SO, WHAT'S IT LIKE BEING A FACILITATOR?

Being a Facilitator can be a daunting task. Talking to people you don’t know is already stressful enough, let alone asking them about their thoughts and opinions around topics of race and racism. But the experience can be extremely rewarding as well, knowing that you are helping bring truth and understanding to a group of people that never would have these kinds of conversations on their own. 

My name is John Settles, and I would like to share with you my experience being a Facilitator for the first time. 

It was during the Inter-Faith Equitable Dinners event at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights where I first performed in this role. As guests started to come in, questions went through my head such as: How well am I going to do in this conversation? Will I be misunderstood in how I ask this question? Would I be taken seriously by the people coming in? 

Furthermore, asking questions about race and racism can lead to serious subject matter, resulting in intense feelings and thoughts. This was the case for me as I heard stories about explicit racism, microaggressions and segregation from the people who witnessed what my generation is simply taught in history classes. At some points it was very hard for me to listen, but I could not afford to let them affect how I ask the questions provided out of concern for not upholding the Courageous Commitments outlined by Out of Hand. 

However, once the conversations started, I felt more encouraged than dispirited, knowing that our guests got in their car and drove out to this event because they felt it was important to have these conversations with people they have never met before. In addition, I learned that people will respond in the way they feel is necessary to carry the conversation. Although there isn’t much I can do about how they respond, I am responsible for how I feel within the moment and ultimately I had to remember why you are there; to talk about the unedited truth in order to have a more stable and united future. 

So if you’re thinking about being a Facilitator, just know that even though the conversations will be tough, the work you’re helping Out of Hand do is beneficial for the community we are trying to build. Hopefully, you’ll leave feeling inspired by the stories of resilience and strength of the people you share a community with like I was. If you are interested in being a Facilitator, please visit our Mighty Networks page on the Equitable Dinners site. Thanks for reading and we hope you’ll be part of our courageous conversations!