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CulturallySafeWorkplaces–CreatingHealingEcosystemsFederationofCommunitySocialServicesofBC–SocialPolicyForum
Facilitators/Hosts:WedlidiSpeck,JenniferCharlesworth
Follow-UpSuggestionsandResources
A. VisualsIhavepreparedadropboxfilewithimagesofthe6largepostersthatwereferredtoaroundtheroom(includingtheoneabove).ThesewerecreatedinMay2017bygraphicrecorderSamBraddduringaculturalsafetycirclegatheringwith21peoplefromdiversebackgroundswhoshareakeeninterestinIndigenousculturalsafety.Todownloadthem,clickonthislinkandyouwillhaveaccesstothefiles.Theyarebestifprintedon11x17paperincolour(orlarger).Thesearebeingusedasconversationstartersindifferentsettings.PleaseletJennifer([email protected])knowhowyouareusingthemtostimulateawareness,understandingandactionwithinyourworkplaces.https://www.dropbox.com/sh/y041obd08thydqx/AABsSI7DPRDsHQ7rV8Jgr5cKa?dl=0
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B. UpcomingEngagementandLearningOpportunities(February)1. Women’sMemorialMarch,Vancouver,February14:
https://womensmemorialmarch.wordpress.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/womensmemorialmarch/
Thisgatheringandmarchbeginsat10:30amforfamilymembersandlovedonesofwomenwhohavegonemissingorbeenmurderedinVancouver’sDowntownEastside.Thebroaderpublicisinvitedtojoinatnoon,whenthemarchwillproceedthroughtheDTES,“withstopstocommemoratewherewomenwerelastseenorfound;speechesbycommunityactivistsatMainandHastings;ahealingcircleatOppenheimerParkaround2:30pm;andfinallyacommunityfeastattheJapaneseLanguageHall.”Ifyouareinterestedinparticipating,pleasetakenoteoftheprotocolsdescribedonthewebsite.Andevenifyouarenotabletoparticipateitisvaluabletoreadandunderstandtheprotocolsforconsiderationinothercontexts)2. StolenSistersMemorialMarch,Victoria,February17,11am-2pm:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1963748220611242/3. IndigenousCulturalSafety(ICS)LearningSerieshttp://www.icscollaborative.comThisisamonthlywebinarseriesfocusedonIndigenousculturalsafety.ItwasdevelopedinpartnershipbetweenBC’sPHSAIndigenousHealthandtheSouthwestOntarioAboriginalHealthAccess,andisguidedbyanadvisorycouncilofIndigenousandnon-IndigenousleadersinBC,Ontario,Canadaandinternationally.
“TheICSLearningSeriesprovidesaninteractive,onlineforumfordiscussionanddebateonissuesrelatedtoIndigenousculturalsafety,andsupportsprofessionalsinadvocatingfor,developingandimplementingculturallysafepolicyandpracticeintheirorganizations.
Ateachsession,guestspeakerspresentontopicsrelatedtoIndigenousculturalsafety,coveringawiderangeofareassuchas:reconciliationandculturalsafety;takingactiontoadvanceculturalsafetyintheworkplace;andinterruptingorrespondingtoincidentsofracismanddiscrimination.”
Webinarsarearchivedsoyoucanreviewonesofinterest.ThenextwebinarwillbeheldonFebruary22,11:30-1andthetopicis:RacismHurts:ExploringtheHealthImpactsofAnti-IndigenousRacism4. MoosehideCampaign:http://moosehidecampaign.caTheMoosehideCampaignwasenvisionedandhasbeenledbyfatheranddaughterteamofPaulandRavenLacerte.ItisagrassrootsmovementofIndigenousandnon-Indigenousmenandboyswhoarestandingupagainstviolencetowardswomenandchildren.Therearemanywaystoengage,rangingfromundertakingtowearthemoosehidesquare,learningmoreabouttheimpactofcolonizationonIndigenouspeoplesandhowthishascontributedtogenderbasedviolenceinourcommunities,participatingincommunityconversations,reflectingthevisionin
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practicebystandingupagainstgender-basedviolence,reviewingtheresourcesavailableonthewebsiteandparticipatingintheprovincialgatheringanddayoffastingonFebruary15th,2018:“OnFeb.15th,2018,Indigenousandnon-Indigenousmenandwomenfromacrosstheprovincewillmeetforthe7thconsecutiveyeartostandtogethertoendviolenceagainstwomenandchildren.Aspartofthisdayofaction,thousandsofmenwillbefasting.Everyoneisinvitedtoparticipateinoneoftheseeventsorintheirowncommunityororganization.”
