Composting Whiteness & Cultivating Solidarity

May we recognize the inevitability of this great changing time
And our part to play in it

May the beauty of what’s to come carry us forward on a steady current of conviction
– and still – may we never forget
the wounded legacy within our story.

May we learn from the dying and allow it to transform us
to work us from the inside out, to alchemize us, to unravel us, to initiate us

May we nourish life through decay
May we trust our wings to sprout – not before we hit the ground –
but out of it

~

 

This program is an invitation and call to accountability for white folks* in response to the prayer and possibility of a more liberated future for all.

The School of Lost Borders is rooted in a practice of midwifing change: learning how to let things die and how to courageously welcome new life. At the heart of this practice is a deeply held belief in wholeness and interconnection – an orientation that exposes the “Big Lie” that we are separate from nature and one another. 

Whiteness and human exceptionalism uphold this lie – falsely exalting humans as separate from and superior to all other life. As white and white-passing people, we are socialized into this story, which undermines our belonging and influences our behaviors and values. The systems of oppression created and upheld by these social constructs have sown seeds of devastation across centuries and continue to cause immense harm. The cost of these systems and stories is nothing less than tragic, and yet they are consciously and unconsciously upheld every day.  

While this reality may not be our fault, it is our responsibility to face and help repair what has been lost, broken, and stolen. These systems and structures are ready to die. On the other side of that death is a possibility of a thriving future rooted in balance and belonging. 

How can we aid the transformation of decay into fertile soil? 

Just as ideologies of separation will not restore connection — whiteness will not deconstruct whiteness. We need different practices and perspectives, so we offer these questions to the land – apprenticing ourselves to the innate intelligence of compost and the power of forest floor alchemy.

~ ~ ~

When we choose to decompose whiteness and reclaim connection to life, we join long legacies of solidarity – those alive today and the uncountable ancestors committed to justice, love and right relationship with all life. White supremacy culture loves to bury these stories of solidarity, yet they persist, and always will.

This program is for those who identify as white and white passing that feel pulled towards decomposing these destructive legacies and systems. We will listen to the land, water, and sky.  We will listen to ourselves and each other. We will get out of our own way and let the questions we carry open to mystery – allowing ourselves to be led by something larger.

We offer this program in the spirit of unlearning, creativity, and radical potentiality. We come not as experts or teachers, but as guides and co-conspirators who yearn to hold the big questions together and to cause a bit of good trouble along the way.

We carry the critical reminder with us:

“Nobody is free until everybody is free.”  – Fannie Lou Hamer

Program Overview:

During this 7-day program we will focus on many intentions and inquiries (a few outlined below) guided by the School’s nature-based model of interconnection. There will be solo time as well as time together as a group. We will meet outside for the duration of the program, so participants must be prepared to live outdoors (more details on logistics and location upon registration). Please note that participants will be asked to complete some reading as part of the preparation before arrival. 

Together we will explore questions such as:  

• Who are we beyond the falsehoods of whiteness? Who are we when we remember ourselves as part of the living world? 
• What can the physical landscape and the landscape of our bodies teach us about liberation?
• How has whiteness stripped us of our identities, our cultures, our roots? How does that impact our relationship with other cultures and systemically marginalized groups? What about our relationship with nature and our more than human kin? 
• What cracks and creativities emerge when we dig into our own ancestries and earth honoring traditions? What guidance and perspective can we find there?
• How can we reckon with the past and the very real present reality from a place of accountability and right relationship? 
• Imagine a world of possibility – what does a thriving future and culture of wholeness, belonging and freedom look like? What real actions do you need to take to live this dream into reality?

 

* Why for White & White Passing Folks?:

This offering is a chance to come together and grapple with other white and white passing people to do the necessary work on the path towards liberation that is best done amongst ourselves. The intention of this program is to reckon with our inherited stories and current reality without putting the emotional labor on or causing harm to BIPOC participants. Our hope is to create a program in the coming year(s) that is a multi-racial solidarity program offered by and for a mixed-race group. Composting Whiteness would be a prerequisite for any white or white passing person wanting to participate in that offering. It is our ultimate goal and intention to support and co-create multi-racial communities of wellness, knowing that the more diverse an ecosystem is, the more it thrives! 

Accountability:

We have no illusions about the long journey of dismantling systems of oppression. We anticipate this program to be a place of deepening and continuing our lifelong, intergenerational work towards justice. We intend for this space to elicit real action and real change. Like any program at the School of Lost Borders, we anticipate that the most essential work will happen after the program is over. Our incorporation work will involve asking what actions and practical steps can be taken to interrupt white supremacy and seed collective liberation in each of our own lives.

We also know that white people have the most challenges when it comes to noticing the structures, behaviors, defenses and inner workings of whiteness. It is the water we are swimming in, which can make it difficult to perceive. We need the critical and consensual support of allies of color to help show us what we will inevitably miss. We are working with such a group on the design and delivery of this offering, and are so grateful for their encouragement and essential support.

Curious to learn more, sign up or questions about this program?:

Reach out to Kelly McClelland at [email protected] and Will Scott at [email protected]

To register for this program:

If you are interested in joining us, you can complete initial registration below. The guides will follow-up with an invitation for you to tell us more about what draws you to this program. You will also have a chance to ask any clarifying questions. Together, we will decide if this program is a good fit.