Last summer, the Twin Cities became the flash point for a renewed national and global movement for racial equity when we witnessed the horrific killing of George Floyd. As Minnesotans and legal professionals, we share a responsibility to gain a deeper understanding of the history and issues that led to deep racial disparities in our state. By understanding the root causes, we can take more meaningful action to create equitable communities.

This program is for TCDIP community members who are interested in learning more about the people who live in Minnesota, the history of racism in this state, the racial inequities that currently exist in our state and their origins, and what we can do to eliminate these racial inequities. In so doing, we will be addressing issues of colonization, genocide, segregation, policing, and other systems of oppression that have barred Indigenous, Black, and Brown people from access to life-affirming institutions, hindering our ability to thrive in what is considered one of the best places to live in the United States.

The Minnesota Equity Challenge syllabus is designed to engage and deepen your understanding of racial equity issues. By engaging in the Equity Challenge, participants will gain a better understanding of:

• the Indigenous peoples who make up Mni Sota Makoce (Dakota word for our state) and their ongoing efforts to fight genocide and settler colonialism
• the immigrants who make up this state, including what prompted their migration and the various ways in which racism impedes their lives
• how systems of oppression negatively affect the lives of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in this state, especially in regard to housing, employment, education, health care, and public safety
• concrete actions we can take to be allies to each other in order to mitigate the negative effects of racism in this state
• Readings and materials include Anton Treuer, Justice Sonya Sotomayor, Derecka Purnell, Layla Saad, Mariame Kaba, and more. 

Commitment: By signing up for this Challenge, you commit to engaging in 4 to 5 hours of equity focused reading and discussion per month for the next 6 months. You will read and watch materials on your own and then engage with your cohort during two monthly meetings. The readings will take about 2 to 3 hours per month. We will meet twice per month for an hour-long facilitated discussion. To get the most out of this experience, we ask you to attend both discussion sessions each month.

Participating in the Minnesota Equity Challenge is not meant to be performative. You are making a commitment. Our goal is that all program participants engage with readings and other materials at a meaningful and analytical level. We know that we must understand racism to begin to dismantle it.

Minnesota Racial Equity Challenge Certification: 
Participants who engage with this course and attend at least 9 out of 12 discussion sessions will receive a certification from Twin Cities Diversity in Practice. TCDIP will publish a list of those who have received this certification and will honor recipients. To qualify for the certification, participants must:

• Finish all modules of learning and reading
• Attend a total of 9 discussion sessions (inclusive of make-up sessions if needed)

TCDIP will offer a limited number of make-up sessions for participants. There will be one make-up discussion session available at the halfway point and one at the end, with two make-up sessions available total. TCDIP will apply for CLE credits in Minnesota, but CLE credit is not guaranteed.

Instructor Bio: Dr. SooJin Pate is a principal consultant with Strategic Diversity Initiatives (a DEI consulting firm), a Visiting Assistant Professor at St. Olaf College, and a writer dedicated to centering the lives and experiences of historically marginalized peoples. She received her Ph.D. in American Studies at the University of Minnesota, minoring in African American & African Studies, Asian American Studies, and specializing in comparative approaches to race and ethnic studies. An alumna of Howard University, SooJin received her MA in English, specializing in African American and Caribbean literatures. She’s taught courses on critical race theory, women of color feminism, African diasporic literatures, and U.S. history and culture at various colleges and universities in the Twin Cities area. She is the author of From Orphan to Adoptee: U.S. Empire and Genealogies of Korean Adoption (University of Minnesota Press) and was named Educator of the Year (2014) and Ally of the Year (2013) by Macalester College. She’s the co-host of the Antiracist Parenting Podcast and co-editor of the anthology-in-progress Ode to George: Reflections on George Floyd’s Memorial Site at 38th & Chicago.

Facilitated Discussion Schedule:
(All times are in central time)
March 12, 8:30 -  9:30 AM
March 26, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
April 9, 8:30 - 9:30 AM
April 23, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
May 14, 8:30 - 9:30 AM
May 28, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
June 11, 8:30 - 9:30 AM
June 25, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
July 9, 8:30 - 9:30 AM
July 23, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
August 13, 8:30 - 9:30 AM
August 27, 12:00 - 1:00 PM

This program is open to all Minnesota based legal professionals from TCDIP Member Organizations.

Ready to join? Register below! Registrants will be emailed a full syllabus and calendar appointments for all facilitated discussion sessions. Please note that participation is at the discretion of our instructor Dr. Soojin Pate and TCDIP staff.