"The gap between wanting to do and needing to do this work is only as dire as your commitment to equity.”
-Wanda Swan
The A.B.L.E. Institute wants to help close that gap by offering a space that allows for the unraveling of anti-oppressive and anti-racist belief systems. Together we will identify common oppressive habits, connect them to larger systemic conditioning, and dig into just why White Supremacy is everyone’s default (yes, even mine)!
We currently offer two arms of engagement:
INTRODUCING...
The #PracticeLiberation Academy
Beginners looking for a foundational introduction to this topic will find the #PracticeLiberation Academy helpful on their personal journey of anti-oppressive identity development. This academy goes in-depth on the history of race in the US, how that impacts the individual and collective culture of White Comfort, and how that creates spaces of unsafety for marginalized folx.
This 12-month membership helps you to be a better friend, colleague, and community member who stands firm on their values, advocates for those with less privilege, and models accountability for others within their sphere of influence.
The next cohort kicks of April 2nd!
This 12-month membership provides White-identified and/or White-assimilated folx an interactive learning hub comprised of the three main components:
“How I’ve come to know and value myself and others.”
“How I acknowledge the harm I’ve caused others.”
“How I take responsibility for my actions.”
What’s Included
Each quarter learners will join other decision-makers across the country in unraveling personal and professional barriers to liberation. Guided by Wanda and her team of Institute Facilitators, learners will receive:
Access to a digital library
of self-guided learning exercises
A digital folder of content
for further application of the self-guided learning
Monthly training sessions
on various off-shoots of White Supremacy
Bi-monthly office hours
with Wanda or her team
Group Coaching opportunities
with your learning cohort
“I met Wanda years ago while we both worked at Vanderbilt University. I recently listened to a TEDx Talk and the speaker asked the audience to "think about the people who would be worse off if your job didn't exist." If Wanda was to do this, the list would be long and it would be full of people who have been hurt and may have hurt others, who alongside Wanda, have been led to a place of healing. It doesn't take long to understand that Wanda cares deeply about her work and that 's she's been called to do something very special in this world. For her, people are the entire point and politics can be thrown by the wayside. Wanda will always tell you exactly what you need to hear and she's not there to always make you feel good, but she is there to keep you honest with yourself and those in your sphere of influence. She's a flashlight that leads people through the fog of societal ills.”
Krystal
“Wanda is one of the most prolific and provocative professionals I’ve had the pleasure of working with! For several years, I have admired her anti-oppression coaching work, and I’m consistently enamored with her messages through social media and speaking engagements. She’s truly one of a kind and in a league all her own!”
Tekita B.
Frequently Asked Questions
"I wanted to be authentic in my conversations around advocacy for Black Liberation...I knew it started from within. Before #PLA...I never wanted to be called out for not knowing enough...I would have rather upheld my own white comfort and kept the “peace” of the situation at all costs. Wanda said this at the beginning and it’s true, #PLA has ruined me, and I can’t go back. But for this, I am grateful...I understand that Oppression was a choice made over and over again, and continues to be upheld by choices made by people every day."
Morgan
"My goal from being in #PLA was to grow my knowledge of oppression, racism, anti-Blackness and White Supremacy Culture and with that knowledge build my capacity to speak up and take actions that actually disrupt WSC and my oppressive habits. In my work life I am constantly looking for ways to remind myself and my colleagues of our responsibilities to disrupt racism and oppression. I recommend #PLA to others because it’s truly impactful and effective for White identified people to dig deep into their racist and oppressive habits and ways with immense support to grow and evolve into being antiracist and confronting oppression."
Elizabeth S.
A Recap of What’s Included in the #PracticeLiberation Academy
The next cohort kicks of April 2nd!
- +Access to a digital library of self-guided learning exercises
- +A digital folder of content for further application of the self-guided learning
- +Monthly training sessions on various off-shoots of White Supremacy
- +Bi-monthly office hours with Wanda or her team
- +Group Coaching opportunities with your learning cohort
