Today Mary Webb would have been 85. So many of us miss her contagious joy, continuous creativity and boundless activism. Honor her memory by sharing a little about what you’ve been doing to make our world a better place.
Ojig Yeretsian interviewed Mary Webb for “Method to The Madness, a biweekly Public Affair Show on KALX Berkeley Celebrating Bay area innovators.” In the interview, Mary discusses The Dialogues and shares what inspired her to start them: Mary Webb/Method To The Madness.
She would not want us to spend energy mourning her but to celebrate her life by fighting injustice, sharing race dialogues, writing, acting, creating—in ways large and small—a better world. Talk to each other, support each other, love each other, remember Mary and change the world.
The first message I wrote was meant to be from the whole Dialogue group. But this one is from Mary Webb.
BLACK LIVES MATTER!
And vicious nasty attitudes toward African American people and other people of color need to be stopped now! Permanently! Forever!
During 78 dialogues, covering 22 years, we have explored racism. We call it Living Room Revolution: The Race Dialogues. We come from everywhere, and there have never been fewer of us than 20. We share food, and then we introduce ourselves. Many people say: I am Jane (or whoever) — I am here to listen and learn. I am Harry — I want to learn about other people and their lives. I want to understand. I want to appreciate their lives, their joy, their efforts and understand some of their pain. I want to help.
We did a workshop — not at my house — called “Crossing the Line,” where people talked about how crossing a cultural line to teach dance or to do art in the park with children you hadn’t known before could be enriching for everyone, including you.
BLACK LIVES MATTER!
We are endlessly grateful to people all over the world who have taught us something about how to live!
One of my closest friends told me: “Some friends are for a reason, some friends are for a season, some friends are forever.” Dialogue buddies are forever!
We hope to move other people in our direction. Maybe other people will start dialogues or dance troupes or reading groups where people study books like Jennifer L. Eberhardt’s Biased.
Listen to Jennifer Eberhardt.
Read Hilton Als.
Read Toni Morrison.
Read Cornel West: Race Matters and Democracy Matters.
Read Lorraine Hansberry.
Read anything by James Baldwin, but especially No Name in the Street.
BLACK INTELLECT MATTERS!
Black intellect teaches and opens the intellect of other people to new learning.
BLACK DANCE IN ALL OF ITS POWER MATTERS!
(See Katherine Dunham.)
BLACK MUSIC MATTERS!
(John Coltrane et al.) Ellis Marsalis (Wynton Marsalis et al.)
BLACK INTELLECT MATTERS!
One day my three-year-old grandson Jabari (who was holding my hand) leapt upward, and while his small legs pumped bicycle motions in the air, he shouted: “I love learning things!” I swore under my breath, “I will keep this alive in him, no matter what.”
We must keep the amazing intellect of Black Lives alive!
BLACK EMOTIONS MATTER!
Black emotions open us up to new ways of feeling and thinking and being.
BREAK WHITE SILENCE!
Speak from your heart. And do whatever you can to show how much Black Lives Matter (to you).
With special thanks to all the people in Alachua County, Florida, who taught me so much of what I know. With special thanks to all the people in California who taught me so much of what I know. And to the people of Africa who taught me so much of what I know.
Thank you Africa! Thank you Ghana for taking care of my son! Thank you Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco! Thank you Liberia!
I took my son, Alex, out of school when he was ten, and we hitchhiked through Europe and Africa for eight months.
BREAK WHITE SILENCE!
And tell us what you have learned.
Remember Africa!
(with special thanks to Leroy Andrew Tillman)
Due to the COVID-19 shelter in place, our most recent Dialogue was February 22nd, 2020. It was our 77th Dialogue. It was attended by 38 people and was extremely successful. In a rare, delightful meeting Raymond Nat Turner and Zigi Lowenberg former moderators—43 Dialogues—were able to confer with Karl Debro and Deborah Hailu—present moderators—34 Dialogues. Raymond and Zigi now live on the East Coast. Raymond will be on a Panel tonight, Friday, June 5th “Calling Our Mother’s Names” from 7-8:30 p.m. Pacific Time. We are still committed to the Dialogue concept. We have not yet decided where or when the next Dialogue will be, but afterwards we’ll report what exciting things happened at it.
