October 2021
What's in our groundwater?
You've probably heard the groundwater metaphor in conversations about racial equity. It was first presented by Joyce James and Bayard Love of the Racial Equity Institute in 2013 as a way to build accessible understanding of racism as a structural problem.

It's based on three premises: 1) that racial inequity looks the same across systems, 2) it cannot be explained away by socio-economic factors, and 3) inequities persist in our systems regardless of individual behavior.

Our team has engaged in the first phase of the Racial Equity Institute's seminar and some of us have recently completed phase two. We gained remarkable insight on specific points in our nation's history that we can now directly connect to the creation of the system of oppression and advantage that constitutes structural racism. A monumental task lies before us. How do we use this insight to move towards that groundwater "filtration" (to keep this metaphor going) that needs to happen so that we dismantle white supremacy and move towards racial equity?

When we examine our systems, we do see the disparities. And just as much, we see individuals moving through these systems who also see these disparities. Yet there's a mechanism that's missing between the culture shift of a collective and changing the systems in which we operate. We recognize the need for our work to be focused on closing that gap.
Inclusive Communities is the Featured Non-Profit
The Baird Holm Best Places to Work in Omaha Awards Ceremony is coming up, and guess who got invited to the party?!

Inclusive Communities is this year's featured non-profit organization. We are excited to share the work we do with others during the virtual ceremony that will take place on October 22.
Join our team!
We're looking for two (2) awesome individuals to join us as Program Partners. This is a great opportunity to engage in equity-building work in a hands on way. You will be working directly on the team planning and organizing our ACTion Services, IncluCity program, and all our Table Talks.







To Apply: Email your resume and cover letter to Dominic Green - dominic@inclusive-communities.org, and Cammy Watkins - cammy@inclusive-communities.org.
Last time on AAPI Table Talk
Inclusive Communities brought the community together to discuss issues related to the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community earlier this month in a new expansion of the Table Talk series – AAPI Table Talk.

Panelists Dr. Yun Saksena, Yogendra Pant, and Caleb Rohrer along with moderator Krystal Vuong Wegner discussed the diversity that exists within the ethnic group classified as AAPI, as well as the harm produced by the “model-minority” myth. 

Check out the conversation below!
Omaha Table Talk is up next!

We'll be talking about Youth Justice Reform with Keenan Tomlinson and Carey Pomykata in a conversation moderated by Christine Henningsen.

Join us on October 19 at 11:30 am via Zoom.
My Journey
by Program Partner Kandace Freeman (She/Her)

Hi Friends!

Kandace Here! I am a resilient, strong, queer, black woman furiously passionate about using my positive attitude and tireless energy to uplift, affirm, educate, and develop others. You may notice I am a new addition to the IC team, and I couldn’t be more ecstatic! I joined the Inclusive Communities team during the pandemic in February 2021. I would love to share with you about my journey and discovery of finding my voice.

Ready! Set! Go! Let’s get into it beloveds.

Growing up in Lincoln, Nebraska, I was a talkative, outgoing, and vocal child. Quite often, my actions and behaviors were perceived as defiance in the eyes of authoritative figures. Around middle school was when I began to notice and question the inconsistencies around me. During this stage of my life, I felt it was my duty to advocate and give a voice to the voiceless in my community. I believed that being the loudest in the room was how to accomplish my goal. Oh boy, was I highly mistaken. My intention of uplifting and being an ally for marginalized groups backfired, and the impact was lost in translation. Many tried to dim my light along the road; I was told to “not question the process” and “be quiet” so as not to ruffle any feathers. Still, I prevailed; I was determined to push the limits and shake it up by not allowing covert barriers to steer me off my version of success.

As the years trailed on and the more seasoned I became, I learned to tap into a new way of thinking and communicating. I had hit the jackpot, folks; by high school, I discovered how to use my voice as a tool to impact the world positively. You don’t have to be a celebrity or famous for motivating, developing, and empowering individuals into making a difference. It’s time to break free of either-or thinking by realizing that there is no “one size fits all” approach to dismantling the systems around us. There are many ways, both big and small, we all can use our voice for the betterment of our communities, despite how young or old you may be.

Fast forward to today……

At the ripe age of 29, I can confidently say I am at a space in my life where I love myself, finding strength in my own adversities, and celebrating the complexity of the authentic Kandace was invigorating. It’s been a journey, to say the least; I want to give a special shout-out to my mother for always being my biggest cheerleader. Choosing to love me unconditionally even when I pushed all of her buttons by always needing the last word or sound. Thank you, mom, for being such a phenomenal role model; I envy your strength, resilience, and, most importantly, love for all walks of life. My mother’s continuous compassion and patience gave me the grace and space to evolve into the strong, black queer woman writing to you today.

As I prepare to close, I want to leave you, beautiful humans, with one of my favorite quotes that still resonates with me today. I wish you endless luck as you continue or embark on your own personal discovery journey.

“You’ve got to know what your magic is. How else will you fully share your gifts with others and enrich the world for these precious years that you live”?

- Rasheed Ogunlaru