What is Saturday Dialogue?
Saturday Dialogue is an all-volunteer white affinity space where we discuss subjects of race, social justice, identity, and personal transformation in order to unlearn racism, dismantle white supremacy, and investigate our privileges. This process is inherently messy and sometimes painful. It’s helpful to have a community where other white people engaging in this process can challenge and support us. We heal in community, not in isolation.
When and where is Saturday Dialogue?
The Saturday Dialogue team hosts multiple events available to all each month via Zoom, including two dialogues and one workshop, as well as an in-person gathering in Los Angeles every quarter.
Click here to sign up to receive details about AWARE-LA monthly offerings.
Virtual Meetings
Please join us whether you’re in Los Angeles or not. All times are listed in the Pacific Time Zone.
Virtual Meetings
Here’s the schedule:
First Saturday Dialogue - 10:30am - 12:45pm, register here
Third Sunday Dialogue - 3:00pm - 5:00pm, register here
In-Person Meetings
Please join us in-person, in Los Angeles, on the Second Saturdays of March, June, September, and December!
Our quarterly, in-person gatherings are where we come together in community to share ideas, food, and fellowship.
Details for each in-person gathering are shared one month in advance in the AWARE-LA monthly offerings newsletter. Fill out this form to receive updates on when these meetings are scheduled to take place.
Why is Saturday Dialogue for white anti-racists?
For many, it sounds contradictory: “It’s racist if just white people to get together. Isn’t that segregation?” Read more here about our reasons for gathering as a white anti-racist community. Check out our paper Towards a Radical White Identity to learn more about the theory behind Saturday Dialogue.
**Interested in starting a dialogue in your area? Click here for AWARE's toolkit!**
Frequently asked questions
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See above for times and Zoom registration links, there are 3 dialogue spaces every month with a variety of times available to suit many schedules.
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Interested but nervous about attending a dialogue? Want to know more about us and what to expect? Click here to request a 1:1 call.
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The action arm of the AWARE-LA collective is called White People for Black Lives (WP4BL). Click here for a link for more information on what they do and how you can get involved.
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We are planning for quarterly, in person meet ups/dialogues on Second Saturdays in the Los Angeles area. We will come together in community to share ideas, food, and fellowship. See above for more information under “In-Person Meetings.”
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You do not need to live in LA to attend Saturday Dialogues via Zoom. You can join any of our meetings from wherever you live.
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Please do. You can find our White Anti-Racist Culture Building Toolkit here.
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The first step in getting more involved is attending a meeting and letting one of our facilitators know you are interested in supporting our work. We will then contact you directly for a deeper discussion.
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You do not have to be white to be a part of any of our dialogues or workshops. However, If you are Black, Indigenous, or a person of color we want to be transparent regarding the purpose of these spaces and what you might encounter. Saturday Dialogues are a place where white people can unpack and work through complex issues of race, racism, and the impact of white supremacy culture on ourselves and our role in it. Needless to say, this can bring up some very difficult emotions and potentially messy conversations. Click here for a link to our “Why a White Space” document for more info on why we meet as a white affinity group.
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Pick anyone that fits your schedule, the meetings are not sequential order and are stand-alone events.
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Every Saturday offers different content and is a stand-alone event, meaning you can come to any or to all. Beginners and seasoned anti-racists are all welcome. Because we are on the west coast, all times are in the Pacific Time Zone. The times vary on Saturdays to offer variety and accessibility.
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Yes. Originally we only met on Saturdays and when we added Sunday, we kept the name.
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No, AWARE-LA is non-profit, and all dialogues are run by volunteers.
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No. At the end of every dialogue, participants are invited to leave a donation, which we call “pass the hat,” leftover from when we met in person. AWARE-LA is a non-profit and all proceeds from donations go to the corporate cost of ZOOM, and when are in physical space to any rent or costs associated with meeting in person. We also give funds to our solidarity partners.
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Closed captioning is available at all our meetings, and we can provide ASL interpretation upon request. Please email whitepeople4blacklives@gmail.com at least 72 hours prior to the event you wish to attend.