Racial Justice Rising is a small, all-volunteer racial justice organization based in Franklin County, Massachusetts.
The members of Racial Justice Rising are ordinary people who are troubled by the persistent racism that plagues this country. Believing that the damage caused by racism must be repaired before our society can be whole, we work for just and respectful treatment for all.
While much of our work is focused in our local area, we reach out to and are connected with the broader movements in our region and the nation.
The members of Racial Justice Rising believe that:
- White people created racism to rationalize and justify the results of colonization: genocide, enslavement of free peoples, destruction of Indigenous societies around the world, and other inhuman behavior.
- White supremacy is the cornerstone of racism.
- Racism is one of the primary tools of social control in the U.S. and world-wide, embedded in economic, housing, education, judicial, healthcare, and other systems, and in civic and interpersonal relations.
- Racism, which can manifest as internalized racial superiority in perpetrators or internalized racial inferiority in those targeted, causes immeasurable harm to both.
Our mission is twofold: to help build the movement for racial justice by contributing to a deeper understanding of systemic racism and racial justice, and to engage in restorative activities that help to heal the racial divide and bring justice for people targeted by racism.
Our local activities include an ongoing series of free educational programs.
Mass Slavery Apology, the group’s original name, is still the name of the project that started our work — our statement of apology for slavery and commitments to restorative action.
One of our collaborators is the Grassroots Reparations Campaign, The Truth Telling Project’s premier program. More info: https://thetruthtellingproject.org
Consider joining our reparations group!
VIEW OUR REPARATIONS TEACH-IN
February 21, 2022 – viewing time 1 hour 36 minutes
RJR supports Greenfield Racial Justice!
Events
See our Events page for more information.
FREE PROGRAM SERIES
Our programs are supported in part by grants from Amherst, Ashfield, Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont-Hawley, Conway, Deerfield, Gill, Greenfield, Heath, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, Pelham, Rowe, Shelburne, Shutesbury, Warwick, Wendell, and Whately Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
We eagerly invite you to these three facilitated online training sessions sponsored by the Greenfield, MA Mayor’s office.
• Monday, November 28 – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Monday, December 5 – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Monday, December 19 – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The City has engaged the services of two experienced facilitators to host a series of community conversations on race, gender, class, equity and other important topics. “Dialogues Across Differences: A Community Conversation” will be hosted by Tanisha Arena, executive director of Arise for Social Justice in Springfield, and JAC Patrissi, an internationally known trauma clinician and author.
Members of the community who wish to take part in the dialogue can access all three conversations online at bit.ly/GfieldDialogues. There will be opportunities to discuss current issues re: racism in Greenfield, but that is not sole focus. There is no charge to attend these sessions.
WEEKLY VIGIL
Every Saturday from 11 a.m – noon, on the Greenfield Common