Race Across the Pond

How to Talk about Race and Racism

The Race Across the Pond Initiative is a WCAPS international project which explores, from an intersectional lens, how constructed race and racism impact the lives and human security of Black, Indigenous and other communities of color globally, particularly women and girls, and threaten international peace and security.

The Race Across the Pond Initiative intends to analyze and deconstruct different mechanisms leveraged by racial and racist systems and societies from a wide scope of perspectives, methodologies and approaches. The project is articulated around different formats, such as panel discussions, webinars, articles, policy papers, social media campaigns, training, and/or any other format deemed relevant and appropriate.

At the Race Across the Pond Initiative, we raise the voices of women of color who are leading the change in their countries and beyond, we reflect on how to challenge the collective and individual mentalities across cultures, and we discuss experiences, lessons learned and strategies to combat racism, white supremacy, neo-colonialism, and discrimination.

The Race Across the Pond Initiative aims to provide a space for reflection, dialogue and action to foster sustainable peace, human security, and social justice for all by leveraging multiple resources and energies and fostering synergies of actions between WCAPS internal resources as well as with external actions and actors.

MISSION

Challenge deeply anchored racism and white supremacy in societies, mentalities and systems
Challenge conscious or unconscious bias and discrimination towards BIPOC communities, particularly towards girls and women of color
Promote the application of fundamental human rights for all people
Shift the traditional paradigm in thinking about peace and security
Provide and support a more diverse and comprehensive lecture of the dynamics that lead to insecurity and instability
Advocate for the protection of the most vulnerable, with a focus on women and girls, and promote their voices
Elevate the voices of women and girls of color on discussions of national and international peace and security
Seek solutions and reflect on strategies to eliminate racism, gender inequalities, socio-economic injustice, and all forms of discriminations.
Challenge cultural bias and promote intercultural dialogue, social inclusion, equality and equity at all levels of the societies
Facilitate mutual understanding, acceptance and respect by raising experiences and voices of those unheard to the more privileged individuals, communities and societies

GOALS

Raise awareness on the impacts of constructed race and racism on the lives and the human security of Black, Indigenous and other communities of color in the Americas, Europe and across the globe.
Facilitate access to knowledge, tools and resources to all, and more particularly to girls and women of color, to deconstruct racism, bias and structural discriminations.
Deconstruct the process of construction of race and racism in our societies, from a peace, security and conflict transformation prism.
Advocate for a transformational change in mentalities, approaches, dialogue, systems and modus operandi of international cooperation structures and agencies.