PROJECT DRASIC: Apply for a FREE Bursary Here

This project aims to help address and dismantle the harmful, oppressive, destructive and divisive racialisation of humanity in ways that lead to non-adversarial pro-social and equitable change. This project will also facilitate the development of compassion, authenticity, humility, integrity, solidarity, and belonging so that participants are able to create positive connections within and between groups working towards dismantling racism and social inequality collectively (DRASIC).

How:

This DRASIC Mindfulness Based Inclusion Training is for black, brown and people of colour that we collectively refer to here as BPOC communities. The programme is a uniquely designed educational mindfulness based training that draws on diverse African centred wisdoms to embrace difference and connect throughout our common humanity. The project also combines the personal and collective benefits of contemplative practice, reflection, dialogue and critical thinking through a unique community of practice framework specifically designed for BPOC groups. Following BPOC training, participants will have the choice to join further multiracial group sessions where we will continue our collective work to dismantle racism from all directions.

Consequently, the DRASIC project is composed of two main components including:

• Provision of Four BPOC MBIT DRASIC online courses, that comprise the first level of a broader social enterprise programme.
• Provision of MBIT inter-racial discussion and practice groups to explore collaborative initiatives and strategies for reclaiming humanity.

Why this Project? 

The complex combination of colonisation, chattel slavery, and racialisation of humanity has resulted in embedded social constructs that divide communities, societies, and nations, into racial hierarchical power structures, that still cause significant harm in the world today.

Consequently, this project aims to reveal some of the unknowns about what we call, justice, equity, diversity and inclusion or for short “JEDI work” to uncover and dismantle structures that have caused and continue to cause significant and detrimental impacts on the human psyche, health and wellbeing.

These issues have resulted in deep relational wounds within and between racialised groups which are seldom addressed either explicitly, or in a deeply contemplative or reflective way, without giving rise to colour-blindness or spiritual bypass, defined as the tendency to use spiritual ideas and practices to side swerve unresolved emotional psychological and developmental tasks; or the temptation to feel our spirituality makes us exempt from racism and thus there is no need to examine the impact of race in our lives. Both of which limit our abilities to work collectively to dismantle and transform the oppressive impacts of racialisation.

Project background 

This project was born out of the need to support BPOC specifically as a rebalance to the focus of JEDI training for racialised white people. As such, this project follows the Mindful Action on Whiteness project created by Paula Sonrisa-Sturmer, that included an Oversight Group of specialists from the BPOC community.

Following this work, the Oversight Group, now known as the “OG’s, have combined their lived experiences in the context of racialisation into a joint wish to both live and be the change they want to see in the world.

This has resulted in the OG’s coming together through an interracial invitation to collaborate on this project that aims builds something that continues to alleviate racism collectively beyond our immediate circles.

Consequently, following the courses to be delivered to the BPOC community only. The Urban Mindfulness Foundation and DRASIC Team will create a collaborative space where multicultural dialogue and practice can take place that focuses our attention on initiatives that reduce all forms of identity based harm and thus offers agency, purpose and opportunity to those with the lived experience of oppression and marginalisation.

Who is the programme for? 

• People of colour who identify as black, African, Caribbean, Asian or Global South heritage or Diaspora who have an aspiration to learn how we might dismantle racism and social inequality collectively and mindfully.
• Those interested in the educational upskilling of all people of colour who might wish to open new possibilities to discuss, reflect upon and therefore transform fixed and negative notions of race based harm collectively.
• Those interested in fostering solidarity between BPOC communities and statutory organisations to build trust and individual and collective agency, that works cross culturally at dismantling racism and social inequalities in a way that is grounded in integrity for all oppressed groups and wider society.
• Those interested in building the capacity of BPOC to promote diversity and inclusion in their groups and workplaces through non adversarial peer learning support grounded in mindful reflection and contemplation.
• Those interested in enhancing inter-cultural competence and understanding through dialogue and collaborative anti-racist initiatives that alleviate racial suffering and nurtures mutual care for self, others and planet.
• Those interested in influencing policy makers and commissioners through a solidarity project that aims to build the evidence base for BPOC communities, by BPOC communities that facilitate engagement with culturally appropriate mindfulness training.
• Those interested in development of a collaborative enterprise and social mobility initiative designed to address all forms of identity based harm as we grow in a way that disrupts indifference to oppression through collaborative prosocial change grounded in solidarity, mindful contemplative practice and action.