Questions by Topic
RET Refresh 2020
What’s new with the www.racialequitytools.org 2020 update??
Plenty!
- There are 98 curated categories on the RET site – each with its own webpage (‘bookcase’ in the library). We added some new categories, most notably Addressing Trauma and Healing, Decolonization Theory and Practice, and Language Justice. We renamed others, including Community Planning: Land and Transportation (formerly Regionalism), Narrative Change (formerly Changing Popular Discourse), Voting Justice and Democracy Building (formerly Voting), and more. For many category pages, we also added specific subcategories to better organize the resources listed. Examples include Anti-Blackness on the Racism page and Racial Capitalism on the Theory page.
- We cleaned house – we went through ~2,815 resource listings (some doubles) and deleted ~540 that were no longer relevant, or for which there are new ways of understanding the work, or where the information or analysis has evolved. We kept some of the seminal texts such as Structural Racism and Community Building, the Combahee River Collective Statement and Peggy McIntosh’s White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.
- By making all these changes, we are aware of RET’s resource gaps. Please be patient with us as we continue to build out some of the categories. You can submit resources using this form and we will review.
- We added over 600 resources so there are now over 2,700 resources on the site (~2,945 listings with doubles). Please note that the resources most recently added to the site will always appear at the top of their subcategory boxes. [New additions in the first half of 2021 have increased the total to 3,000+ (~3,245 with repeats).]
- The search process is now more advanced. You can look for resources based on year, category, media type, author, title, and organization or publication. Please explore and be sure to read the Search Tips to guide your search process. Note that we are still working out the bugs, so please be patient. You can help us by emailing info@racialequitytools.org to share your feedback.
- We hope that you like the beautification of the site with many images, videos, and quotes. (We are still filling in some of our ‘bookcases’, so there may be a few empty spaces here or there.) As you will see, we love community murals! – send us your best pictures to info@racialequitytools.org. Thanks to Kevin John Fong for sharing many of his mural pictures for the RET site.
- We kept the overall site map the same; we know our active users know their way around the site. Each page still includes key terms from the RET Glossary, so they are quickly available for you to support your review of resources. We encourage you to explore the full Glossary here, as well as updated listings for evaluation terms.
- This process was always about updating the site and moving it off our platform that was too costly to update. We are now on Wix, which makes it much easier for us to update the site and be responsive, though it has its own limitations.
- A big THANK YOU to Eric Blackerby from Better Everyday who designed the updated RET site! Much gratitude to Josephine Dru for being our data manager. And many more people on the team – please read on About Us.
I have another question about racialequitytools.org. How can I get it answered?
Please email your question to info@racialequitytools.org. Alternatively, post your question on our Facebook page. We will respond as soon as possible, and we may also post your question and our response here in FAQs.
I love the pictures on the site! Can you tell me more about the photos and illustrations?
Yes! Please see this illustrated file for a full list crediting the amazing photographers. Here is a preview:
[2021] My site includes link(s) to racialequitytools.org. Do I need to change them?
Thank you for asking!
YES, do update your links for specific resources and resource pages: Use the updated search function to find the page using the category and/or title or authors of the resource. Here is a helpful set of Search Tips as well as an updated RET Site Map. (Please note that our December 2020 RET refresh deleted dated resources and removed information where the analysis has changed or evolved. If the resource you want is no longer listed on the RET site, you will need to search elsewhere to find the original website for the resource.)
NO change for homepage: https://www.racialequitytools.org
YES for the TWP curriculum: Change https://racialequitytools.org/module/overview/transforming-white-privilege to https://www.racialequitytools.org/curricula/transforming-white-privilege
For the RET Glossary:
* NO change for full list of definitions: https://www.racialequitytools.org/glossary
* YES if you want to link specifically to evaluation terms: Use https://www.racialequitytools.org/resources/evaluate
* YES if you want to link to individual definition(s): See RET Glossary PDF (Dec 30, 2020). To get the new links, download this file, then right-click on the term you want and choose "Copy Link Location" (as shown below):
The site is asking me to “Log In” − what is that about?
All RET users can browse the site freely without logging in!
TWP Curriculum
I purchased the TWP curriculum on the old site. Will I still be able to access the TWP curriculum on the new site?
Yes! TWP members have permanent access. To reconnect on our new site please create a new password with these steps:
-
Go to the TWP Log In button – upper right (pink). -
A login page will appear. Above the “Log In” button, click “ Forgot password?” -
A new screen will appear, titled “Create Password.” Enter the email address attached to your TWP account, then click the button. -
An email from Wix will be sent to the address that you entered. It will contain simple instructions and a link for creating your new password. If you don’t find the email immediately, be sure to check your spam folder. Then refresh your browser and try again. (If you entered the wrong email, you can repeat the previous steps and enter the correct email.) Once you receive the email, click on the link to create your new password. -
You will need to enter your new password twice, and they both must match. Please note your new password will need to have a minimum of 6 characters. Otherwise, you will receive an error message. (It will be more secure if you use different types of characters, but not required.) After entering your new password twice, click “Save New Password.” -
Once you have successfully created your new password, you will see a confirmation message: “Your password has been changed.” Click “OK.” Your new password is now active. Use it to log in and access the TWP curriculum at any time. -
Make sure you record your new password, along with the email address you use for TWP, in a safe place. Also, be sure to share the information with anyone else who accesses your account (per Terms of Service), since your account will only recognize this email and new password. If you forget your password at any time, you can follow these steps again to create a new password.
