Friends of Color in New York Yearly Meeting

New York Yearly Meeting has several committees and working groups concerned with NYYM's communities of color and with racial justice.

About Friends of Color in New York Yearly Meeting

New York Yearly Meeting has several committees and working groups concerned with the communities of color in NYYM and with racial equality and justice, both within our meetings and the yearly meeting and in the wider society. In addition, an informal fellowship of Friends of color often meets for worship during NYYM's Summer Sessions held annually in late July at Silver Bay YMCA in Silver Bay, New York.

Committees and Working Groups

  • Friends Committee on Black Concerns seeks to broaden and deepen communications among all ethnic groups, develop among Friends a keener awareness of the violence of racism, and increase awareness among Friends of the history and contributions of Blacks and other ethnic groups, both within and outside the Religious Society of Friends
    Visit Black Concerns Committee's web page.
    Read the Committee's charge in the NYYM Handbook.
  • Barrington Dunbar Fund for Black Development educates Friends on the needs of the Black and Latin American sectors of our local communities and stimulates Friends' concern and cooperation in responding to the needs of the wider community. It also administers the Black Development Fund as the money is made available to the committee.
    Visit the Barrington Dunbar Fund's Committee page.
    Read the Committee's charge in the NYYM Handbook
  • European American Quakers Working to End Racism (EAQWER) seeks to be a catalyst for anti-racist change in NYYM, to offer group members emotional and practical support as they work on their racism, and to act as allies to people of color and to white people outside of the Working Group.
    Visit EAQWER's web page.
  • Task Group on Racism is a network of Friends of all races working on issues of racism within New York Yearly Meeting.

Other Resources

Fellowship of Friends of African Descent

Visit the Fellowship's web page
Visit the Fellowship's Facebook page.

The Fellowship of Friends of African Descent was formed to publish and respond to the concerns of Friends of African descent within the Religious Society of Friends, to provide for the nurture of Friends of African descent, their families, and friends, and to address issues affecting people of Afrcian descent in their communities worldwide.

NYYM's Apology to Afro-Descendants

Visit the portal page for the Apology, with the text of the Apology and background information.

In 2013, New York Yearly Meeting approved an Apology to Afro-Descendants. The Apology was a collaboration between the Task Group on Racism, the European American Quakers Working to End Racism Working Group, and other committees in New York Yearly Meeting.