REI Subsidies
Racial Equity Institute (REI) Training provides an analysis of race and racism from a systems perspective. That is, it addresses racism not only from the standpoint of individual bias, but also by examining the historical roots of racism as it affects institutions—the church, education, health care, criminal justice, etc., and what effect that has on the opportunities that white people and people of color have. Although this is a secular training, people of faith are well-represented in each training, and conversations during the training address religious issues.
The Racial Justice and Reconciliation Committee (RJRC) of the Diocese encourages each parish to have one or more members—clergy or lay—attend this training as a way to “seed” an understanding of racism from this perspective, and to have a common vocabulary and approach throughout the Diocese. To help defray the cost of the training, the Diocese, through the RJRC is offering subsidies to parishioners to attend.
(Download and save the form to your device before filling it out.)
PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING A SUBSIDY
- The rector or vicar of a church will complete the application and e-mail it to Monnie Riggin.
- The chair of the RJRC will notify the rector/vicar of the status of the application, and if accepted, the church will receive half of the group registration rate.
Note: The rector/vicar may distribute the total amount at his or her discretion; for example, if a trainee expresses a willingness to pay the full charge, then that person’s share can be used to offset a higher portion of the cost of someone else. - The trainees who will attend an REI training will go online and register, then email their confirmation to the Rev. Monnie Riggin.
- All trainees who are attending from a particular church do not have to attend the same training.
- The church will receive the amount of the subsidy by check from the Diocese, and the rector/vicar will disburse the subsidy. Alternatively, a rector/vicar can register all of the trainees from a church at once and arrange payment in the most convenient manner for them.
REGISTERING FOR REI TRAININGS
In the Triangle
- Go to the OAR Alliance website: https://www.oaralliance.org/schedule/.
- Click on “Schedules.” This will take you to all of the scheduled trainings that REI offers.
- Click on the “Register” button for the training you want to sign up for. This will take you to online registration.
- On the registration form, under “Group,” enter “Diocese of NC.” Select the group registration fee. Follow pay by check instructions and wait to receive your subsidy before submitting payment.
Note: These trainings fill up quickly, and there has been increased demand in recent months. The REI staff is working to add new trainers and training sites, but those planning to sign up should be aware that they might be closed out of all currently scheduled trainings and might need to check back regularly.
In Greensboro
- Go to the REI website: https://www.racialequityinstitute.com.
- Click on “Schedules.” This will take you to all of the scheduled trainings that REI offers.
- Go to //www.greensborohealth.org/workshops.html and download the registration form to register for a session sponsored by the Partnership Project. On the registration form, under “Group,” enter “Diocese of NC.” Select the group registration fee. Follow the remaining instructions regarding payment.
- Email the form to both the Partnership Project and Shelley Kappauf. (Shelley tracks the participants from the diocese who receive the discounted rate and regularly reports this information to the Partnership Project.)
Note: These trainings fill up quickly, and there has been increased demand in recent months. The REI staff is working to add new trainers and training sites, but those planning to sign up should be aware that they might be closed out of all currently scheduled trainings and might need to check back regularly.
In Charlotte
All Saints', Concord, was recently awarded a Mission Endowment grant to aid in its work with a group of six ecumenical churches in the Charlotte area who have come together to bring training sessions from the Racial Equity Institute (REI) and RISE! to the Charlotte area. Between the two, participants will gain a deeper understanding of systemic racism and come away as equipped and empowered faith leaders. Please check the Racial Equity Cabarrus website for upcoming training dates. (Please note, for Charlotte area trainings, a pay by check option is not available. Subsidy recipients will be reimbursed for the amount of their subsidy.)