I am interested in purchasing the TWP curriculum. Can you walk me through the process?
Thank you for your interest in purchasing the TWP curriculum. We look forward to engaging with you in this work.
To subscribe as a TWP member, choose the option that fits your situation from Pricing Plans (or scroll down to the end of the TWP Overview page):
- Individual = $250 for individual professionals and small organizations
- Organization = $500 for large organizations, K-12 schools, universities, and government organizations
- Corporation = $1000 for foundations and medium or large corporations
TWP membership means you will have full and permanent access to the Transforming White Privilege curriculum.
After choosing a card, you will:
- Complete a basic contact form online.
- Receive an email from Wix (our website platform) confirming your account. Click the link in that email to direct you to your profile page, where you can make any changes.
- In the profile form at the top left, you will see a tab that says “My Subscriptions” − go there, and the card you chose will be listed.
- Press the corresponding button to confirm, then enter your credit card information.
- Once you complete this step, log in from any page on racialequitytools.org using the pink “TWP Log In” link at the top right.
Finding Resources
Where can I find out how to make policy changes within my organization?
There are several ways to find tools and resources. First, go to Search and follow these tips (see especially §1 and §3) to conduct a few different searches about your question. Also, you can use the Category dropdown filter to focus on Policy or Organizational Change Process.
I have a community meeting coming up and want to share data about the impact of racism. Can you point me to where I can find data on this site?
If you go to FUNDAMENTALS (blue tab), you will see a section on Data that offers three options:
Each of these pages will have tables that further organize the resources – some are data sites, others are about specific issues, and still others are reports that provide helpful analysis of the data. If you are looking for data on a specific issue, be sure also to visit PLAN and explore the Issues that fit your interest area. Thirdly, you can use the Search page and filter your results by Resource Type = “Report”.
Before you use the data, read this tipsheet: “ What Are Possible Concerns About Using Available Information?”
There are so many resources. I am overwhelmed – how should I navigate the RET site?
First, what do you want to do?
- Learn more about the concepts: see FUNDAMENTALS
- Find out more about issues or begin planning: see PLAN
- Identify a strategy or how best to communicate a message: see ACT
- Identify what you want to track or determine outcomes: see EVALUATE
The top of the page has a menu with these major tabs. Hover on one to see its main sections in the second row: Core Concepts, Data, Issues, Strategies, etc. Hover on those to get a third row with particular topics such as Structural Racism or Philanthropy.
When you are on a page, you always know what section you are on by looking in the upper left corner above the big picture. Also, everything is color coordinated by section.
If you want to learn more about the section and what is in it, be sure to read the page descriptions. There are a lot of good resources to also check out and a helpful overview of the topic.
I am interested in providing a series of activities during professional development sessions at my organization. Where can I go to find activities to use?
On the RET site there are two curricula that you can purchase. The first one is Racial Equity Learning modules, developed by World Trust Educational Services. To learn more about the curriculum, go to this link and you can purchase the curriculum directly from World Trust. You will find activities to support collective learning and develop tools to dream of and reach for a world in which all areas are respected, valued, and able to thrive.
Also, there is the Transforming White Privilege curriculum, which supports leaders and groups from different sectors better identify, talk about, and intervene to address white privilege and its consequences. This document shares more information about 20 modules and what is included in the curriculum. You can purchase here on the site to get login access behind the paywall to the online curriculum (lesson plans, slides, videos, handouts, facilitator’s guide, evaluations).
Also, be sure to explore Training and Popular Education for more curricula, activities, and resources about facilitation, as well as Resource Lists, with a specific section on Syllabi, Curricula, and Classes.
Glossary
We would like to post the RET glossary on our site and share the PDF file in our new staff’s orientation binder. Can our organization have permission?
Of course! Please feel free to share the RET Glossary PDF or post a link on your site. We request that you use the following citation: MP Associates, Center for Assessment and Policy Development, and World Trust Educational Services, December 2020. If you plan to use a couple of the terms in your materials, we encourage you to keep the citation that we have listed for them in the RET Glossary.
I have an idea for other terms that should be in your glossary – when will you be doing an update?
That’s great – please send your ideas to info@racialequitytools.org and we will review. We hope to update the glossary more regularly since it is easier on this platform. Please note, RET is a volunteer-run entity, with individuals from three organizations – MP Associates, CAPD, and World Trust Educational Services. Please be patient with us; we will continue to do our best to keep up with the requests.
Sharing
I am interested in posting one of the resources in our workshop packet. Do I have your permission?
If you are interested in posting a particular resource, you will have to seek permission from the author of the document. Sometimes the publication includes contact information. Other times you may need to do some searching online. A good source for finding a specific person is LinkedIn or Facebook or other types of social media community groups.
Our organization just created a new resource – how can I have it posted on RET site?
We are eager to consider new resources, especially in sections that have gaps. Resources submitted should have a racial equity analysis and a conceptual understanding of structural racism, power, and privilege. Please read our tipsheet on Reviewing Resources. We do not post any marketing materials, announcements of events or trainings, or items in which there is a fee, including books.
Complete the Submit a Resource form. We post new resources every two months; at that time, we review any submissions and make decisions based on our review criteria. Please note, this is a volunteer-run site. Please be patient. If you have any questions, write to us at info@racialequitytools.org.
I’d like to donate to Racial Equity Tools, but I prefer sending a check rather than using PayPal. What would you suggest?
THANK YOU! We appreciate your support. Please make out your check to the Center for Assessment and Policy Development who is one of the three RET partners. In the memo section include “RET donation.”