Racism in the United States in a global context

The New York Times’ 1619 Project is a must-read for everyone working on poverty issues. It begins this way: “In August of 1619, a ship appeared on this horizon, near Point Comfort, a coastal port in the British colony of Virginia. It carried more than 20 enslaved Africans, who were sold to the colonists. No aspect of the country that would be formed here has been untouched by the years of slavery that followed. On the 400th anniversary of this fateful moment, it is finally time to tell our story truthfully.”

Those who use Bridges Out of Poverty and Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-By World to address poverty in their communities are familiar with putting poverty in a context that makes it possible to address poverty in a comprehensive way. Context is crucial in breaking down inaccurate mental models of poverty and replacing judgments with understanding.

The 1619 Project offers a global context that will assist in the fight against poverty and racism. I also recommend Empire of Cotton: A Global History by Sven Beckert. It is the story of slavery, racism, and capitalism.

The 1619 Project

About the Author: Philip DeVol

Phil DeVol is an international consultant who has been working with aha! Process since 1997. He used aha! Process concepts to make institutional changes at the addiction treatment center where he was the executive director for 19 years. During this time he also co-wrote Bridges Out of Poverty with Ruby Payne and Terie Dreussi-Smith. His book Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-by-World is being used to engage people in poverty in the work of building communities where everyone can live well. It worked so well that DeVol used it as a basis for a prison reentry model called Getting Ahead while Getting Out. He works with community leaders to help them move quickly from an attraction to application of Bridges concepts. Getting Ahead and Bridges are being used in hundreds of communities in the U.S., as well as a number of sites in Canada, Australia, Ireland, Scotland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. His books have been translated into Spanish, Slovak, and Czech.