Office of Child Support Staff Attend Workshop on Systemic Racism

By Amy Coscarelli, Case Management Policy Analyst, Office of Child Support

Michigan Office of Child Support (OCS) staff recently attended “An Introductory Workshop on Systemic Racism,” which was conducted by members of Eliminating Racism & Creating/Celebrating Equity (ERACCE). ERACCE is an organization in Kalamazoo that provides training, workshops, consultation, and technical support on cultural competency and antiracist institutional organization throughout Michigan.[1]

‘Systemic racism’ refers to all of the policies and practices in institutions that can harm certain racial groups while helping others.

OCS’s participation in the workshop was the idea of Erin Frisch, its director. She explained that as she learned about systemic racism, she realized that OCS had an obligation to staff and customers to look at its own racial barriers and how to remove them.

In the workshop, the ERACCE trainers helped attendees recognize racial prejudices and racism and create an atmosphere necessary for a discussion about them. The group compiled a list of “community agreements.” The trainers stressed that these agreements help to create a space for people to feel comfortable speaking openly and listening.
The OCS group’s agreements included:

• Respect each other’s words and experiences;
• Listen to understand what is being heard;
• Make space for others and take space for yourself (to think or be silent);
• Take responsibility for mistakes by acknowledging them and moving through them;
• Allow ambiguity; and
• Keep confidential those feelings or experiences shared in the group. 

The group then sought to find a common definition of racism and to recognize that racism is a systemic issue. The ERACCE trainers explained that all people are racially prejudiced; it is a natural part of human nature. However, this does not mean that everyone is racist. They explained that racial prejudice coupled with the misuse of power by systems/institutions is racism. Systemic racism does not involve one person – it is bigger than that. It is the institution empowering racism.

The training explained that how organizations and institutions value racial and cultural differences affects the level of racism within the organization/institution.

With a common definition of racism and an understanding of systemic racism, group members then individually ranked OCS on a continuum, with “racial and cultural differences seen as deficits (racist)” on one end and “racial and cultural differences seen as assets (antiracist)” on the other. This exercise opened the door to sharing experiences that shaped individual opinions and began to shine a light on racial barriers within OCS.

After the workshop, the OCS management team held a planning session to work on antiracism efforts within the organization. Erin Frisch says that OCS staff will continue to learn about and overcome systemic racism at OCS, and the next steps are underway.

OCS management and staff are committed to making OCS an antiracist organization.

Amy Coscarelli

Amy Coscarelli earned her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling from Michigan State University and her Bachelor’s degree in Individual and Family Studies from Penn State University. Amy is currently serving as a Case Management Policy Analyst at the Michigan Office of Child Support, with prior experience as an OCS Support Specialist, a Friend of the Court Senior Enforcement Case Examiner, and a Friend of the Court Conciliator. Amy serves on the Case Management and Establishment Work Improvement Teams and as an associate member of the Michigan Family Support Council.

---

[1] ERACCE is a regional organizing partner of Crossroads Antiracism Organizing and Training, an organization based in Illinois.