The Race Dialogues were started 22 years ago so that people could have a place to come and discuss the deeper aspects of racism with a group of people from all over the world and from different ethnicities. We have built a community. No money was involved and each person brought food to share. After the potluck, the Dialogue began, and each time there was a topic we focused on. No one in this group favors police brutality. We would also like to highlight the number of people of color who have died in the pandemic thus far.
Those of us who attend Dialogues do not claim that they will solve the world’s problems. But I have attended every Dialogue for 22 years, and I have learned a tremendous amount—mostly from African Americans, Filipinos, Latinos and Africans. What I have learned has enabled me to think of new projects and even to start some. Not to mention that I’ve met one of the most amazing and wonderful groups of people that I have ever met in my life. The death of George Floyd is a tragedy which is echoing around the world and people all over our small globe are marching about it. Change is coming.
More power to the Living Room Revolution: The Race Dialogues.
Mary Webb
On September 21st, we had the 75th Dialogue and 36 people attended. We discussed the risks involved in talking about racism in your family and at work. And we celebrated. Many people greeted other people in the group with great enthusiasm. They were aware that had they not been at the Dialogues, they might not have met many of the people in the room. It was a very successful evening. Much joy!
Method to the Madness archive has posted Ojig Yeretsian's interview with Mary Webb from 11/23/18 on KALX 90.7 FM. She talks about the race dialogues that she's hosted four times a year over the past 19 years. Ojig Yeretsian asks brilliant questions. The program Method to the Madness celebrates “the innovative spirit of the Bay Area - we explore the people behind the ideas, the problems they are trying to solve, and what makes them tick. Hosted by producers Ali Nazar and Lisa Kiefer.”
https://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/method-to-the-madness/id962167772?mt=10
Here’s a list of different kinds of dialogues to give a sense of the variety of ways people can come together to talk about race.
“Our Dialogue” Dialogue on Race, Racism and Ethnicity in the U.S. Started November 2000 by Mary Webb, we have completed 71 dialogues. We are going into our 20th year with the 72nd Dialogue in November. (Bay Area)
Opening the Mountain
Started by Ojig Yeretsian approximately 8 years ago. It focuses on building relationships between Armenians and Turkish people. (multiple locations)
Dialogue on Racism (a potluck gathering to laugh, learn and heal.)
Started by Renée Jones, it has been going for 4 years. (Bay Area)
Sacred Conversations on Race
Hope UCC had 4 groups that each met 4 times for dinner and discussion. In addition, all groups met together for a kickoff session at the beginning and a wrap up session at the end. This dialogue was intended to be short term and ran 6 months January-July 2016. (Alexandria, VA)Race Dialogue: Conversation about race, racism and ethnicity in Half Moon Bay
Started by The Reverend Michael Arase-Barham inspired by screening of “Living Room Revolution: The Race Dialogues” at Holy Family Episcopal Church in Half Moon Bay. The congregation hosted four bilingual dialogues in English and Spanish facilitated by Vicky George and Kate Mayer.
Bilingual Dialogue on Race, Racism and Ethnicity in Half Moon Bay
Started by Kate Mayer and Fabiola Buenrostro and held at the local library with simultaneous translation.
Kris Welch, host of The Morning Show on KPFA-FM94.1 , interviewed Mary Webb and Deborah Hailu about The Race Dialogues.
The topic was My Family and Race: What I Learned…What I Taught—Continued. We had a lively discussion on Sept. 8th about the fact that racist families produce racist children and how children break away from the family pattern. The topic for the next dialogue will be Personal Stories About How Racism inspired Change(s) in Your Life. We’re proud of the fact that we’re going into Dialogue 72.