C. TEDTalks
1. Dr.BreneBrownisasocialworkprofessorandresearcheratUniversityofTexas.Shehas
researchedshameandshameresilience,vulnerabilityandcourageforthepast15yearsandwrittenanumberofhighlyengagingandaccessiblebooksonthesubject.Her2TEDtalksaregreatentrypointsforherwork.Therelevancetoculturalsafetyistwofold:• Self:Peoplewhoareonjourneyofdecolonizationcangetstuckinaplaceofshameas
theybegintoseetheirowncomplicityinthepervasive,ongoingandunquestionedimpactsofcolonizationandprivilege.Shamecanstopusinourtracksasweseektoavoidthepainandprotectourselves.Brene’sworkdoesnotaddressdecolonizationorwhiteprivilegebutbyunderstandinghowshameactswecancatchitandshifttothemuchhealthierplaceofvulnerabilitywhichcreatesthemuch-neededspaceforopenness,compassion,accountabilityandmovement.
• Peopleserved:Manyofthepeoplethatweserve/supportcarryasignificantamountofshame–“thereissomethingwrongwithme,Iamsomeonewhoisnot…good,worthy,valuable,etc.”Directmessagesofshamemighthavecomefromfamiliesoforigin,caregivers,schools,serviceproviders,etc.Shamemessagesmightalsohavecomeindirectly,throughmedia,socialmedia,dominantperspectivesonworthiness/unworthiness,languageandidentitymessages.Thiscantranslateinto‘internalizedoppression’.Byunderstandingtheimpactofshameonthemindandsenseofself/identityandvalue,wecanappreciatetheimportanceofworkinghardtocreatesafeandnon-shamingpractice.Thisincludeswayswecanchallengethepervasiveandoftensubtlestereotypesandbiassothatwefostershameresiliencyandalsovulnerability–whichleadstoopennessandenhancescapacityforchange.
Brene’sfirstoneonVulnerabilityishere:https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerabilityHersequel,ListeningtoShameishere:https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_listening_to_shame.2. NovelistChimamandaNgoziAdichiedeliveredabeautifulTEDtalkin2009entitledThe
DangerofaSingleStory.Wereferredtothisduringourpresentation.Shesays,“Ourlives,ourcultures,arecomposedofmanyoverlappingstories.”ChimamandaAdichietellsthestoryofhowshefoundherauthenticculturalvoice--andwarnsthatifwehearonlyasingle
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storyaboutanotherpersonorcountry,weriskacriticalmisunderstanding.WerecommendthisTEDtalkasaculturalsafetyresourcesforseveralreasons:• Itremindsusthatthepeopleweservearemorethanthesystems’labelsthathavebeen
ascribedtothem.Whatliesbelowthesurfaceofappearances,casenotesandbehavioursislikelyfarricherandfullofpossibilitiesforrelationalpractice.Intheworkshop,thegroupnotedthatakeymarkerofsafetyisthesenseofbeingtrulyseenandheard.
• Fromaculturalperspective,thepeoplethatweservemighthavediverseculturalbackgroundsandmayhavebeenseparatedfromtheirculturalstories–orhaveheardonlynegativeones.Asanumberofpeoplesuggested,wehelptocreateculturalsafetybyacceptingthefullnessofthepeopleweserveandbeingpreparedtowalkalongsidethemandholdthedooropenforthemtoexplorethedifferentstorieswithinthem-includingstoriesoftheirculturalheritage.
