Katelyn Chang, Staff Writer
On September 2nd, Millbrae’s newly formed Anti-Racist Coalition (ARC) hosted its first ever “Critical Approach to Racism: Understanding Your Position: Town Hall”. The ARC was formed following the protests over George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor’s deaths this summer. Consisting of Millbrae residents, the town hall aimed to bring our community together to listen, learn, and talk to each other to make sense of these tragic events. This followed Millbrae’s August 6th town hall that partnered with the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center to gauge where Millbrae was as a community in terms of racism. Then, the Millbrae ARC followed up with the September 2nd town hall to discuss the racism each community member has experienced or contributed to as well as identifying our own power and how to use it.
This town hall aimed to continue uncomfortable conversations in a safe space, increase awareness and create a common language around racism, understand what it means to be an anti-racist, and to establish an understanding of the audience’s power and to create solutions.
With ARC member, Dawn Lee, moderating, the town hall housed over 100 Millbrae resident attendees. Other educators and administrative members also attended this town hall, including Mills’ Principal Duszynski, Mills teacher, Ms. Arge, Superintendent Skelly, and Meadows Elementary Principal, Daina Lujan. During the town hall, participants were split into several breakout groups each led by an ARC team member. In these groups, everyone was asked to discuss three questions: “We have all been racist or experienced racism. What microaggressions, unconscious or implicit biases have you either participated in or experienced?”, “Understanding your position (power and privilege). What types of privileges do you have?”, “Everyone has individual power. What power do you have?”, and “Where do you want to see change? How can you use your power to create solutions?”
Event organizer, Mills Parent, and ARC co-founder, Karen Chin, further explained that “I think it was a great discussion on educating each other on some common language around racism and how we may have all contributed to racial bias. Everyone walked away with something tangible they could do tomorrow, big or small, to become less racist and to create a more safe and welcoming community for all.” Chin went on to further elaborate that she hoped that everyone now understands that they all possess their own unique power and privileges that they can use to advocate for themselves and for others.
Mills Senior and facilitator of the ARC, Lilian Chang, delineated the success of the breakout rooms; “We had some very productive conversations. It really helped me gain a better perspective of the experiences of Millbrae neighbors. It was really important that we reflected on our own actions and took note of both our unconscious and conscious biases. It’s great that we’ve begun to have conversations in our community and confront the reality of racism in our city and country as a whole.” Mills Sophomore and Town Hall Attendee, Jessica Sy, concurred with this statement when she said, “The Town Hall provided me with the ability to share my opinion in a safe space. I learned about what it meant to be an anti-racist and heard other people in my neighborhood’s experiences with racism.”
Through this community event, Millbrae residents were able to develop a deeper connection with each other by realizing their own power and privilege while also listening to the stories of other people who may not have had the same privilege. Although there are no confirmed dates for future town halls, Chin stated that upcoming events could circle around topics such as policing and policy in Millbrae and our schools, strategies to combat racism when you are the target or a witness, how to have uncomfortable conversations, and the history of race in America.
