Community College has served as a critical partner by hosting most of the two-day trainings over the past eight years of operation.

The Institute is led by Vanessa Otero, one of the co-founders of HRIPV and an original member of the Board until assuming the position of Interim Director of the Institute in 2020. The United Way of Pioneer Valley serves as fiscal agent for the Institute.

Community Foundation Announces $150,000 Grant to Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley

info@wildappledesigngroup.com (Eric Belliveau) — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 17:45:48 GMT

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) has announced a grant of $150,000, spread over the next three years, to the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley (HRIPV). The grant represents a significant contribution to the initiative’s capital drive to raise $1 million in commitments now to support and build capacity for the organization over the next three years.

The multi-year strategic grant is part of CFWM’s ongoing commitment to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in workplaces and promote equitable growth in the region. The funding will support HRIPV’s capacity in engaging communities across the state of Massachusetts in its signature two-day training. HRIPV has been in existence since 2012 and has had over 1,000 community members participate in its programming.

Funds from the capital drive have also allowed HRIPV to develop a comprehensive online and virtual series of trainings and programming. The Healing Racism initiative will also be resuming in-person training sessions in July. Members of the community interested in participating can learn more and register online at: www.healingracismpv.org .

The first $50,000 grant to HRIPV will occur in July 2021. According to the Community Foundation, the multi-year funding approach will guarantee revenue stability while HRIPV meets demands for its services and continues its capital campaign efforts.

Katie Allan Zobel, President and CEO of the Foundation, said, “As an alumna of HRIPV’s two-day anti-racism training, I know what a powerful experience it is. I have seen firsthand the transformation in the community that HRIPV has catalyzed. That is why the Foundation is investing in them to help expand their capacity for the future.”

“We recognize the critical role HRIPV can play in creating shared understanding, connecting diverse members of our community, and dismantling systems that perpetuate inequalities. I’m optimistic about our partnership with HRIPV and encourage others to join us to work together toward a more equitable region,” she added.

This award will also help HRIPV build its internal infrastructure and capacity to assist in ensuring HRIPV’s sustainability efforts.

Paul Murphy, Chair of the CFWM Board of Trustees, said, “The Healing Racism Institute is a recognized leader in promoting anti-racism within the Pioneer Valley. We welcome the opportunity to partner with HRIPV in the expansion of its transformative program. We’re delighted to grant this funding as part of our commitment to invest and foster racial equity in our communities.”

The Institute is led by Vanessa Otero, one of the co-founders of HRIPV and an original member of the Board until assuming the position of Interim Director of the Institute in 2020.

Dr. Frank Robinson, Board Chair of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley, said, “We welcome and celebrate this crucial grant for the important work we are doing to create more equitable communities and see the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts as a critical partner in that work.”

About HRIPV
The Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley works to build a racism-free community. Founded in 2012, HRIPV has engaged over 1,000 individuals and 200 organizations across nearly 20 sectors through its signature two-day seminars held in the Pioneer Valley and in Greater Boston. The Institute provides a safe environment to learn about the impact of racism on communities and individuals and offers a process that is engaging and transformative. Learn more at https://www.healingracismpv.org/ .

About Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts
Founded in 1991, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts seeks to enrich the quality of life for the people of our region. With assets totaling $200 million, CFWM supports the three counties bordering the Connecticut River in western Massachusetts (Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin Counties) by serving as a resource, catalyst, and coordinator for charitable activities. To learn more, visit http://communityfoundation.org/ .

Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley to launch hybrid programming as a result of COVID

Sun, 09 May 2021 19:09:01 GMT

Vanessa Otero is the interim director of Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley.
(Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican)

One of the most impactful aspects of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley’s programming is the opportunity for people from different socioeconomic levels to come together to address their racial biases.

While the program is traditionally done in person, the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the way the two-day immersive program will be taught in the future.

Read the full story at Masslive.com

HRIPV Receives $300,000 Grant from MassMutual Foundation

info@wildappledesigngroup.com (Eric Belliveau) — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 16:19:07 GMT

The Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley (HRIPV) has announced that it has received a $300,000 grant from the MassMutual Foundation, serving as lead gift for the launch of a $1 million three-year capital fund drive for the Institute.

With the announcement of the MassMutual Foundation grant, HRIPV has reached $450,000 in commitments over the next three years, with substantial contributions coming from the Beveridge Foundation and The Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation. The campaign is designed to help the Institute become self-sustaining as it works toward its stated goal of “building a racism-free Pioneer Valley.”

Dr. Frank Robinson, Board Chair of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley, states, “I speak for the Board and for the larger Healing Racism community in expressing our thanks to the MassMutual Foundation for their critical support of our work. We often speak of the toxic nature of racism; our approach of healing and understanding is making a difference in the communities and organizations where we are engaged.”

Robinson continues, “Racism is overcome by changing hearts and recognizing our common humanity. We expect that this lead gift from the MassMutual Foundation, and their demonstrated commitment to help build stronger, more vibrant communities, will inspire others to contribute. This lead gift will help HRIPV to build the critical infrastructure necessary to move toward a racism-free region.”

HRIPV recently established itself as a standalone 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and has also expanded its board, reflecting the diversity of the region. The United Way of Pioneer Valley serves as fiscal agent for the Institute.

