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What LIES Between Us: Fostering First Steps Toward Racial Healing
A course designed by Dr. Lucretia Carter Berry
The First Step Toward a More Just, Welcoming, and Equitable Community
If we want to shape communities where everyone belongs, we must start with ourselves. This course offers you the tools to walk in your autonomy—giving you the framework, language, and encouragement you need to be the change you’ve been waiting for.
What LIES Between Us is not just another conversation about race. It equips you with a historical, political, and social lens to understand how race and racism operate in our society. You’ll develop the ability to move beyond buzzwords, discomfort, and uninformed opinions. In doing so, you’ll be better prepared to create spaces where connection and justice thrive.
What students are saying...
“I remember consistently having the thought throughout the class that this information needs to be shared more broadly. If we truly want to impact change, we need to understand more about how we got here. I personally was upset that the information was not shared with me growing up, and even in my adult years, upset that I did not seek out the information more. The education and classes gave me a different perspective on race.... I’m looking forward to going through the class again as I think someone could go through it multiple times and have new takeaways and new reflections each time. ”
Corey Morrison, MBA, Chief Strategy + Development Officer, Ankeny Chamber of Commerce
“The “What Lies Between Us” course was the catalyst of much racial healing in my life that I didn’t even realize I needed. I completed it in the fall of 2016 as I was searching for answers. As a Black Puerto Rican woman married to a Black man, I didn’t have the language to teach my children about race. As a veteran homeschooler, it was paramount that I felt confident in teaching them the history of race. Not only did this class give me language to discuss the construct of race with my children, but it healed my soul of so many layers of microagressions, colorism, and racism that I endured over my lifetime. The journal guide, “What Lies Between Us” led me through self reflection as I documented my journey to racial healing. Antiracism education is so very powerful, and I am thankful for the opportunity to sit in a room of people of different shades experiencing racial healing together. During these sessions, I unlearned damaging narratives and learned the truth about the construct of race, but most of all I became empowered. My knowledge of truth came with much lament, but it propelled me to be an agent of change and a hope dealer in my community. ”
Vicki Nious
“I taught in the Des Moines Public School District for the last 25 years of my teaching experience. Because the school district, especially the high school at which I taught, was becoming more culturally diverse, staff participated in numerous in-services geared at teaching us about cultural differences and how these differences should influence how we approached our classes. I learned more in this 6-week course than I did in all those years of in-services. What Lies Between Us gave the history and context I wish I would have had to better understand my students and my own attitudes. This course would be appropriate for any teacher as they prepare to interact and teach students with a variety of backgrounds and cultural differences.”
Sandra Sears, Des Moines Public School High School Teacher
“This book has helped open my eyes and my heart in ways I never knew I needed before. Reading the chapters and watching the documentaries stirred up in me a combination of anger and sadness for the racial injustice and the systematic prejudice we allowed to develop in our country. There were times when I didn’t want to go through the poignant questions at the end of the chapter because I was embarrassed to reveal my answers. I’ve been living in denial in my little white wedge not making a true effort to notice the discrimination that was all around me. But no more. My eyes are open, never to be closed again. The subject matter is hard but so important. I was always grateful for the soothing and powerful prayer written at the end of each chapter which filled me with grace, peace and hope for our future.”
Beth Griffiths, Director of Donor Development, CFRE Proverbs 31 Ministries
Course Modules & Structure
- WELCOME! Start Here – Course overview and how to navigate the content
- Race, Genetics, & Eugenics – Understanding how race was constructed and sustained
- Narratives (Lies) – Unpacking false narratives that uphold racism
- Policies – Exploring laws and policies that maintain inequity
- Structural Power Analysis – Examining systems of privilege and power
- Brain Bias – Understanding how unconscious bias affects interactions
Each module builds on the last, helping you develop a comprehensive understanding of the interpersonal and systemic dynamics of racism. To make the most of the course, engage fully and follow the outlined sequence.
Why This Course Matters
Change doesn’t happen by chance—it requires intention and understanding. Through guided reflection, knowledge-building, and practical exercises, the What LIES Between Us course helps you build a solid foundation for meaningful change.
You’ll leave with:
- A deeper awareness of yourself and others
- The tools to recognize, understand, and respect difference
- Practical ways to interrupt harmful narratives and foster more equitable relationships
This course offers more than information—it fosters transformation. As you engage with the material and grow in racial literacy, you’ll find yourself stepping more confidently into the role of an advocate, contributing to a more connected, just, and welcoming society.