The Richmond Racial Equity Essays launched in 2021 with the goal of promoting thought leadership and public dialogue toward advancing racial equity in Richmond, Virginia, but also as a multi-media model for other cities grappling with how to disrupt systemic racism and the ways in which is has and continues to show up in the the places we live, work and play. The project was designed to highlight both the racial issues our communities face by exploring history and data, as well as highlight solutions from the personal and professional experiences of practitioners at various vantage points of the work. The essays, interviews and podcast have been explored by people from all over Richmond (and around the world), in classrooms as well as businesses and social sector organizations. As a response, we have created a very simple discussion guide to help readers move through and explore the material in collaboration with others in their community, as a way to reflect, to deepen their learning and as a catalyst for conversation that moves toward action.

This guide is broken up into the eight sections that were outlined in the e-book anthology. Each section in this discussion guide includes: a short introduction to the topic, the Richmond Racial Equity Essay readings and media content, discussion questions and activities, as well as examples and additional resources. It is not exhaustive, but is a way to help others start the conversation.

We hope you enjoy your learning journey and that this guide helps you bring others in your community along.

Ebony + Meghan

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