Evaluation and Impact

 

Does this make a difference?

  • As a person of colour, I’ve felt the positive impact of the white awareness work. I’ve had some good conversations about race with people in our sangha who’ve done the course. They’re more willing to talk about race. Less defensive. More curious. I’d encourage others to do it.

    - Anonymous (UK)

  • I’ve been waiting for Triratna to have a course like this for the last 40 years.

    - Jayadevi, Regional Order Convenor, UK, one of the first women of colour to be ordained in Triratna.

  • My experience of white male friends who have done the course is that I can now have normal conversations with them about race - without, that is, the defensiveness, evasiveness and (at times) aggression that otherwise so often seem to accompany such conversations.

    - Manjusiha

  • I’ve seen the positive effects of this work in the sangha. I had a conversation with a white friend recently, who’d done the white awareness course. A conversation about racial bias, and it felt a bit risky to have it, but actually she was brilliant! Really open and un-defensive.

    - Anonymous (UK)

  • 2020 (w)AIR Pilot

    An initial version of the program was conducted over 8 weeks, from July to September of 2020, with 11 participants based in the US and the UK. Three identified as men, six as women, and one as non-binary. All identified as white or white-presenting.

    Evaluation & Impact

  • 2021 (w)AIR 2.0 Pilot

    A second iteration of the program was conducted over 12 weeks, from March to June of 2021. Eleven people participated, based in the US, the UK, Spain and Italy. A significant upgrade was made to the website to act as a multimedia learning management system.

    Evaluation & Impact

  • 2022 Reading Circles

    From June to early October 2022, the Collective collaborated with BIPOC community leaders to produce two on-line Reading Circles, combining study with deep process work in small racial affinity groups. Over 100 people living in the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Britain and India joined.

    Evaluation & Impact
  • 2024 (w)AIR 3.0

    2024 (w)AIR 3.0

    In 2024 we decided to take a leap of faith and we “liberated the curriculum.” This meant that we invited participates to self-organize in groups supported by lead facilitators, and to meet at their own pace, in their time zones, in person or on-line. More 200 people applied, and over 160 completed the course!

    Evaluation & Impact

Words from participants

  • I feel more connected to others in our community committed to this work, supported in my efforts to move an antiracism “agenda” forward, and more able to fluently speak to the issues.

    - 2020 wAIR pilot participant

  • The course materials and resources offer a wealth of learning, tailored to all different learning styles… Best of all was the hybrid course retreat that we enjoyed together, expressing our connection in this learning journey through excellent talks, poetry, puja and shared practice. I find myself returning to the retreat talks and course materials many moons since the course has finished.

    -2024 course participant

  • It was great that we were starting with a common framework of trust and understanding, being that we all were dedicated practitioners. I also felt like I could make mistakes and it would be OK - no one would abandon me.

    - 2020 wAIR Pilot Participant

  • I am more aware of my conditioning. [I am] more aware of my impact on people of color and what it might be like to be in their shoes. I now move towards people of color more easily. I’m more sensitive to people of color in our Buddhist community and I think more about my perspective in my way of taking about “how life is.” It may be different for them.

    - 2021 wAIR pilot participant.

  • I feel more confident to speak about racism, and to speak up when I see/hear something that’s not ok or not comfortable. I am more knowledgable and more committed to being part of the change. -

    2021 wAIR pilot participant