Our founder, Lace Watkins, set forth an ethos that we continue to value and practice as we work together to confront racism white supremacy around and within us. Unlike many other online spaces, the Lace on Race Facebook page has guidelines for your participation. For those at the beginning of your walk and your work, we also have a set of foundational essays by Lace that underpin our ethos and provide tools for the difficult work we do here.
Community Guidelines
We recognize that most online communities do not set many expectations for how you participate. But. We are new people doing new things in new ways. Everyone who engages here and on our Facebook page is expected to adhere to our community guidelines.
Foundational Essays
These essays, sometimes referred to as “pinned posts” were those that Lace considered foundational and fundamental for everyone joining our community. They are listed topically below.
Community Onboarding
So, you know our basic expectations. What else do you need to know to get your walk with us started on the right foot?
| Onboarding Intro – Part 1 |
| Onboarding Intro – Part 2 |
| The Face of Lace – A Personal Reflection |
| Doing the Work with Resolve, Resilience, and Relentless Reliability |
| This is the Work |
| Why the Ask? |
Relational Ethics
One thing that sets us most apart from others doing this work is our focus on relationship. We walk as a community, seeing eye-to-eye, and in relationship with each other. We discuss difficult things. Here you’ll find the tools you need to hold your own hand, mind your slosh, and be a safe actor in this space.
The Six Tenets
These tenets set forth a path toward growing and growing up in our journey toward racial equity.
| The Six Tenets – A Re-Introduction |
| Tenet 1: Lean In |
| Tenet 2: Dig Deep |
| Tenet 3: Plant Roots |
| Tenet 4: Grow In |
| Tenet 5: Grow Up |
| Tenet 6: Grow Out |
Obstacles to Growth and Community
What can possibly go wrong? Well, there’s a lot that can get in our way. Learn about those obstacles and how to avoid them here.
| Obstacles to Growth and Community Part 1 |
| Obstacles to Growth and Community Part 2 |
| Obstacles to Growth and Community Part 3 |
| Two Highways |
Encouragement, Exhortation, and the “Can’t”
This work IS hard work. We don’t always feel optimistic about how we do it. When you get to thinking you just can’t… learn a little more about what “can’t” means when it comes to racial equity work.
| Encouragement, Exhortation, and the Can’t Part 1 |
| Encouragement, Exhortation, and the Can’t Part 2 |
| On Kidneys, Coffees, and Dimes |
Reacts, Emojis, and Engagement
One big difference between this space and the rest of Facebook is that here you are expected to do more than just click a “react” and scroll past a post. Why does that make a difference? Learn more here.
White Women and Oppression
Most of the walkers here at Lace on Race are white women. White women occupy a particularly fraught position within patriarchal white supremacy. Dig into how white women follow a pattern of weaponizing that position.
| White Women and Oppression: Post 1 |
| White Women and Oppression: Post 2 |
| White Women and Oppression: The Crux |
| White Women and Oppression: Final Post |
| White Women and Oppression: Follow Up |
| Coffee with Marlise |
Critical Discussion Posts
Practice walking with the skills you’ve learned by confronting some topics that demand our attention and our efforts.
Hope and Vision
Lace on Race is still stretching and growing. Learn what Lace, the Board of Directors, and some frequent contributors have envisioned and hope for from this space and ourselves.