Racial Awareness Program (RAPP)
The Racial Awareness Program (RAPP) is a year-long organization that meets once every other week and I had an opportunity to be a part of the 31st group to go through the program. During the course of the year, we spent time as a group developing our connections as a community, learning as a group about social justice issues such as race, gender, and sexuality, as well as communicating and learning from each other. We also had two overnight retreats during the year in which we got to spend more time together and delving into social justice. I have always tried to be sensitive and aware of issues regarding social justice and discrimination, but RAPP truly opened my eyes to the depth and intricacies around those subjects. An example of a social justice issue I learned about is microagressions, or actions that seem harmless but are actually indicative of institutionalized problems. I also learned how many factors need to be considered to try to make a situation or event as inclusive as possible. On an even more personal level, I learned how important it is to take a step back and just listen to other people's experiences. I cannot speak to every experience and trying to do so can be invalidating to those that actually deal with such issues. I learned that not only is speaking out about and issue important, but so is being able to listen and learn. As a result of this experience, I am more conscious of my actions and those of others. I am also more sensitive to the experiences of others and giving them the space to be heard. RAPP is an invaluable program that has helped me to grow and I think every person that has the opportunity to participate in such a program should take advantage of that.
RAPP Banquet and Gift:
The photo of a gift and card given to me by another RAPP participant is significant as it is representative of the connections I made during the program. The learning philosophy in RAPP is communal and centers around the idea of learning from and teaching each other. At the end of the program, we were paired up to write about another participant and prepare a gift for that person. This was the culmination of our year together and shows how far we all came together in our learning and friendships.
RAPP Banquet and Gift:
The photo of a gift and card given to me by another RAPP participant is significant as it is representative of the connections I made during the program. The learning philosophy in RAPP is communal and centers around the idea of learning from and teaching each other. At the end of the program, we were paired up to write about another participant and prepare a gift for that person. This was the culmination of our year together and shows how far we all came together in our learning and friendships.
RAPP XXXI (2016) Slideshow