Seeithere:https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_storyD. Language1. ‘Callingin’LanguageandConceptsWeintroducedthetopicof‘callingin’asawaytobeaccountabletotheintentionsandaimsofculturalsafetywhilesupportingoneanothertocontinuetodevelopculturalawarenessandunderstanding.Theideasof“callingin”and“callingout”areworthwhiletoconsider.Sometimeswemightneedtocallpeopleoutiftheirbehaviorisintentionalandcausingharm,butthiscanescalatefeelingsofshameordefensivenessanddenialandpeoplecanbecomeentrenchedintheirviews=nochange.Ifweareworkingtogetheronateamandhavemadeacommitmenttohelpingeachotheronthejourneytowardsculturalsafetythen“callingin”canbealotmorehelpful.MyfirstexposuretotheideawasthroughablogpostbyNgọcLoanTrầnonthewonderfullyprovocativeandinformativeblogBlackGirlDangerousseehttps://www.bgdblog.org.Theywrite“Ipicture‘callingin’asapracticeofpullingfolksbackinwhohavestrayedfromus.Itmeansextendingtoourselvestherealitythatwewillanddofuckup,westray,andtherewillalwaysbeachanceforustoreturn.Callinginasapracticeoflovingeachotherenoughtoalloweachothertomakemistakes,apracticeoflovingourselvesenoughtoknowthatwhatwe’retryingtodohereisaradicalunlearningofeverythingwehavebeenconfiguredtobelieveisnormal.”Theoriginalposthasbeenshortenedonthewebsitesoifyouwanttodiveintothisfurther,IrecommendyougotothesourcearticlethatisnowpublishedinaneditedworkentitledSolidarityStruggles,2016/However,hereisalinktoagoodarticleontheidea:https://everydayfeminism.com/2015/01/guide-to-calling-in/.
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E. ReferencesonKeyTopics1. BeyondUsandThem–DeepDiversityThinkingandPracticeCanadianShakilChoudhuryhaswrittenawell-consideredandaccessiblebookthatdistillshislearningovertwodecadesofanti-racistandculturaldiversitywork.Hehasdistilledcontemporarypsychological,sociological,organizationalandeducationalliterature(includingBanaji’sworknotedbelow)topresentathoughtfulandpracticalfour-pillarframeworkforculturalconnection,speakingtotheexperiencesofdiverseculturalgroupsandIndigenouspeopleinCanada:
• Developingemotionalliteracy• Understandinganduncoveringimplicitbias• Understandingfavouritismandthedrivetobelong• Namingandchallengingpowerdynamics.
2. Implicit/UnconsciousBiasanditsImpactTocreatetheconditionsforculturalsafety,weneedtobuildourindividualandcollectiveculturalknowledge/awareness,sensitivity/understanding,humilityandagility.Onekeytaskistounpackthehiddenbiasestowards‘theother’thatcanhaveasignificantinfluenceonhowweseeandacttowardsothers.AldenHabaconreferredtotheseinhistalk.ItisimportanttonotethatweALLhaveimplicitbiases(alsocalledblindspots,unconsciousbiasandmindbugs)thatleadtojudgmentsandprejudices.Wearehard-wiredtocreatecategoriesandboxestoputobjects,experiencesandpeoplein.PsychologistGordonAllporttalkedaboutthishuman
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tendencytocreate‘in-groups’and‘out-groups’inthe1950’s.Hisbook,OnTheNatureofPrejudice,isperhapsevenmorerelevanttotheworldatthistime!Ontheonehandthiscategorizationcanmakeourlivesalittleeasierasthese‘mentalheuristics’areshortcutstodecision-makingandaction.Butontheotherhand,theycancauseharmwhenwearen’tevenawarethatthesequickjudgmentsarelurkingbelowthesurfaceofconsciousnessandaredrivingourthoughtsanddecisions.Theyinfluencehumanresourcepractices,socialinteractions,assessments,caseplanning,etc.Theycanaffectourbehaviorandleadtomicro-aggressionsandmicro-invalidations(seenotebelow)whichcanreallycausealotofharmovertime.Addressingimplicitbiasistoughbecauseitisoperatingatourunconsciouslevelandarehiddenfromus.OnewayofsheddingabitoflightonthesehiddenbiasesistotakeoneormoreoftheImplicitAssociationTests(IATs)atHarvardUniversity’sProjectImplicit.Pleasenotethatwedonotrecommendthatyoutakethe‘NativeAmerican/WhiteIATasitissadlyoutofdate.WearehopingthatanewIATthatismorerelevanttotheCanadiancontextwillbedevelopedinthenextyear.YoucanaccesstheIAT’shere:https://implicit.harvard.eduBelowareafewhelpfulreferencesonthesubject:Blindspot-HiddenBiasesofGoodPeoplebyMahzarinBanajiandAnthonyGreenwald(2013).
