Disembodying White Supremacy Through Bodywork
Learn to understand your body’s reaction to racial discomfort, identify where racial stress is stored, and metabolize that discomfort to avoid getting stuck in your anti-racism efforts. Class discussion will focus on healing and ways to root our anti-racism in healing justice. Indigenous, Black and Brown bodies will be offered an affinity space for deeper healing.
Description
“Few skills are more essential than the ability to settle your body. If you can settle your body you are more likely to become alert and fully present no matter what is going on around you. A settled body enables you to harmonize and connect with other bodies around you while encouraging those bodies to settle as well.” – Resmaa Menakem
This class will focus on moments where we have experienced the most racial discomfort and identify where in the body that discomfort is stored. We will use the work of Resmaa Menakem to root our practice, including that of “somatic abolitionism: a living, embodied practice and culture of anti-racism.” We will work to disembody white supremacy using somatic and trauma-informed practices that influence our nervous system, including body scans, breath work, meditation, tapping, humming, movement, vocalizations, and many others. The primary goal of this class is to become more self-aware in how our bodies can uphold white supremacy and how to metabolize through racial discomfort.
This class will expect a raw vulnerability and a sharing of experiences, reflecting on moments we have upheld white supremacy and working through them. Because this is a bodywork class, plan for full engagement and movement. We will be fostering conversations around healing and ways to root our anti-racism in healing justice. Indigenous, Black and Brown bodies will be offered an affinity space for deeper healing.
Accessibility
If you need any disability-related accommodations to fully participate in this course, please contact Molly Noble at cace@augsburg.edu or 507-923-4202. Requests should be made at least two weeks in advance of the start of the course.
What you'll Learn
- Explore how your body is a keeper of white supremacy
- Employ techniques to metabolize racial discomfort in your body
- Practice disrupting white supremacy within yourself and systems
- Engage with justice healing
Ideal For
Individuals who want to engage in justice healing work and those who are wanting to take their anti-racism to an even deeper level. This class is for those who recognize that racialized discomfort resides in every body.
This is a bodywork class in which movement and full engagement is required. If it's a Zoom offering, we request that you stay present with your cameras on and sound unmuted to enhance the flow of communication.
Key Features
- In-person or Zoom
- Interactive
- Includes body movement
- Discussion-based
- Reflective
- CEU awarding
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation requests must be emailed to cace@augsburg.edu within 14 days of the course start date. Twenty percent of the registration fee is non-refundable, but may be applied to future courses at the discretion of the director of continuing education
Any cancellation received within 14 days of the start of the institute, or during the institute, will result in a full forfeiture of all tuition and fees.
If insufficient enrollment, or instructor illness, requires us to reschedule a course, all registrants will be notified of any changes in the published information. If a workshop is canceled, all registrants will receive a full refund.
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Access & Accessibility Instructions
This course will take place on the Minneapolis campus. Parking instructions and classroom details will be provided to you closer to the date of the first workshop. Please email cace@augsburg.edu with any questions.