Anti-Racism: Unpacking White Supremacy Through Body-Based Practices with Kai Hazelwood and Sarah Ashkin

Art Heals All Wounds

In today’s episode, I’m joined by body-based artists and activists Kai Hazelwood and Sarah Ashkin. Kai and Sarah are co-founders of Practice Progress, an anti-racist facilitation practice that addresses structural, professional, and interpersonal white supremacy through embodied learning. In our conversation, Kai and Sarah describe what body-based learning is, particularly through the lens of their LISTEN IN workshops, which are race-based spaces that address the physiological impacts of racism. In Kai’s BIPOC Affinity Circle, the focus is on repairing the rest and care gap that so many people of color people face. She leads participants through embodied rest, practices that settle the nervous system, and frameworks for setting boundaries. Sarah facilitates the white working group and guides members to build awareness around what it means to actively be anti-racist. Kai and Sarah share examples of modalities that support the collective unlearning and healing in both workshops. In addition, Kai and Sarah are partnering with Arcos Dance to host their third annual UNtensive workshop. The four-day virtual gathering is designed for educators, artists, or really anyone who wants to explore the embodied nature of rupture and repair.
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Topics Covered:

● The distinction between body-based artists and dancers

● Recognizing the ways that different groups embody white supremacy

● The physiological toll of covert and overt racism

● Building community around anti-racism and embodiment

● Why Kai and Sarah decided against facilitating workshops in multiracial spaces

● What to expect from the UNtensive workshop

Resources Mentioned:

● Sign up for the upcoming UNtensive workshop

● Kai’s essay: I'm Breaking Up With Dance: I Can't Heal In The Same Relationship That Hurt Me

● Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey

Guest Info:

● Practice Progress Website

● Kai's Website

● Sarah's Website

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