Study circle to discuss race issues

By KATE BLAIN- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

Racism still exists. But if Catholics in Albany County want to eliminate it, a new "study circle" project is one step toward that goal.

"Tackling Racism in Albany County" (TRAC) is co-sponsored by 20 religious and secular organizations, including the Albany diocesan Commission on Peace and Justice, the Black Catholic Apostolate and the Interfaith Alliance of New York State.

The project will gather people of diverse racial groups to form study circles, discussing specific race-related issues and how to effect change.

Volunteers sought

African-American, Asian, Hispanic and Native American volunteers are being sought for TRAC. They will be asked to attend a two-hour study circle session once a week for five weeks.

The groups will begin by simply sharing their personal experiences with racism; but by the conclusion of the project, they will have developed action steps to work on community racial issues.

Barbara DiTommaso, head of the diocesan Peace and Justice Commission as well as a member of TRAC's organizing committee, noted that the group has also secured funding from the national Study Circles Research Center. Facilitators are also currently being trained to lead the study circles.

Connections

Already, she said, "we have very mixed groups: homemakers, human rights workers, policemen, artists, architects. People are really interested in each other's lives. Some deep friendships have come out" of the training sessions.

"From the experiences people have shared, I'm realizing the problem [of racism] is even larger than I had realized," she remarked. However, she added, Albany County has many resources that group members will be able to use to work on the problem.

Schenectady County is also participating in the TRAC project. Ms. DiTommaso said that the county began last year and has already decided on the action step of continuing the study circles -- expanding them to more people and holding them in schools, as well.

The director is looking forward to TRAC's April 29 kickoff event, which will include speakers on the program, entertainment and the chance for people to sign up as volunteers.

"We really hope the people from the suburbs and the hill towns -- every place in the county -- will come," she said.

(For information on TRAC, call 471-9669 or write: Tackling Racism in Albany County, Box 3778, Albany, NY 12203. The kickoff will be held April 29, 3-5 p.m., at The Armory Center in Albany.)

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