Making Sense of Racism: For people who see it and for those who don't

Making Sense of Racism explains step by step how we get conditioned to participate in societal oppression such as racism and become our own worst enemy. This information opens many doors for participants that were previously closed. It is much like learning another language. You come to a deeper understanding regarding what people are saying and doing.

Making Sense of Racism provides a template for understanding not only racism but other isms as well such as sexism. Though addressing the dynamics of racism in the United States, the information presented in this book can also be applied to societal discriminations in other nations.

Making Sense of Racism was born out of Starr’s personal commitment that she made over thirty years ago “to be there when the lynch mob came.” As she grew to understand the complexity of racism in the United States and the implications of her commitment, she decided to break racism down into understandable pieces to assist others. She went on to develop programs that became a catalyst for addressing racism in cities across the United States. Her programs have educated and empowered people from Alaska to Florida, from government to community groups, from corporations to a Native American reservation--under different program names such as Dialogue Racism, Healing Racism, Understanding the Cycle of Racial Conditioning, Ally Building, and Strategic Planning to Overcome Racism.

Though Starr is an accomplished facilitator/trainer/lecturer and author, she wants to educate millions more. Through her book, Making Sense of Racism, and facilitator training she hopes to reach her goal of the hundredth monkey phenomenon—a tipping point for the transformation of justice and equity in the United States.

Here is what people say about Starr’s curriculum included in her book, Making Sense of Racism:

David Campt, Ph.D, The President’s Initiative on Race
My impression about the transformative potential of your work was further strengthened when I reviewed your curriculum. The perspective it adopts is quite sophisticated, and at the same time very accessible.

Michelle R. Thilking
I now understand that to heal so large a wound in our culture we must rely on the Ritas of the world to lay a foundational map and hold our hand until we can stand on our own. She teaches us to use our own voice as a tool for change while protecting the dignity and self-worth of each individual. She does this with a self-effaced look into her own journey as well as the journeys of others. She shows us our journey is still unfinished and that we have potential for growth past any obstacle, even those within ourselves.

I am also impressed with the data she used to ground this book. As an anthropology and biology major, I find the supporting research refreshing because it grounds the arguments she presents. I know you will find this book insightful. I wish you well on your journey, which begins here within these pages.

Gayle Sears, Rockford Illinois School District, Teacher
The Healing Our Nation programs have been powerful instruments for change for me, both personally and professionally. They have given me a heightened awareness and a deeper understanding of the nature and effects of prejudice and discrimination in our country, in my community, in my school district, and in my classroom. They are simple, clear, direct, and personal in their impact.

Tony Franklin, Associate Dean, Knox College
Healing Our Nation programs provided me with life-changing insights and understanding about my personal biases, prejudices, emotions and feelings as they relate to discrimination and racism . . . The curriculum empowers the non-dominant culture while creating an empathic and caring paradigm shift for the dominant culture.