In addition to HRIPV’s signature two-day training seminars, HRIPV offers half and full-day board/staff training and cohort development whereby the Institute provides tools and training, allowing organizations to continue the internal process of examining racism and its impact on organizations and the larger community. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, HRIPV has developed a completely online curriculum to sustain and grow its reach and impact.

Funding from the capital campaign will help the Institute identify a permanent home, add critical staff, expand facilitator training, and provide scholarships for individuals unable to afford participation in the two-day signature session and related programming. Holyoke Community College has served as a critical partner by hosting most of the two-day trainings over the past eight years of operation.

“The Institute’s focus on delivering specialized education as a means to help eradicate racism is truly one of its strengths and why it has been such an effective partner for organizations in our community,” said Dennis Duquette, president of the MassMutual Foundation. “We are proud to support the capital campaign as a means to help scale the great work and positive impact of HRIPV throughout greater Springfield and the Pioneer Valley.”

The Institute is led by Vanessa Otero, one of the co-founders of HRIPV and an original member of the Board until assuming the position of Interim Director of the Institute in 2020.

Otero said, “We have arrived at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. A moment in which more people than ever before are willing to acknowledge, confront and challenge the systematic oppression of people of color. Race prejudice and racism are corrosive to people and to communities and deny the fullness of opportunity to people of color. We can, however, accelerate systemic change and create a more just society by building successive cohorts of change-agents equipped to understand and eliminate the root causes and other elements of racism that characterize so many of our institutions today.”

Healing Racism Institute’s mission is to dismantling racism

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 19:59:30 GMT

In 2011 my then CEO, Herbie Flores signed us up to join a group of Springfield leaders on a City to City trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan. He stated that it was going to be a teachable moment in my budding career.

As the trip progressed, those teachable moments were evident in the exchange of ideas but also in the small talk that occurred among our fellow travelers. I heard things like, “The best way to fix the Springfield Public Schools is to annex Longmeadow” and other suggestions that sounded a lot like gentrification. If Herbie was also within earshot, we exchanged a look which we would continue to exchange throughout my tenure at his organization. It is a signal that acknowledges and validates all at once. That is, a signal people of color exchange so as to comfort one another with, “I heard it, too, and, yes, you heard correctly.”

At a certain point during this trip, I disengaged. I was ready to get home and was not interested in any more learning. Still, that day we found ourselves at a presentation by the local chamber of commerce. A young woman of color presented their Healing Racism program and cried as she described how difficult but rewarding the work had been up to that point.

I remember feeling empathy but also frustration because I felt she had given too much of herself to the audience. Then, something completely unexpected happened. John Davis, of American Saw and the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation, stood and declared he would bring the Healing Racism program to Springfield and any of us who wanted to help, should let him know.

I had never met John. I only knew enough to know that this is not something he had to do. Before dinner that evening, I handed him my card and told him I wanted to join his effort. His courage then, and commitment since, have kept me connected to the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley.

Years later, and under the leadership of Waleska Lugo-DeJesus, the institute trained over 1,000 people across the state. In May, we found ourselves searching for a new director amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. I suggested I could help continue the work until the position was filled. On May 25, George Floyd was killed, and we understood the importance of our work more than ever.

Since then, we have worked to expand our programming, include virtual options, expand our board membership, initiate facilitator training to grow our bench, file for 501 c(3) designation with the IRS and launch a million-dollar fundraising campaign. In addition, we continue to learn about the needs of Western Massachusetts organizations and institutions as they initiate their work towards building an equitable work and service environment.

We describe the work of becoming anti-racist as a process that starts with the hearts and minds of individuals. These individuals then have the opportunity to learn how to build a critical mass of allies within their organizations by building their relational and contextual capacity. That is, community building through the lens of a higher standard of humanity and dignity. Ours is a space where we learn to listen and acknowledge how racism and privilege affects the person sitting next to us.

Later and after much practice, we invite organizations to examine their culture and policies and procedures through this new lens. The result, we expect will be transformational.

Our greatest value is that by building this capacity within organizations, it becomes best practice, inherent, and part of their fabric. We believe this is true because as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley is at an important juncture to challenge the status quo and the demand continues to grow dramatically for our services to make systemic change. In addition to our long-standing collaborations with organizations like the Springfield Public Schools, we have a growing list of partners in the business, nonprofit, and educational sectors willing to engage in a difficult conversation and process of healing.

Our program will leave behind, as part of our engagement, a safe and systemic way to dismantle bigotry and prejudice on the organizational or company level. After all, to defeat a systemic problem requires a systemic solution. We sincerely thank our current partners and invite others to engage us in the process to build racism free organizations and communities.

I have reflected often on that moment in Grand Rapids when that woman presented her work. I regret not being more generous to her and the emotion she displayed. I imagine she, too, has seen egregious acts but also acts of courage throughout her career. Moreover, naively I was frustrated with a very human response to a human experience. When in fact, she was showing us the way towards that higher standard of humanity.

Source: Masslive

Opinion: One People, One House: Out of despair can come hope for healing

info@wildappledesigngroup.com (Eric Belliveau) — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 17:47:26 GMT

By Paul Robbins

A chain portrait of George Floyd is part of the memorial for him, Wednesday, May 27, 2020, near the site of the arrest of Floyd, who died Monday night in Minneapolis after a white officer kneeled on his neck during his arrest as he pleaded that he could not breathe. (Jim Mone/AP)

I’ve always been an optimistic person.

