Antiracism Working Group
The Anti-Racism Working Group (ARWG) is an action-oriented community working to increase awareness and advocacy to overcome racism.
Who we are
WCU’s ARWG is a collaboration of like-minded individuals fighting to dismantle systemic oppression and white dominance ever present in our society and culture. We are an intersectional group of imperfect non-experts who are committed to racial+ equity. Our current members represent 25 departments, 4 WCU locations, as well as faculty, staff, and students. We follow Loretta Ross’ call in philosophy where we strive to engage in conversation and to create a culture of compassion and growth.
What antiracism is
Antiracism work includes acknowledging and addressing racism, white supremacy, and white dominance that is ever present in our society and culture while actively working on institutional and/or personal levels, to dismantle and reduce the oppressive ideology our society is built on.
What we do
WCU’s ARWG focus working collaboratively in three areas of action (1) education and dialogue, (2) policy and practice, and (3) scholarship and community engagement.
We believe education and introspection are important components of anti-racist work. Our world is ever evolving, and we are committed to lifelong learning. However, reflection alone is insufficient to bring social justice, so we also focus on change in WCU policies and procedures to enhance racial equity. Moreover, we support and encourage our members to conduct anti-racist scholarship, expanding who has access to scholarship opportunities, and working with communities neighboring WCU to enact anti-racist change.