Racial Healing Circle
Posted February 28th, 2008 by kdunlap
I went to the event mainly out of curiosity and for an opportunity to connect with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. I also wanted to learn more about some of the racial lines that divide people in the city.
When I arrived I was invited into a small circle with seven folks including myself. The circle was held at the Attitudinal Healing Center (AHC) at 3278 West St . We sat in a room decorated with art work by youth in west Oakland and filled with percussion instruments used at the center’s regular drumming sessions. The cushioned folding chairs we sat in faced a 50’’ television screen.
Founded in 1989, The Attitudinal Healing Connection aims to eliminate violence and fear by creating spiritual and educational programs that incorporate art, health and diversity/ social justice in order build peaceful and loving communities.
Aeeshah Clottey, board president of the center said that in the 1990s, the building was a crack house where many drug addicts had died. Today, on weekly basis the center attracts several dozens for diversity training, art esteem classes, racial/ancestral healing workshops.
The center also is responsible for organizing 100 Families Oakland program where residents from East Oakland, Fruitvale, Chinatown and West Oakland share a meal together and work on art projects. This year’s theme is Art is Change – Collaboration is Power, Creating Connections.
Although it was a small gathering, in the circle were a Native American, a Hispanic, two whites, two African Americans and one African. The evening’s activity was to watch "The Power of an Illusion", a film about the social construct of race, and discuss it from our personal points of view. Before the film was screened, the group agreed on guidelines for the circle. They included respecting each other's opinions, learning about the disease of racism, listening with a non-judgmental ear and creating a space for clear communication and confidentiality.
A 55-minute educational documentary, the film is produced in 2003 by the California Newsreel and divided into three episodes.
Visit http://www.newsreel.org/nav/title.asp?tc=cn0149 to learn more about it.
After the film, the group passed around a small wooden box that was used as a talking piece. Members of the circle shared their thoughts about the film. Some people cried and others were angry. The film even left a few folks at a loss for words. We sat together for about 30-minutes as we tried to describe how the film made each of us feel. We ended the night in an ancestral prayer led by AHC founder Kokomon Clottey. We also gave hugs and handshakes to each person in the circle. One woman who I hugged held me tightly for a few minutes longer than what I felt comfortable. But it was in was in those moments of our lingering embrace that I felt our touch seemed to heal a few racial hurts.
The circle meets once a month on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. and anyone from the community is invited.