I look back on family photos when I was little, and I always see a trace of optimism in my eyes. Even in the photos of a scorchingly hot trip to Washington, D.C., with my parents, Rose and Carroll Robbins, and sisters, Carolyn, Chris and Jo in the summer of 1963, I see it.

The day trip, an unwelcomed diversion from our weeklong vacation on the south Jersey shore, was torture and has become part of family lore. The heat, humidity and a jammed day of visiting the White House (my sister Jo says we saw the Oval Office), the FBI, Smithsonian and Capitol. John Kennedy was president, and my Dad’s best friend, Joe Donohue, an aide to late Congressman Ed Boland, accompanied us and Springfield’s own Larry O’Brien, a top Kennedy staffer, arranged the day for us.

But in the photos of a family with four young and overheated children, I see myself as happy.

I never felt the emotion of despair throughout my life. Ever.

Then, my mom died.

For those who knew my mom, she was a pretty amazing person – humble, the daughter of Polish immigrants who had settled in upstate New York, did not complete high school and, instead, went to work in the Polish market to help the family survive, loyal, devout in her faith in God, unwavering in her support for her children and grandchildren. I always saw in her eyes the optimism of the world, and she subtly lit up every room she entered.

Rose B. Robbins died in January of 2001. The morning of her funeral, where I was to deliver the eulogy for my beloved mom, I remember getting ready to go, and I stopped. I recall sitting on my bed and saying out loud, to myself, I can’t do it. I can’t go on. Despair. Fist time I ever felt that.

After a few minutes of reflection and telling myself my mom deserved my best effort, I gathered myself and headed to the funeral.

With the brutal and senseless killing of George Floyd, a lot of people felt betrayed and hopeless. Despair. I felt it, too.

In the early 1990s a Springfield police officer shot and killed Benjamin Schoolfield who was unarmed. The incident ripped apart our community. It wasn’t the first time our city came apart over race.

I am old enough to remember the “race riots” in Springfield in the early 1970s. Many don’t remember, but I do, the staggered dismissal times of my high school, Classical, and those of Commerce, Tech and Trade to avoid or minimize the violence in the streets. I remember seeing a story about it on the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite.

I also remember that high school basketball, a possible trigger to more racial violence, was played for a season without any fans in the stands. It was a time many felt a profound sense of despair. I think that may be one of the reasons no one ever talks about those times in Springfield. It almost seems removed from our local lore.

The Schoolfield shooting was not a one-off. Springfield, if we are being honest, had labored in trying to achieve racial harmony for a long time. I was on the Springfield Chamber of Commerce Board at the time, and Paul Doherty was chair. With racial strife swirling about as a result of the Schoolfield shooting, and the rumor that CBS’ “60 Minutes” was possibly doing a story on race in Springfield, Paul asked if anyone had any ideas about bringing together the community.

Around that time, I had become involved in a grassroots movement of like-minded people who had formed Institutes for the Healing of Racism in a few localities around the United States. So I raised my hand and Paul, as a white male icon in the region, had the gravitas to start a process of racial healing.

A conference was held, the Institute for the Healing of Racism was established in Springfield, and sometime later the community came together for a retreat in the Berkshires on race, attended by Springfield’s mayor at the time, Michael Albano, and other leaders in our community. Harvard’s Roger Fisher and his Conflict Management Group even heard about the Springfield initiative and served as facilitators for the weekend retreat.

We were on a roll.

There was reason for great hope. The institute, with the provided curriculum from other communities, began to meet at Springfield Technical Community College, and attendees stayed after the weekly sessions were over, developing deeper bonds with those of a different hue to their skin.

So what happened? The bottom fell out. We were not able to sustain the effort with enough local support. Being ever the optimist I prayed another opportunity would come.

Over 20 years later that opportunity to do something meaningful to understand racism, how it hurts people and institutions and what we can do about it emerged again.

As part of the City2City Pioneer Valley group that traveled in 2012 to Grand Rapids, Michigan, we discovered their community’s Institute for the Healing of Racism embedded in the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce.

Recalling and reprising the leadership of Paul Doherty, John Davis, former business owner and director of the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, stepped into the breach, pulled me aside and said, “We’re doing this in Springfield.”

Thanks to John and other stalwarts like Erica Broman, Ray Berry, Steve Bradley, Ellen Freyman, Steve Huntley, Frank and Dora Robinson, our first director, Waleska Lugo DeJesus, and original board member and now interim director Vanessa Otero , the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley has become part of the local landscape in bringing our community together with the lofty goal to ultimately overcome racism.

It’s hard work, but none of us are giving up.

And just as I gathered myself to go to my mom’s funeral to tell her story, and to heal and to go on, we take the message from George’s Floyd’s death and go forward with a new sense of hope and affiliation.

We can do it. We can make the world as we envision it.

Paul Robbins, who grew up in Springfield, is the principal of Paul Robbins Associates Strategic Communications and co-founder of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley .

BusinessWest: Area Leaders Say Momentum Can Generate Action To Address Systemic Racism

info@wildappledesigngroup.com (Eric Belliveau) — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 17:29:33 GMT

Featured as the Cover Story in the June 19 Edition of BusinessWest

By George O'Brien

June 19, 2020

Vanessa Otero said the phone started ringing just a day or two after George Floyd was killed on a street in Minneapolis and the world, and this region, began to react to what it saw — and felt.

