Unbound:

Q: Is this course for me?

If you are a Person of Color interested in living beyond the ways that racism has impacted you psychologically and emotionally, this course is for you. We won't completely heal and excavate it all – but will get a running start at it.

Q: Am I ready to explore internalized racism?

Are you tired of reacting to the racism directed at you? Have you started your own journey and understanding racism in its many systemic forms? Do you get the sense that there is more available to you beyond daily experiences of racism and other forms of oppression? Do you want to explore what liberation can look like more deeply in your life? Then yes, you're ready!

Q: How can this work make a difference in my life?

For me, being on a consistent journey of exploring internalized racism has helped me feel clear about my agency and power in this world. Not power over, but my inherent power and worth as a human who has Black skin. From that place of value, my life feels different. What might that look like in your life?

Exploring Internalized Racism in Community

I've been thinking about internalized racism for a long time. And liberation. I've been thinking about internalized racism for a long time. And liberation. What I know is that the world that is possible will not be accessible to anyone without deep exploration and excavation of our internalized racism. And for People of Color (Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian Pacific Islander, South Asian/Desi, Middle Eastern, Multi and Biracial People Color) that means an exploration of the ways in which we have internalized the marginalization and subordination of our racial identities in a system that was never built for us.

I made the decision a while ago that going after my own liberation from internalized racial subordination would never be enough. It only worked if I did it in community, and then shared with others what I had learned in my own process. And this experience is the outgrowth of that decision. I know that it is possible to live from a liberatory perspective and experience in a system framed by racism because I do it every day.

Now I want you to, also.

who is this designed for...

This experience is designed for people who experience marginalization within systems of oppression.

Other groups who have socially and materially supported identities or experience privilege through their identities might get something from this exploration, but your identities will not be centered.

This is a space where People of Color/BIPOC can explore and cultivate in a space that will be held specifically for and by People of Color/BIPOC. It is a space for community, connection, reflection, and liberation. We will hold each other in community and in affinity, though it is more than an affinity space. It is an opportunity to do deep work understanding what internalized racism is, where it lives in you, and what's possible beyond it.

What will the journey involve?

This 4-week journey, which will be offered for participation once a quarter, will be a synchronous and asynchronous online experience meant to give participants a jumpstart to explore the ways in which they have internalized a system of racism and offer reflections and conversations to notice and extract it from their lives. It is meant to help people who experience marginalization in a system of racial oppression explore ways to live authentically with presence and power to go after and experience liberation while a system of racism still exists. The process will involve a few components:

Content and Reflection

During the quarterly journey, you will have access to content with short video segments (via Thinkific), reflection questions and journal prompts. This course is designed to have you practice and integrate short segments of learning content through reflection, practice, and engagement. Along with the video content on Thinkific, you will receive a fillable workbook that will help you process and engage with the work.
Community

In addition to opportunities for self-reflection, you will get to learn with and from each other during 2 group coaching opportunities during the 4 weeks. At the beginning of the journey, there will be an opportunity to gather together to connect with the cohort (via Zoom), engaging in the process and jumpstart the community. Additionally, midway through, there will be space (via Zoom) for participants to receive coaching and support from the facilitator and from the group to keep you on course. The hope is that you reserve the space on your calendar and make every session count.
Connection

Using a mini version of the cojourn method, participants will have the opportunity to partner with another participant to receive accountability support during this journey. You'll set goals together and have someone to support you throughout the experience. As a participant, you can either come in with a friend and you can do the program together, or you can be assigned an “unbound partner” from other cohort participants for the 4-week program.

Invest in Yourself...You're Worth It

Essentially, Unbound is a program that offers a structure that moves each of us closer to collective liberation. Because systems of oppression, including classism, are internalized, that internalization can impact the way that we feel about our worth and what we feel we are worthy of. The cost of growth and development is priceless - and this month of engagement, coaching, relationship building, and self-exploration is worth $297 - and you’re worth it.

For an additional amount, one-on-one coaching is available during the engagement, and if you are interested in that, please contact me at hello@authenticseeds.org.

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Interested in the Journey?

Still, wondering if this is for you?

You might still have a few questions that you need and want to have answered before you decide if this course is for you. The section below responds to the most often asked questions and hopefully will help you make the decision to choose you...

Is this course for me?

Am I ready to explore internalized racism?

Why do this work in a community of strangers?

To do this work in community is a direct challenge to the ways that racism impacts marginalized groups. In truth, we are all connected, so there actually are no strangers... There are only people who are alongside us in the journey who we can support and who can support us when we are in our power, and who can communicate clearly and hold clear boundaries. This experience gives us the opportunity to practice understanding the depths of isolation that we learned in systems of oppression and asks us to challenge them.

I’m not comfortable sharing my “stuff” with others. Do I still have a place in this course?

Of course. No one will ever be forced to share, and your full participation (however it will look) will be just right. Again, we are working to build a community of support, connection, and authenticity. Sometimes, one of the ways that we manifest internalized racism is experiencing shame about our truth. There will be no shame, blame, or lack of consent here. You are always at choice.

How can this work make a difference in my life?

Why internalized racism?

We often think internalized racism is colorism, self-hate, or the many other ways that internalized racism might show up or get expressed within or between people. Those are just the manifestations of the phenomenon. The phenomenon is the fact that we have internalized the system of racism. Racism is a devilish beast, and we have ingested its venom. How do we get the venom out? If we get stuck on those manifestations, it's like cutting off the top of a dandelion in the garden and thinking that we've taken the weed. We haven't! We have to go in and really go after the roots.

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Meet Your Facilitator

Tanya ("Tan" like the color)

My mission is to provide and create spaces in relationships, conversations, and communities for all people to feel seen and appreciated for their authentic selves.

I believe that educating and working toward equity, as well as creating spaces of justice and communication, all grow out of that desire. I come to my work from a belief that humans are capable of greatness, that our world is beautiful, and that it can be better for everyone.

The work of social justice became part of my DNA through my exposure to faith early in my life – it gave me a clarity about the beauty and possibility of creation. The principles that guide my work include integrity to my values of compassion, a belief that all people have worth, patience, a belief that justice, equity, and love are essential to our survival/success as humans.

I see the work that I do as part of a larger plan, and I am a contribution, doing what I’ve authentically been given to do, and believing that if we all can live in authenticity, oppression won’t stand a chance. I've been wrestling with and thinking about internalized racism since I was a teenager in high school.

I am embraced that liberation from is possible when studying for my doctorate (Ed.D) in Social Justice Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and researched and wrote a dissertation, entitled A Process of Becoming: U.S. Born African American and Black Women in a Process of Liberation from Internalized Racism, focused on internalized oppression and liberation.

I am

What about you?

testimonials

"Tanya did an amazing job guiding us and supporting us through this challenging work. I truly appreciated Tanya’s calming and affirming facilitation style. Deeply touching and heartfelt realities came to surface some very painful and tearful moments. I really appreciate your tenderness and invitation to invite us to be compassionate towards ourselves. I felt held by you throughout this experience, and have really appreciated the opportunity to reflect in this way.”

— previous participant

liberation is possible

Subscribe to the community and receive the Liberation is Possible eCourse Free!

liberation is possible

Subscribe to the community and receive the Liberation is Possible eCourse Free!

Unbound: