Antiracism Consultation Working Group

Purpose
Consistent with PB Minute 21-104, to serve as the planning group for a Permanent Board-approved consultative process, facilitated by an external consultant. 

The intended outcome of the consultative process is to bring to the Permanent Board a framework and recommendations—a “roadmap”—for how the Yearly Meeting can concretely: 1) bring the perspectives and insights offered by antiracist theory and practice into the Yearly Meeting’s discernment and action as an institution, and 2) support and encourage local Friends meetings (monthly and quarterly) across our region, as they are led, to bring the perspectives and insights offered by antiracist theory and practice into their discernment and actions as worshiping communities, and into the discernment and actions of Friends as a regional corporate body.

The working group will be responsible for assisting with planning; for implementation and oversight of this consultative process, including consultant search and recommendation of final candidate for PB affirmation; for design; for participant selection/invitation process; and for evaluation to inform preparation of a final report and concrete recommendations to the Permanent Board. 

Composition
5 or 6 Friends, including at least one serving as prayer support, the clerk of the Permanent Board, the Yearly Meeting Secretary, and the Program Director.

Gifts, qualities, experience needed include: spiritual maturity; willingness to acknowledge ambiguity and paradox; some familiarity with aspects of New England Yearly Meeting’s institutional, programmatic, and relational antiracism efforts to date; capacity for “outside the box” thinking; commitment to prioritizing the life, experience, and needs of local meetings; ability to think in terms of complex organizational and relational systems; and commitment to continuing prayerful exploration and engagement with how NEYM may be called to grow and change in terms of priorities, attention, and action.

Those appointed to the working group are: Melody Brazo (Fresh Pond), Nia Thomas (Northampton), LVM Shelton (Plainfield), Morgan Wilson (Framingham), Becky Jones (Northampton, as a prayerful presence), Noah Merrill (Putney), and Kristina Keefe-Perry (Fresh Pond/Three Rivers).

Susan Davies (Vassalboro), Permanent Board clerk, will clerk the Antiracism Consultation Working Group.

Responsibilities

  • Develop criteria—gifts, skills, experience, qualities, approach—for selection of external consultant, to advise and guide the Yearly Meeting in a process of reflection, learning, and self-examination relating to antiracism
  • The external consultant recommended by the working group should bring a framework and approach that, while not necessarily explicitly “Quaker”, is clearly consistent with the faith and theological commitments of Friends
  • Research options, including soliciting recommendations from trusted Quaker and ecumenical partners outside NEYM direct networks
  • Prepare a proposal for PB’s approval, including:
    • process and criteria for selection of consultant
    • proposed budget
    • committed and possible funding sources (including grants)
    • scope of process
    • plans for coordination (and integration if helpful) with the Yearly Meeting’s existing commitments, programs, and activities.

Supervision
The working group reports to, and is under the care and oversight of, the Permanent Board. Clarifications or modifications of charge, recommended by this working group or by the Permanent Board, may be approved by the Permanent Board. Consistent with NEYM policy, the consultant would be formally engaged by, and would report to, the Yearly Meeting Secretary. 

Reporting
Initial presentation of proposal, and then at least every six months, more frequently if requested by PB; interim updates and consultation with Coordinating & Advisory Committee as needed.  

Measures of success

  • Proposal for process approved by Permanent Board
  • Consultation process held
  • Evaluation/report/recommendations presented to Permanent Board
  • Next steps for the Yearly Meeting identified

Projected timeline
To be determined

Process for laying down
Permanent Board to lay down following completion of process and evaluation. 

Questions? Contact Susan Davies