On the other end of the line were those in leadership positions at area businesses, institutions, and nonprofits who wanted to know what the Healing Racism Institute of the Pioneer Valley (HRIPV), the 501(c)(3) Otero now serves as interim director, could do to help not only educate those at these companies and agencies about racism — something it’s been doing for several years now — but take the conversation to a different, much higher plane.

And then convert the talk into far-reaching action.

“Every day, we have two or three organizations reaching out, people who have been through our two-day session, saying, ‘can we talk about what more we can do — the what now?’” she said. “And we’ve initiated a process to add that ‘what now?’”

Elaborating, she noted that, in response to these inquiries, HRIPV — which has seen more than 800 area residents and business leaders attend its signature two-day sessions, where participants learn, grow, and process the effects of racism within individuals and the community as a whole — is committed to formalizing and institutionalizing an expanded roster of services that includes everything from onboarding training for new hires at area companies and agencies to full- and half-day training sessions for staffs and boards (more on all this later).

These phone calls — and HRIPV’s commitment — provide just some of the many forms of evidence that George Floyd’s death, more than any similar incident before it or since, has created a real opportunity — as much as all those we spoke with regretted the use of that term in this circumstance — to bring about real and lasting change when it comes to systemic racism and equal access to opportunity.

“We’ve just reached a tipping point,” said Ronn Johnson, president and CEO of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services in Springfield, who is being honored by BusinessWest as one of its Difference Makers for 2020. “We’ve reached that point where we’ve really grabbed hold of something that has the potential to change social policies.”

Frank Robinson, vice president of Public Health at Baystate Health, who has been actively involved with the Healing Racism Institute since it was blueprinted by John Davis, a director of the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation and others after they were inspired by a similar initiative in Grand Rapids, Mich., agreed.

Ronn Johnson

Ronn Johnson stands near a mural depicting the names of dozens of victims of police brutality. The art has become an inspiration to many visitors.

He told BusinessWest that the George Floyd killing, coupled with the way in which the pandemic has further exposed racial inequalities, has created a compelling opportunity to create a dialogue about not just racism, but the systemic racism that exists in many corporations and institutions.

“I call COVID the great magnifier,” he noted. “The pandemic has created an opportunity, if you look at the glass as half-full, to visit problems that have been magnified by its presence. Someone talked about COVID as a magnifier, and then they talked about the ongoing structural problems it has revealed as the virus of 1619, the beginning of slavery.

“We’ve done a good job of getting folks to understand racism and perhaps their role in it,” he went on, referring to the HRIPV specifically. “Now is the time to deepen that conversation so we look at some of the structural and systemic issues that perpetuate the problem — and that’s a slightly different conversation than the ones we’ve been having.”

But while there is general optimism that the confluence of events in this unforgettable spring of 2020 will indeed change the landscape in profound ways, those we spoke with acknowledged there is much work to be done, and none of it is particularly easy. So much work, in fact, that some are feeling overwhelmed by the assignment confronting them.

The place to start, said Christina Royal, president of Holyoke Community College (HCC), is with each business, each institution, and each individual asking what they can do to address this issue in their own way.

“And if they’re already taking some actions, they need to ask what more they can do,” she said, adding that this is exactly what HCC is doing. It already has a number of programs and initiatives in place to help level what has historically been an unlevel playing field when it comes to access to opportunities for individuals of color, but Royal acknowledged that more needs to be done.

Mark Keroack , president and CEO of Baystate Health, expressed similar sentiments.

“Just in the past few months, it’s become clear that it’s not enough to travel the personal journey yourself and get your head and your heart in the right place,” he said. “You also need to be aware of the fact that all around us is this system that tends to favor white people. And then the question is — what are you going to do about it? And it’s not straightforward; there’s a lot of thinking and learning, and trying this and trying that.”

“We’ve just reached a tipping point. We’ve reached that point where we’ve really grabbed hold of something that has the potential to change social policies.”

For this issue, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at how the events of the past several weeks have indeed created an important opportunity to address the large and complicated issue of racism in this country — and how to maximize that opportunity.

Changing the Conversation

Tracing the history of the HRIPV, Davis turned back the clock almost a decade, to a trip to Grand Rapids that was part of the City2City program that also took leaders of this region to Greensboro, N.C., Bethlehem, Pa., and Chattanooga, Tenn. During that visit to Michigan, while hearing about efforts to drive economic development, revitalize the central business district, and improve schools, participants also heard about a program within the local chamber of commerce called the Institute for Healing Racism.

A small group of those participants returned to Grand Rapids to experience the two-day Facing Racism program firsthand, and upon returning, they established the regional anti-racism workgroup to gauge interest in pursuing the development of a similar initiative in Western Mass., said Davis, noting that, with the Grand Rapids program as a model, the Healing Racism two-day program and curriculum was established.

“The minute I saw it, I said, ‘we’ve got to get this going in Springfield,” said Davis, noting that this wasn’t the first effort to create such a program in Greater Springfield — others had been attempted in the ’90s — but it was the first that gained enough traction to get off the ground. And it was clearly needed, he noted.