Writtenbytheleadingresearchersandthinkersonimplicitbiasthisaccessiblebookoffersextensiveresearchandlearningsabout“thehiddenbiasesweallcarryfromalifetimeofexposuretoculturalattitudesaboutage,gender,race,ethnicity,religion,socialclass,sexuality,disabilitystatus,andnationality”–andwhatwecandoaboutthem.MahzarinBanaji’srecentTED-Xtalkisilluminating,andpresentsthescienceunderlyingblindspotsandhowtheyinfluenceeverydaydecisions.Thevideographermissedsomeimagesandcutothers,butyouwillgetthemainideas.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFEaCFFsM2UOneofmyfavouritelinesinthetalkisherreferencetoRumi’squote,“Eachoneofusisajackass,withwingsofangelstackedon.”Sheremindsusthatwewillmakemistakesandcauseharm,butwecanworktolivemorefullyintoourangelwingsratherthanourjackasstendencies.Relatedtothis,Mahzarinhasfoundedanewinitiativetohelpusoutsmartourbiasedminds–seehttp://outsmartinghumanminds.org-includespodcasts,shortbeautifulvideosandresourcestohelpusunderstandandmitigatetherisksofblindspots.
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3. Micro-aggressionsImplicitbiascancontributeto‘micro-aggressions’and‘micro-invalidations’.Micro-aggressionsaredescribedas“theeverydayverbal,nonverbal,andenvironmentalslights,snubs,orinsults,whetherintentionalorunintentional,whichcommunicatehostile,derogatory,ornegativemessagestotargetpersonsbasedsolelyupontheirmarginalizedgroupmembership.Inmanycases,thesehiddenmessagesmayinvalidatethegroupidentityorexperientialrealityoftargetpersons,demeanthemonapersonalorgrouplevel,communicatetheyarelesserhumanbeings,suggesttheydonotbelongwiththemajoritygroup,threatenandintimidate,orrelegatethemtoinferiorstatusandtreatment.”HereisanaccessiblePsychologyTodayarticlebyoneoftheleadingresearchersinthearea,DeraldWingSue,thattalksaboutwhattheseareandhowtheyshowup:https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/microaggressions-in-everyday-life/201011/microaggressions-more-just-race.Therehasbeensomerecentcriticismoftheresearchonmicro-aggressions,however,westillfinditausefulconcepttoconsiderbecausewehaveconsistentlyheardfromIndigenousstaffandclientsthattheyregularlyexperienceslightsandsnubsorhearcommentsthatmakethemfeellesssafeandconfidentinworkplaces.Andthisbuzzfeedarticleisagreatillustrationofhowpervasivethese‘throw-away’commentspertainingtoraceare.Eachmicro-commentaddstothepotsoafterawhilethepotcanboilover.Thenwhentheaggrievedpersoncallssomeoneoutforamindlesscommenttheyareofteninvalidatedfurtherbycommentslike,“Whyareyoumakingabigdealaboutalittlequestion?”Or“Chill-out”Or“YouknowIdidn’tmeananything.”https://www.buzzfeed.com/hnigatu/racial-microagressions-you-hear-on-a-daily-basis?utm_term=.sol3oyDDRG#.vqRJkBGG2nPreparedby:JenniferCharlesworth,PhD,MBA,OptionsConsulting,[email protected],withappropriateattribution.Ifyouhavesuggestionsforotherresourcespleaseshareandwewillupdateresourcematerial.
