Assessing the immediate and longer term impact of an Undoing Racism workshop on individuals and their organizations

The SevenPrinciples (7P) project, inspired by the 7 principles of KWANZAA and funded by CDC to eliminate disparities in African American (AA) infant mortality in San Francisco, targets institutional racism. Over a 2 year period the project conducted a series of two and a half day workshops entitled "Undoing Racism" for health and social services providers serving AAs. The workshops were facilitated by an independent organization experienced in anti racism training. Participants completed post workshop questionnaires. Follow-up meetings and open-ended interviews were conducted to determine the longer- term impact of the workshops. Attendance records on participants by agency over time were reviewed. Six workshops reached over 200 participants. Immediate post workshop evaluations reveal over 80% of participants rated the workshops highly and 90% agreed to take action to reduce the effects of institutional racism. During participant follow-up meetings attendees revealed that they were significantly impacted personally by the workshops. Interviews with workshop participants including a number representing a large family support agency employing over 300 staff, a Family Resource Center and an organization serving homeless pregnant women revealed that the agencies had adopted new practices to improve their organizational cultural competency and decrease institutional racism. The Family Resource center took the initiative to form a Community Action Team through a mini-grant from the project as a way to continue the momentum and expand impact of the Undoing Racism workshops. Its first product was a Declaration of Prenatal Care Rights for AA Women. This presentation will discuss and describe in more detail individual or institutional changes and attempts to remedy racism in the workplace or community.