15. + 16.09.2015: What to do? Do something! Empowerment workshop for people who have experienced racism

Tuesday 15.09.2015 as well as Wednesday 16.09.2015, 10 am to 6 pm
Waldweg 26, 0.138, ground floor

What to do? Do something!
Empowerment workshop for people who have experienced racism

Racism is a social structure of power which influences peoples' opinions, the way they think, as well as how they act (in speech and direct action). Thus, social inclusions and exclusions are created that occur as individual or personal challenges, barriers, and/or violations to black people or people of color.
Racism does not make hold in front of the university gates, nor does it stop at the minds of so-called educated people. Students that grew up in Germany have experienced racism when they are admired for their flawless German. Stereotypes e.g. about Islam are reproduced without a second thought. Black people and POCs are exploited by universities to symbolize a cosmopolitan and diverse university culture while psychological and physical violations against black people and POCs are an everyday occurrence.

This workshop aims to provide students who have experienced racism with space to leave the impression of having experienced an isolated incident and to communicate about their experiences with racism at the University and beyond. It also aims to collectively search for courses of action, and to experience a sense of community and awareness for your own strength.

Questions like: What is racism (to me)? How is it connected to other forms of discrimination and how does it form my life? Questions like: What is empowerment (to me)? How can we act in racist situations and support each other? These and many other questions will be explored in this workshop.

Workshop is meant literally whereas the focus lies on the word "to work" and not so much on "shop". There will very little consuming and lecturing and a lot of space to talk to each other, experiment and act.

I'm looking foward to two empowering days with you.
ManuEla Ritz


If requested the workshop can also be held in Englisch.