New York doesnt do potlucks, they warned. Since we had just moved to New York from New Orleans where everyone has potlucks we did one anyway.
It turns out that New Yorkers do do potlucks. At that first one, in October 2004, people from all walks of life were in the room. A Latina sitting on the sofa next to me leaned over at one point and whispered: When is the meeting going to start? I whispered back, There isnt any meeting. Enjoy yourself! She let out a whoop: No agenda! She went to get another plate of food, glass of wine, and got ready to kick back for a good time. Weve been having potlucks every month since - for six years.
These are not your ordinarily potlucks. They are Antiracist Potlucks for Social Justice Activists. These potlucks are an organizing strategy, promoted by the AntiRacist Alliance (www.antiracistalliance.com) to motivate people to join the movement to undo racism. Potluck organizers work with The Peoples Institute for Survival and Beyond, a national, multiracial, antiracist organization that promotes networking as an essential principle of movement-building. The Peoples Institutes 30 years of antiracist organizing is grounded in a belief that race divides people and cultural sharing stories, food, music - unites people. The AntiRacist Potluck encourages conversation about racism in a society that doesnt want to talk about it.
Ron Chisom, co-founder of The Peoples Institute, is a frequent Antiracist Potlucker, coming up from New Orleans to connect us with the Institutes organizing efforts across the country. He came again this past spring when the Antiracist Potluck celebrated the life of Jim Dunn, Peoples Institute co-founder who died nearly 20 years ago. Most of the people in the room did not know Jim, yet as we listened to stories from Ron and others whose lives had been changed by Jim, we felt emboldened to continue the struggle to undo racism.
Over the years, antiracist authors have come to talk about their work: Jed Horne describes Desire Street , his story about New Orleans criminal injustice system. Robert Hillary King formerly known as King Wilkerson of the Angola 3 - signs copies of his book, From the Bottom of the Heap about his 35 years in prison 29 in solitary confinement for a crime he did not commit. Rev. Nibs Stroupe talks about his 25-year antiracist ministry in a Georgia Presbyterian church and sells copies of his books. Jeffrey Perry presents the story of Hubert Harrison, the early 20th century voice of Harlem radicalism.
Artists have inspired Antiracist Potlucks: Ian White installs his race museum, inviting us to experience black men as ritual sacrifice for the creation and maintenance of white identity. Poet Jewel Allison reads from Stealing Peace: Lets Talk About Racism. Elizabeth Sturges, Llerena, Suzanne Broughel, Ian Maher White exhibit their antiracist art. Singer/songwriter Kyra Gaunt presents from her project, Racism as a Resource. JLove Calderon and her artistic team share their work on Love, Race and Liberation.
When life-long antiracist activist, Deacon Kenneth L. Radcliffe, reached his 75th birthday, we celebrated with him. When Bill Quigley moved from New Orleans to New York last year to become the legal director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, we introduced him to the antiracist community at a potluck.
Each year, on Juneteenth, the Antiracist Potluck partners with the Unitarian Community Church of New York to celebrate the historical African-American celebration of freedom. This year, Vinie Burrows performed an exerpt from her one-woman show based on the slave narrative of Jennie Proctor.
For most of its 6 years, the Antiracist Potluck has been given free space in a midtown house owned by the Community Church . Free because CCNY believes in undoing racism. Over the years the group has ebbed and flowed. Sometimes there are just a few people; at other times theres a crowd enjoying themselves across racial lines, strengthening the movement to undo racism.
For more information contact:
Margery Freeman
The Peoples Institute for Survival and Beyond Northeast Region