Coming Soon: we’ll list the other Dialogues that are have been inspired by ours. This may lead you to imagine your own Dialogue. And Mary Webb will be happy to help you start something. Email Mary through the Contact Us link and be sure to include your phone number.
The topic of the 70th Dialogue was "My Family and Race/What I Learned...What I Taught." We did not feel that we are finished with this issue and so we may continue discussing it in our September Dialogue.
Conversation about race, racism and ethnicity in Half Moon Bay/Conversación sobre raza, racismo y etnia en Half Moon Bay Saturday, May 19th Sabado, 19 de Mayo Half Moon Bay Library 225 En La Biblioteca South Cabrillo Highway, 104B 225 South Cabrillo Half Moon Bay Highway, 104B Half Moon Bay 6:00pm Potluck, 6:30 pm, Englisand Spanish dialogues/Acompáñenos para una cena (Potluck) y diálogos de raza de Coastside discussion en Español y Ingles
Here's the KPFA interview about The Race Dialogues with Kris Welch that Mary Webb, Karl Debro, Deborah Hailu and Cheryl Cranshaw did on February 20th.
Deborah Hailu and Karl Debro, Moderators of the Dialogues Against Racism in Berkeley, will appear on The Talkies, Kris Welch's show on KPFA February 20th 11 a.m. - noon. Cheryl Cranshaw, a longtime participant in The Dialogues, and Mary Webb its producer will appear with them.
The 68th Dialogue on Race, Racism, and Ethnicity in the U.S. was held on December 2nd. The topic was "What's Race Got To Do With It?"/Sex,Sports, TV, Movies and Love. People springboarded from that topic to discuss how White domination is working at the present moment. Some people felt that White people simply do not want to give up any of the money that goes with White privilege. Other people thought cultural training was one of the most important elements in creating social change. As always, in a large diverse group, people were exchanging their opinions with alacrity. The potluck beforehand helped to bond people. 30 people attended, and we were gratified to see we had 16 women and 14 men. We were very appreciative of those who were attending for the first time. This is the beginning of our 19th year of Dialogues.
Tonight we'll have our 64th Dialogue on Race, Racism and Ethnicity in America. We'll discuss racism: America's Groundhog Day.
"After 63 Dialogues (16 years of Dialogues), during these tumultuous times, we have decided that people from different cultures need to get together and share food and talk about the serious plague of racism in this country. In addition, we need to learn how to enjoy each other's company. This is what happens regularly in my living room. When people ask me: 'What happens at a Dialogue?' I always say: 'It's different every time.' And that always turns out to be true. We learn as we go--from each other. In the process, we get to eat delicious food from all over the world and to meet people whom we would never meet otherwise.
I urge you to start a small dialogue against racism in your own living room. It will reward you in ways you cannot imagine. It has changed my life."
Mary Webb
Founder of a California Dialogue
October 22nd we held a dialogue with 30 people discussing "White Cultural Footprints: Seizing Space, Culture and Control." This was our 63rd dialogue over the course of 16 years. One of the responses was the role of compassion in helping people to recognize their racism. In a time of media saturation before the election, people enjoyed meeting face to face, sharing food and talking about serious national topics.
"To my fellow swimmers:
There is a river flowing now very fast.
It is so great and swift, that there are those who will be afraid.
They will try to hold onto the shore.
They are being torn apart and will suffer greatly.
Know that the river has its destination.
We must let go of the shore, push off into the river, keep our heads above water.
At this time in our history, we are to take nothing personally, least of all ourselves.
For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.
The time of the lone wolf is over.
Gather yourselves. Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary.
All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the ones we've been waiting for."
Latino young men and women are also getting killed. Outraged? Add your voice to the many calling for change. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_VaNhI4CLo&feature=youtu.be