CARW

So now that I'm all settled into Seattle and my job and all that kind of stuff, I really want to start getting more involved with stuff in the city.  I had heard about CARW (Coalition for Anti-Racist Whites) a few months back but couldn't make the meetings because of my work schedule.  Now that my schedule has changed I can go.  So tonight I went to the monthly meeting.  It was actually a GREAT one to go to because they were organizing for the 2010 campaigns/ally groups.  So it was basically like they were starting over for the new year.  But, for serious, this organization is super awesome.  They do education in the white community and then also actively support color-led groups in the community.  Which I think is awesome.  Cause it's like they educate white people who think that they are not racist or that racism doesn't exist.  But they also act on those things and support organizations of color.  And then do more education based on how to support these organizations as a group of white people.  It's just pretty wonderful and I am so glad that I went tonight.  I felt kind of awkward at first because it was a huge group of people that I didn't know and it was totally stepping out of my comfort zone a bit.  But once I got there people were SO incredibly welcoming and friendly and I felt comfortable and safe there.  It's a great group of people who are super passionate and excited about racial justice.

So there are about ten organizations that will be CARWs ally groups this coming year.  They are all doing great work!  I was excited about each of them.  The one I decided to volunteer with/get involved with is called Pinay sa Seattle.  Pinay is a word for a woman of Phillipino descent.  So Pinay sa Seattle means Filipinas in Seattle.  And they do work around human rights of Filipinas and just in general building a community of Filipinas in Seattle.  I am excited to jump in and learn a LOT more about what they do and how I can be an ally to them.

Meetings like this empower and excite and energize me.  I mean yeah we're talking about racism and it's hard, but it makes me hopeful to see that great organizations like this exist and see that there are so many people that are really passionate about this stuff and want to do something about it.  High five to CARW and Pinay sa Seattle!