“It was something I could see in the community — there was a clear lack of understanding about racism; no one wanted to talk about it,” he told BusinessWest. “Everybody talked about it in their own little worlds, but the conversations I witnessed were not the conversations that were needed. If you did a survey of the white population and asked them how many were racist, 99% would say they weren’t racists. But if you did a survey of people of color and asked them if they lived in a racist society, they’d all say ‘yes.’ So there was a huge disconnect that I could see.”

Frank Robinson

Frank Robinson says the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified issues of racism and inequality and helped provide a real opportunity to take the conversation to a higher plane.

In an effort to address this disconnect, two-day sessions, again modeled on those in Grand Rapids, were created where participants did a good amount of listening to those of other races. And by listening, participants, which included police, business leaders, nonprofit leaders, a district attorney, members of the media, and other constituencies, learned that issues of racism and inequality were real in the Pioneer Valley.

The challenge, and the assignment, moving forward is to continue the dialogue, but also take this initiative to a higher plane, Otero said.

“We’d like to get to the point where, as in Grand Rapids, we’re embedded in organizations so that we can leave them with capacity to train and have these conversations in institutions so that they become anti-racist institutions,” said Otero, who took the helm of this agency just a few weeks ago and is still awaiting her business cards. “Because the antidote to out-and-out racism is ‘I’m anti-racist,’ which means you’re taking action to address this issue and you realize your privilege within that system and are taking action against it.”

Elaborating, she circled back to those phone calls and e-mails and inquiries about ‘what now’ when it comes to educating people about racism, broadening the conversation, and institutionalizing new policies and ways of doing things.

“Building on what’s already there, we’ve created a menu of services that we could work with organizations to implement,” Otero explained, “to ensure that anti-racism conversations continue to happen and grow, to the point where the organization itself can make the decision to be anti-racist, because that’s the key to institutionalizing this kind of work and this kind of thinking.”

“We’ve done a good job of getting folks to understand racism and perhaps their role in it. Now is the time to deepen that conversation so we look at some of the structural and systemic issues that perpetuate the problem — and that’s a slightly different conversation than the ones we’ve been having.”

This ‘what now’ has been in place for some time, she went on, but it hasn’t been effectively “activated.” To provide this deeper roster of services, the HRIPV will need an infrastructure, she said, as well as a large cadre of trainers and facilities. And this will likely require funding in the form of a capital campaign.

But the need is real, and the agency is committed to having these programs in place later this year, she told BusinessWest.

Moving Beyond Words

Johnson acknowledged that, in the wake of the Floyd killing, statements condemning police violence and systemic racism have come from all corners of society — CEOs of major corporations, athletes, political figures, prominent actors and musicians, nonprofit leaders, and ordinary citizens.

These statements are appreciated, and do have value, he told BusinessWest, but the emphasis now must be on moving beyond words and into the realm of action to recognize, understand, and address actions and policies that contribute to systemic racism and inequality.

And this is starting to happen on a number of levels, he and others noted, citing everything from NASCAR’s decision to ban the confederate flag at its events to the NFL acknowledging it was wrong to discourage its players from kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial inequality and police brutality, to new bills aimed at banning police use of chokeholds.

But if the region and the nation are to fully seize this moment in time, they say, every business, institution, and municipality has to take a truly deep dive on this matter and make a commitment to effect real change.

And those we talked with expressed optimism there is now the requisite amount of momentum to do just that. And it has been created by what many described as a perfect storm of conditions — the incidents involving George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, and many others over the years; the racial inequalities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic; and the fact that so many were home watching these events unfold. Despite incidents of violence and looting, those we spoke with believe the protests and marches, such as those in Springfield and other area communities, have created mostly positive energy and, in many respects, resolve not to let this opportunity be lost.

“I give credit to the young people for doing this — they’re carrying the passion,” Johnson said. “I was talking to a vice president at one of the local colleges; he’s talking about meeting with students who are not even on campus and may not return to campus, but are intent on finding out what this particular college is going to have to do to change in terms of some of the social conditions they’ve experienced.”

John Davis

John Davis, one of the founders of the Healing Racism Institute, says the agency was created to start a much-needed dialogue about race and racism.

Others we spoke with agreed, but acknowledged that progress can only come if the words in those statements and advertisements that so many businesses and institutions have generated in recent weeks are backed up with action and a lasting commitment to change.

“I would to say to my colleagues at other nonprofits … ‘look at your organizational structures — you’re serving largely Latino and African-American families, but your boards are almost all white,’” said Johnson, adding that, at many of these agencies, diversity exists at the lower levels of the employment spectrum, but not at the top. “They need to take a look at the leadership and make sure it reflects the composition of the folks they are servicing; that’s important for us to do.”

Even before the events of these past few weeks, many area businesses, institutions, and nonprofits were already looking inward — at policies, practices, and procedures — with an eye toward making them more anti-racist, to borrow Otero’s phrase.

And now, this confluence of circumstances is compelling some to look harder and deeper at what they’re doing (or not doing) and how.

At Baystate Health, Keroack said, the events of past several weeks have brought greater urgency to the discussion about the many forms of systemic racism, especially when it comes to public health.

“Here, as in so many communities across the country, communities of color are disadvantaged in some very fundamental ways when it comes to chronic disease burden — more asthma, more diabetes, more obesity, more hospitalizations for mental health, more maternal mortality, more infant mortality,” he explained. “And a shorter life span at birth; in some neighborhoods in Springfield, the average life span is 70, versus other neighborhoods where it’s 80, and suburban communities where it’s over 80. Your zip code really affects your health status in a very fundamental way.”

