MeckMIN offers a variety of trainings which could contribute to your understanding of the work of anti-racism. All are led or co-led by Executive Director Rev. LeDayne McLeese Polaski. LeDayne is a Christian pastor ordained in the Baptist tradition who has extensive training and experience in Conflict Transformation as well as Trauma Awareness and Resilience. The trainings can be adapted to a variety of settings, both faith-based and secular. Trainings are currently being offered via Zoom.
Social Change: Creating Movements that Create Changeand Activism 101: What’s My Role in Creating Change? are two brief trainings (90-120 minutes each) aimed at people very new to these conversations. These are not exclusively focused on race but would be helpful in thinking through HOW people and groups can act for change. $250 each, $150 each for current MeckMIN member congregations, or $400 for both, $300 for current MeckMIN member congregations.
Racism: Trauma and Resilience is a short introduction to using a trauma model to understand and address race and racism in the US. It can be done in 3 to 4 hours which can be split over several sessions. Offering a once-a-week, one-hour session via Zoom over three to four weeks seems to work well. Topics include: Understanding Trauma and Types of Trauma, The Cycle of Violence of Unhealed Trauma, The US as a System of Unaddressed and Unhealed Trauma, The Possibilities Within our Current Moment, Breaking Cycles of Violence and Building Resilience and Stories of Resistance and Repair. Practices for personal and corporate resilience are included throughout. This training is appropriate for beginner to middle-level trainees. It is generally most helpful to non-black trainees, though people of color who have participated have often found it useful. Cost: $500 ($350 for current MeckMIN members)
Do Not Be Afraid: Changing the Narrative in the Midst of Racial Conflict –This more comprehensive training incorporates all of the material in the basic trauma workshop and delves far more deeply into using the model to understand and address how race and racism have impacted and continue to impact the US and what we must do in order to move forward. Additional Topics include: Confronting the Narrative Past and Present; Conflict as Holy Ground; Curious Questions: A Practice for Surfacing and Sitting with Conflict; Trauma Awareness and Resilience and Breaking Free. Rev. Kadia Edwards is LeDayne’s co-trainer in this event which requires at least nine hours of contact time. This training is appropriate for beginner to middle-level trainees. It is generally most helpful to non-black trainees, though people of color who have participated have often found it useful. Due to needing two trainers and far more time and energy, this training is $2,500.
Because the MeckMIN website is under construction, the best way to get further information is to contact LeDayne via email ledayne@meckmin.org