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About Us

Formerly known as the Anti-Racism Coalition of Dedham, the Dedham Coalition for Equity and Inclusion (DCEI) was founded during the summer of 2020 in the wake of the national and international outrage and grief following the murder of George Floyd and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.

 

There are five original co-founders, Dedham residents and mothers who connected via a Facebook group for local parents to begin organizing. 

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Through collaboration with members of our community, and after over a year of establishing ourselves as a community collective, we recognize the importance of ensuring that, in addition to standing up for racial equity, we must also acknowledge and stand up against other inequities in our society and have expanded our name and mission to be reflective of this goal.  Our group strives to collaborate and work alongside community members who are committed to listening and amplifying the voices and concerns of underrepresented and/or marginalized people. We do not receive funding from any local nor national entity.

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Our Mission

The collective mission and goals of the DCEI are three-pronged:

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To move Dedham forward in our work towards equity and inclusion so that all members of the community feel welcomed and that they belong.

To empower and give voice to underrepresented members of the Dedham community.

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3

To support and give space for people who want to learn more and to collaborate to move towards effective action.

To streamline and operationalize the DCEI mission, the coalition is split into four primary Working Groups, each with its own goals and activities.

To People of Color...

 

Through this group, we encourage and push for the social and civic participation of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) within all the main institutional branches in Dedham (including government, education, economy, etc). Our goal is to facilitate information and advocate for constructive and productive actions that address the issues that have long affected BIPOC within our community and beyond. We wish to collaborate with other existing organizations and committees to establish representation and work towards equity. Additionally, our group serves as a network to connect BIPOC within Dedham to foster relationships and celebrate our respective identities.

To White People...

 

Through this group, when we engage in anti-racist work, we will do so as allies of BIPOC. By asking challenging questions, seeking information, and demonstrating a willingness to (un)learn, we will have opportunities to sit and really think, look within ourselves, and confront the inevitable uncomfortable feelings. We share the goal of moving our community forward, working towards equity, through organized and informed action. In order to do this, we will hear and empower the voices of POC, and follow their lead, while simultaneously doing our own work to grasp what it really means to ally. We will listen. We will reflect. We are here to do the work.

Community Guidelines

  1. Decenter Whiteness, Engage People of Color
    In order to dismantle white supremacy, we must work to decenter whiteness. Reflect on why you are sharing something, and whose voice it centers. Actively listen to People of Color and use different methods to relay your understanding.

  2. Provide Constructive Feedback
    The purpose of this group is to help perpetuate proactive ideas, enact change, and collaborate to ensure equity, inclusion, and anti-racist work are at the forefront of our learning, unlearning, and work in general. When commenting or giving others feedback PLEASE keep this in mind.

  3. Respect and Humility
    Respect differences and seek to learn; ask constructive questions but refrain from personal attacks. Questioning the idea-not the person-supports dialogue spaces. Hold your opinions with humility.

  4. Practice and Presume Positive Intent
    Have positive intent and focus on the assets that our community has and can provide. It is beneficial for all of us to keep this forum positive. Intent and impact do not always align. Own the impact of your statements.

  5. Perception Check
    Deepen your ability to support and empathize with People of Color by checking your belief about what the speaker feels or thinks. Allies are here to stand in solidarity, rather than to offer help, or charity. Be mindful.

  6. Information Sharing
    This space is for POC and allies of POC to share personal experiences, frustrations, concerns, and ideas about our community surrounding racism. Please do not share with others outside of the group unless given explicit permission to do so. Comments attacking or singling out individual members of the group or community are not acceptable.

  7. Remain Open Minded
    This is a space of growth for allies and a place to organize and learn how to be social change agents for everyone . This work needs to be done respectfully with love, open mindedness, patience, and willingness to (un)learn cultural beliefs, customs, etc. Racism, afterall, is embedded in every single socializing institution. 

  8. Take Space, Make Space
    Allies are here to grow and better understand, while respecting and lifting the voices of POC. We are all in different stages of (un)learning. Be mindful of how you engage in conversation while holding your own identity at the forefront. Be aware of how you use your privilege (race, class, nationality, etc), and of the space you occupy as a member of the group.

  9. Speak Up
    The co-founders of the DCEI welcome and are open to feedback to make this group as effective as possible. Please speak up, ask questions, and share your ideas. The best way to communicate is to send a private message to one of the admins via our Facebook group. 

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