In response to this, Baystate is working with accountable-care organizations to address the health concerns of an assigned group of people — in this case, 40,000 people who receive care at inner-city health centers.

“But practicing medical care is not going to get where you need to be,” he went on. “You need to address the social determinants of health — housing, nutrition, transportation, legal aid, and public safety … and there’s a ton of work to be done.”

Meanwhile, the company is looking internally, at its practices and systems, with an eye toward creating greater diversity at all levels.

“We need to look at the systems that are in place, both in society and for me in this large organization, around hiring, advancement, and representation around the table of diverse voices,” he told BusinessWest. “We’ve worked very hard to build diversity on our board of trustees, but we still have a long way to go in terms of our leadership ranks.”

At the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC), there has been action in the form of new policies and procedures when it comes to hiring and posting positions, said the agency’s executive director, Kim Robinson.

These included the formation of something called the Race, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice Committee, which was formed by employees at the agency last year to address such issues within the organization. It was spawned in part by a housing study undertaken by the PVPC that revealed a number of disparities and what she called a “segregated community” across the region.

Christina Royal

Holyoke Community College President Christina Royal says racism is “structural and systemic,” so Band-Aid solutions are not going to fix root-cause issues.

“From that time on, we’ve been talking more and more within our organization about the need to do a race and equity plan for a region,” she said. “We think this is work that would be very interesting to undertake with other groups committed to this kind of work and seeing equity, social justice, and economic opportunity.”

While exploring when and how such a study might be undertaken, the PVPC has looked inward and seen a need to change language in its handbook and adopt several new policies when it comes to hiring.

“We’re going to require race, equity, and diversity training for every single one of our employees,” Robinson said. “And we’ve been evaluating where we post jobs to see if there was any inherent bias in that. We’ve added some additional avenues because we want to make sure we’re getting the word out to lots and lots of people.”

Looking Ahead — with Hope

At Holyoke Community College, Royal said the school continues to address issues of race and equality through initiatives designed to remove barriers and help see students through to completion of what they’re working to achieve. And it does so with the understanding that the problems are real and require lasting solutions.

“Racism is structural, and it’s systemic, so a Band-Aid solution is not going to fix the root-cause issues,” she explained. “It does start with having a commitment and an obligation to speak out against hatred, intolerance, and prejudice so we can really work toward building a truly equitable society.

“I feel a lot of pain with what’s happening in the world, but I also feel there’s a purpose to it,” said Royal, who is biracial and acknowledged that, five years before she was born, it would have been illegal for her parents to marry. “I do feel a sense of urgency and responsibility to contribute toward making our world better and our Pioneer Valley region better.”

She said equity remains a huge issue at her school and within society in general, and thus HCC has made it a priority to level the playing field when possible.

“We know that there are achievement gaps between our white students and our students of color,” she noted. “And we have a responsibility and a commitment to do better in this regard.”

She started with a town-hall meeting on June 3 to create dialogue about what was playing out on the news, but acknowledged that the school’s commitment goes beyond conversation.

“It starts with speaking out, but it doesn’t end there,” she said. “Authenticity of commitment to these issues is very important because, as I said, a Band-Aid approach isn’t going to work.”

Surveying the landscape around him, including a new mural at Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services that memorializes victims of police aggression and the people who have come to see it and take a selfie in front of it, Ronn Johnson reiterated his belief — and his hope — that real change is possible and perhaps even imminent, and that he feels privileged to be part of all that’s happening.

“I’m proud to be alive at this particular point in time,” he told BusinessWest. “I just feel that we’re at a place where we’ve really turned a corner; we’ve hit that tipping point where we’ll be able to look back two or three years from now and say, ‘that moment was worth it.’”

He’s certainly not alone in that sentiment — or the knowledge that much has to happen for people to be able to utter those words.

A seminal moment has arrived, and an opportunity has presented itself. It’s now incumbent on the businesses, institutions, and residents of this region to seize this moment.

Read on BusinessWest.com

Vanessa Otero Named Interim Director

info@wildappledesigngroup.com (Eric Belliveau) — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 18:46:29 GMT

Otero is a former board member and will serve as Interim Director through the end of 2020

The board of directors of Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley is delighted to announce that former board member, Vanessa Otero has stepped into the position of Interim Director through the end of the year to support and move forward the work of the Institute.

Vanessa is among the co-founders of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley that grew out of a 2011 City2City Pioneer Valley visit to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where a Healing Racism Institute was formed and housed at the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. Grand Rapids has also established institutes in their community’s faith and higher education sectors.

According to Vanessa, "This work began for me after a trip to Grand Rapids with other community leaders. I remember stopping John Davis, another founder of the initiative, in the hallway to tell him I wanted to be part of his effort to address racism in our region. Since then, even when my participation waned, I believed in the importance of this work and the impact it has on participants.” She continued, “The pandemic provides a moment in time where I can be of help in anticipation of hiring a permanent director. This is not a full-time position but as important as any work I have done for the greater good.”

