The Facilitator's Guide for White Affinity Groups

“DiAngelo and Burtaine expertly lay out how to create and sustain an effective white affinity group. Backed by years of experience, they adroitly work their way through the briar patch of white racial patterns that limit progress in anti-racism work. A first of its kind, this invaluable and much-needed resource will deepen the work of white affinity spaces and, by extension, increase the number of white people who are aware of the role of race in their lives, can trace the impact of racist policies of the past into the present, and have the tools to take transformative action. Knowing this guide is in facilitators’ hands gives me great hope.”
—Jacqueline Battalora, author of Birth of a White Nation

“A must-read for facilitators of white accountability groups! Honest and truth-telling, this essential guide raises key questions and provides crucial insights to address common pitfalls and challenges when leading these critical conversations. I wish I had a handbook when I started facilitating white accountability groups; now it’s here!”
—Kathy Obear, EdD, president, Center for Transformation and Change

“Some of my most powerful learning has been in White anti-racist groups like the ones described here—making mistakes together, asking stupid questions, and supporting each other on the challenging journey of addressing racism. I loved the clarity, suggested activities, and manual-like style of this guide for facilitating these groups, which will be incredibly useful and returned to again and again. May this book help you build loving and accountable relationships with other White people and cultivate courage, take action, and keep moving on your anti-racist path.”
—Ali Michael, PhD, coauthor of Our Problem, Our Path: Collective Anti-Racism for White People

“Robin DiAngelo and Amy Burtaine have provided wise and practical shapes for effective midwifery of anti-racist consciousness in collective context. This work is an invitation to build relational capacity toward durable social action by those who recognize that white supremacy differentially dehumanizes those it moves through and those it marginalizes. There is a compelling case made that anti-racism is inherently transformative to those who practice it while releasing a grip on perfectionist evasion or a quest for comfort. Instead, this facilitator’s guide brings conviction that responsiveness and mutuality are true companions of accountability.”
—Leticia Nieto, coauthor of Beyond Inclusion, Beyond Empowerment

Dr. Robin DiAngelo is an affiliate associate professor of education at the University of Washington. She has been a consultant, educator, and facilitator on issues of racial and social justice for more than twenty-five years. She is the author or coauthor of several books, including the New York Times bestsellers White Fragility and Nice Racism.

Amy Burtaine has been co-facilitating workshops, providing coaching and mediation, and educating through an anti-oppression lens for over 20 years. While she has experience leading this work on a range of oppressions, her passion and commitment is to center race, specifically looking at how whiteness upholds and perpetuates racial inequality. She most often works in collaboration with people of color to co-facilitate dialogues and trainings on racism. She holds a MFA and is trained in interactive pedagogy.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.