Y-STEP is a Bay Area-based racial justice education and training program for white youth.
Our mission is to build the collective responsibility of white people to confront racism and white supremacy by working primarily with white youth through workshops and trainings.
Our vision is that Y-Step will ignite inspiration and courage in other white youth and adults to stand up for racial justice, and continue to build a legacy of accountable white people planting seeds of hope, healing, and resistance.
1. The elimination of racism is essential to having healthy and just communities that respect the self-determination of all people.
2. We believe political education and the opportunity to reflect on racial identity can inspire young people to become powerful agents of change in the struggle for racial justice.
3. It is in white people’s collective interest to fight racism, a system that oppresses and targets people of color and degrades the health and humanity of all people.
4. We value white folks working in white communities to challenge racism and work for racial justice.
5. White people have a responsibility to use our privilege and access to resources to support racial justice movements.
6. We are dedicated to growth, development and sustainability as individuals and as an organization.
7. We strive to create accountability to the larger racial justice movement by maintaining strong relationships with individuals and organizations dedicated to the fight against racism.
8. We are building upon the legacy of many individuals, communities and movements who have struggled and organized for racial justice.
Y-Step began in the spring of 2003, when 4 white women came together to talk about doing anti-racist work. The 4 acknowledged that all of them were working primarily with youth of color, and how important it is for white people to bring this work home to their own communities. For the first year, the Y-Step founders discussed vision and strategy, and met with dozens of Bay Area racial justice organizers and educators to build relationships and ask for input. In the years that followed, Y-Step has expanded its adult membership, built a multiracial advisory board, and designed and implemented racial justice training curriculum for white youth (inspired by other amazing organizations).
Email: ystepbayarea@gmail.com
Website: http://www.ystep.org
Myspace Page: www.myspace.com/ystep