Vanessa has deep roots in the community. She is currently the Director of Smith College's Urban Education Initiative and serves on state and regional boards, including being appointed by the governor to the Governor’s Latino Advisory Commission. She is the chair of the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission and most recently was asked to join the Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 Health Equity Advisory Group. The purpose of this body is to advise Commissioner Monica Bharel and DPH on health equity issues related to, and exacerbated by, the COVID-19 pandemic and to provide suggestions on solutions to be implemented at all levels.

Vanessa graduated from Smith College as an Ada Comstock Scholar. She has a Master’s in Public Policy Administration from the University of Massachusetts.

Hampden County announces partnership with Healing Racism Institute

info@wildappledesigngroup.com (Eric Belliveau) — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 19:00:02 GMT

Source: MassLive

The Hampden District Attorney’s Office is partnering with the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley in effort to better serve and understand the community served in Western Massachusetts.

“As prosecutors we have ethical responsibilities to victims, to public safety, to criminal justice, and to the communities we serve,” Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said in a statement. “The decisions we make effect people’s lives and liberty. We have an obligation to carry out these duties without bias and solely in the interest of justice.”

Read the full story...

Masslive - Hampden County District Attorney’s Office partners with Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley – 8/14/19
WWLP - Hampden County announces partnership with Healing Racism Institute – 8/14/19
WAMC - Hampden District Attorney Announces Anti-Racism Training for Staff

Healing Racism Institute works to influence one heart at a time (Guest viewpoint)

info@wildappledesigngroup.com (Eric Belliveau) — Thu, 31 May 2018 17:39:27 GMT

By John Davis and Paul Robbins

A large crowd gathered on the green at Westfield State University to stand against racism in a rally organized by the Education department last year. (Don Treeger / The Republican)

Race. Racism.

In the instant that you are reading those words, maybe half of readers have an immediate impulse to turn the page to find another article, or if reading this on your computer or mobile device there may be the urge to click or swipe, moving to another item.

There are few words that evoke such a visceral reaction like "race" or "racism". Introduced into a conversation, there can be a palpable tension travelling up the spine. We have observed that most people try to avoid the topic. This is particularly true for white males. We know this from personal experience because we are both white males.

If religion or politics are conversation killers at a party, watch the reaction when race comes up. Toxic. Even though it remains America's most challenging social issue, we are loath to engage. At the same time, it casts a long shadow - from education to the economy to public safety to the way our media reports the news. It is like an invisible gas surrounding us - aggravating wounds old and new, with any promise of resolution seemingly forever elusive.

In this piece we will avoid definitions - which tend to generate a lot of heat rather than shed light - leaving that for social scientists and pundits. We won't even get into the now universal and scientific truth that there really aren't races at all - just variations within the species, and one variable, and science tells us a small one at that, being skin tone.

Our perspective is that at the heart of racism is a deeply held notion, never openly articulated, that people of white skin are inherently superior to those of brown or black skin. Roseanne Barr's recent comment about "apes" offers testimony of that. White people sometimes hint at it when they say "my people were able to raise themselves by their bootstraps... " as if people of color don't possess the same natural or inherent abilities. Both of us have heard some variation of this.

We learned in history, though this is not usually shared in history class, that at the very beginnings of our Republic the not-so-subtle notion of inherent superiority and inferiority was advanced. It was in the Federalist Papers, Federalist #54, the precursor to the Constitution, that assigned the human value of three-fifths to those in the Union with black skin and formerly slaves in determining a state's total population for legislative representation.

The Pioneer Valley is no different in struggling with this issue. It may not surprise every reader to learn that the University of Michigan Population Studies ranked the Springfield metro area number one in the country in Hispanic-White segregation.

So, why do two white males like us, with all the requisite privileges we have, care about this issue? As we look at the many instances of racial profiling in the news, most recently the arrest of two African Americans in a Philadelphia Starbucks for just being persons of color, we see a nation still reluctant to engage on the issue of race.

We look around at the real divide and the systems and institutions we value, and realize something needs to change. So we have been doing something about it. A little over five years ago, a small group of people in the Valley started to meet, including the two of us, to begin a dialogue about what we might be able to do, even in a small way, to advance the notion of racial equity in our region.

Inspired by a City2City Pioneer Valley trip to Grand Rapids where we discovered the Healing Racism Institute embedded in the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, we embarked on a journey that led to the formation of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley.

Our rationale and that of our cohorts was to reverse racism one person at a time. No government program or initiative will be able to wave a wand and eliminate racism, a condition that afflicts those who possess it and don't realize it and those on the receiving end. Racism holds down our economy and marginalizes those who could advance themselves and our nation if we could only eradicate it from our conscious and sub-conscious thinking.

The group behind the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley has been working collaboratively with others. In many ways, it is the hardest work any of us have ever done, but we can report progress.

So far, over 700 people have participated in our signature two-day Healing Racism program. Over 200 organizations from businesses, nonprofits, education, law enforcement and media have participated.

While much of what is discussed and presented offers history and context about racism's roots and how it has become institutionalized, much of what we do is about changing people's hearts. Changing just one heart at a time is how, we believe, we can start the process of curing racism. It makes practical sense, too - making a company or organization better, and sending a message to its workers and leaders that there is no place for racism.

We are gratified that so many of our friends, colleagues, co-workers and associates have taken the brave step of immersing themselves in our two-day workshops. We are making progress in the Valley, but there is still a long way to go.

John Davis is a principal at Ventry Industries LLC and a Trustee of The Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation. Paul Robbins is principal and owner of Paul Robbins Associates Strategic Communications. Both are among the founders of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley.

Healing Racism: A Community Dialogue

info@wildappledesigngroup.com (Eric Belliveau) — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 18:58:09 GMT

Source: WGBY

Published: February 28, 2017

Public media journalist Tina Martin (WBGH’s Greater Boston and Basic Black) hosts a live panel discussion and social media forum on the subject of institutional and interpersonal racism. Join PBS station WGBY and its partner, the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley, for a thoughtful and provoking look at race relations here in Western New England.

Following a brief introduction to the work of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley, Martin will welcome the contributing panelists before a live studio audience. Panelists include:

Lisa Bakowski, Principal of Boland Elementary School in Springfield, Mass
Heshimi Moja, Co-Faciltator, Healing Racism Institute Pioneer Valley
Bishop Talbert Swan, President of the Springfield, Mass. NAACP
David Woods, Founder of Leadership Pioneer Valley

Public Television to Air Live Race Relations Forum Feb. 23

info@wildappledesigngroup.com (Eric Belliveau) — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 18:58:07 GMT

Public Television to Air Live Race Relations Forum Feb. 23

Source: WGBY

Published: February 21, 2017

Local PBS station WGBY and the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley explore racism in western New England during live Thursday night special, Healing Racism: A Community Dialogue with award-winning journalist Tina Martin.

With a community as diverse as the one here in western New England, it's helpful at times to have an honest discussion about our differences—and similarities. That's why, working with partner group Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley, local public television and PBS station WGBY is hosting a unique town hall-style forum on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. about regional race relations.

Moderated by WGBH news reporter Tina Martin, the forum will be broadcast live from the Springfield studios. It will include a brief profile of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley and its signature two-day "Healing Racism" seminar. Then panel of special guests will engage in a conversation about the institutional nature of racism and various manifestations of racism.

A live studio audience will be encouraged to offer thoughts and ask questions. In addition, the public television station is asking viewers to join the conversation virtually, using social media hashtag #wgbydialogue via Facebook and Twitter before, during, and after the televised event.

"We had been talking about doing something with Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley for a while," explains WGBY's Interim General Manager Lynn Page, "but weren't sure exactly what or how. Then, as we lined up all of our Black History Month programming, this opportunity unfolded. The Institute really does a fine job of facilitating what can be a personal and difficult topic."

For its part, the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley says it is eager to do the project, too. Waleska Lugo-DeJesús, the director of the Institute, says the project benefits all viewers by not only raising awareness, but also demonstrating the benefits of using established processes to discuss racism.

"Our goal is really to elevate people's consciousness about race and help them to understand systemic inequities within that," said Lugo-DeJesús. "We want this to be an experience that incorporates real history, exercise, dialogue, and candid conversation to define the impacts of racism, but also models how we all can discuss a difficult subject."

LIVE PANEL & AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

Moderated by award-winning public television journalist Tina Martin (seen on WGBH's Greater Boston and Basic Black and contributing to PBS Newshour), WGBY's Healing Racism: A Community Dialogue will feature intellectual contributions on the subject of racism from a panel of western New England locals.

They include:

Lisa Bakowski, principal of Boland Elementary School in Springfield.
Heshima Moja, co-facilitator of Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley's two-day seminars.
Bishop Talbert Swan, president of the Greater Springfield NAACP.
David Woods, principle of Longmeadow-based Woods Financial Group.
The panel will field questions from a live studio audience as well as from social media contributors using hashtag #wgbydialogue.

"I was eager to host this forum," says Martin, "because it's an authentic, worthwhile effort — to make a tough conversation be something productive." She adds that recent news events underscore racism as a topic in need of continued unpacking.

"I'm especially eager to hear from the audience and read the live tweets and Facebook posts," Martin adds. "I would love to get some real engagement going from viewers."

WGBY's Healing Racism: A Community Dialogue will air live Thursday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. Social media participation will be led by journalist Elizabeth Roman of The Republican, MassLive, and El Pueblo Latino. Viewers can join the conversation using the hashtag #wgbydialgue on Facebook and Twitter. They can also follow WGBY at facebook.com/wgbytv and @wgby on twitter.com/wgby .

Springfield institute bridging the racial divide one session at a time

info@wildappledesigngroup.com (Eric Belliveau) — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 18:58:05 GMT

Source: MassLive

While some may feel overcoming racism is too large a task, members of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley believe the first step only takes two days.

For the last five years, the Springfield-based organization has worked with individuals across all sectors of the city to bridge the racial divide. Using film and open discussion of personal experiences among peers, the institute's signature program educates participants on different aspects of racism including its history, origins and social impact.

"Our goal is really to elevate people's consciousness about race and help them to understand systemic inequities within that," said Healing Racism Institute Director Waleska Lugo-DeJesus.

Read the full story on MassLive here.

Healing Racism Through Shared Experience

info@wildappledesigngroup.com (Eric Belliveau) — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 17:57:59 GMT

Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley Director, Waleska Lugo-Dejesús

Source: Comcast

Published: July 8, 2016

From the Black Lives Matter Movement to politics, racism is part of the national discourse. Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley Director, Waleska Lugo-Dejesús, discusses the Institutes experience and impact on Newsmakers from the Majestic Theater.