Recognizing Oppression Canadian Council for Refugees Youth Network Spring Working Group meetings Recognizing Oppression Bringing an anti-oppression framework to the CCR Youth Network August 27-28, 2010

Introductions

Creating a safe space for discussion Self-monitor - Count how many times you speak and keep track of how long you speak. No interrupting Don’t make assumptions Try to avoid back&forths – respect speaking order Respect confidentiality Be as specific and direct as possible Constructive criticism when appropriate with positive reinforcement 7. Speak to the comment, not the person – don’t attack people 8. Speak for “I” 9. Active and careful listening 10. Be honest 11. Respect boundaries / how much personal experience people are willing to discuss 12. Feel free to ask questions

Anti-Oppression is life long work. Remember that… Anti-Oppression is life long work. We can make mistakes, not know exactly what we’re saying…

Learning Objectives Develop a common language and understanding to address multiple forms of oppression; To explore the roots of oppression including our implicit bias and stereotyping. To connect personal experiences of privilege and marginalization to systemic oppression in our community organizing and social justice work; To develop and/or strengthen our anti-oppression analysis framework; To begin to identify how the CCR Youth Network can effectively work within an anti-oppression framework

GROUP ACTIVITY # 1 STEREOTYPES AND IMPLICIT BIAS

Gender, Sexuality, and Power Stereotypically Male Characteristics Stereotypically Female Characteristics To Control Men… To Control Women…

Gender VS Sex Source: CCR Pathways to Gender Justice Handbook SEX Different physical attributes of males and females that make them unique in some respects. Sex differences are generally associated with their reproductive roles. The attributes of sex do not change across time, place, cultures, and societies. GENDER The patterns of socialization and the roles that we are trained to perform. These vary constantly (e.g. from one culture to another). This changing aspect of male and female lives, defined by socially determined standards for “masculine” and “feminine” behavior is termed Gender.

Many people fall outside of stereotypical gender roles… Homophobia Transphobia Questioning Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Transsexual Queer

VIDEO ON QUEER ISSUES http://www.positivespaces.ca/#

We can say that: Summary Stereotyping has deep emotional and behavioral impacts on the people being stereotyped. We all absorb implicit bias/ stereotypes about others, teaching us who belongs, who we can trust, who represents the norm… and those who don’t. If we are not aware of our implicit bias, we may act out towards others, affecting not only who we form relationships with, but more importantly who we hire and fire, promote and follow, retain and attract. This bias literally affects who and how much money and other resources people have access to. It can be a life or death matter. If we want diversity in our organizations, we have to address this implicit/ emotional level in addition to the formal structural/policy level. Change will not happen unless people become aware of their own bias and its potential impact on behavior. Bias is not distributed equally; non-dominant groups receive the brunt of bias in society.

POWER AND PRIVILEGE

Elements of Power Personal Power – often derived from charisma, self confidence, self respect, networks of support, and individual characteristics that we and others value. Institutional / Organizational Power – derived from our position, mandate, resources, longevity or seniority in an organization. Collective Power – solidarity, community, empowers others, supportive, builds creative action and can be used to organize against institutional and organizational power. 4. Social Power – power derived from aspects of our social identity such as gender, race, class, sexual orientation, etc.

Individually we may hold power in a variety of these forms Individually we may hold power in a variety of these forms. For example, our personal power may rest upon social powers, which define individual characteristics we value as strength, self respect, self confidence, etc. Can you think of examples of how a person’s individual power depends on their social powers?

Some of us may hold dominant power and we must each work towards strengthening collective power and building personal empowerment with others. This building work must be done with respect to everyone’s lived experiences, with honesty of acknowledging power we do hold, and by taking action with that awareness. Building Collective Power means learning to be an ally.

What does it mean to be an Ally? An ally is someone who advocates for and supports members of a community other than their own, reaching across differences to achieve mutual goals. This also refers to members of a dominant group who works to end a form of oppression that gives her/him/them privilege. For example, an ally could be a white person who works to end racism, a heterosexual person who works to fight homophobia. What would it mean to be a bad Ally?

GROUP ACTIVITY #2 POWER AND PRIVILEGE

OPPRESSION

IF YOU WORK HARD, YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. Why do you think I included this sentence in this Power Point Presentation?

IF YOU WORK HARD, YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. Meritocracy: The idea that despite “unequally distributed opportunities and impediments…good choices, effort, and ambition alone are responsible for success” (Harris, 2004, p. 16).

What is oppression? The systemic mistreatment of a group of people: - Exploits resources and/or labour of “other” - Maintains status quo and the power of the dominant group.

Forms of Oppression: Sexism Ableism Classism Homophobia/heterosexism Racism Ageism Faith-based oppression: Islamophbia & Anti-Semitism.

Intersectionality of Oppression Intersectionality is about the ways that various forms of oppression occur simultaneously. Understanding intersectionality is a crucial step in the pursuit of equity, social justice and fairness and the formation of any analysis or strategies. An anti oppression framework must incorporate gender, class, and sexuality as fundamental aspects of human experience.

A common reaction to Anti-Oppression is defensiveness… “I’m not racist A common reaction to Anti-Oppression is defensiveness… “I’m not racist.” Why?

Because oppression is seen as being individual acts, whereas oppression is also systemic. All forms of oppression operate in institutions, individual actions, and ideas and beliefs.

Structures of oppression VS Individual acts of meanness Peggy McIntosh (1988) White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack “In my class and place, I did not see myself as a racist because I was taught to recognize racism only in individual acts of meanness by members of my group, never in invisible systems conferring unsought racial dominance on my group from birth.”

Oppression is not conscious or on-purpose; everyone is caught up in these systems, so we need to acknowledge that we play a role in the maintenance of systems of dominance / oppression. We’re shaped by systems of oppression, but we also have the power to shape them, which is where this workshop seeks to intervene.

Multiculturalism, Racialized groups & Anti-racism Multiculturalism –a Federal policy in Canada since 1971 which endorses equal status for all cultures and encourages Canadians to recognize the contributions made by the diversity of Canadian residents. However, the concept does not explain racism or its role in preventing equal participation in society by racialized groups  Racialized Groups- is the term used by Ontario Human Rights Commission and other organizations which recognizes the dynamic and complex process by which racial categories are socially produced by dominant groups in ways that entrench social inequalities and marginalization. Stats Canada uses the term “visible minorities” which is more static and relates primarily to number and colour. Anti-racism – is a process which acknowledges the existence of systemic racism including institutional and societal and through policies and practices, seeks actively to identify, challenge and eliminate racism in all its various forms wherever they exist.

VIDEO ON ANTI-RACISM How racism is institutionalized… HTTP://WWW

Anti-Oppression Strategizing What forms of oppression do you see within the Youth Network? What actions can we take to eliminate these forms of oppression?

Reflections Oppression is deeply embedded within our culture Oppression and issues of diversity are often denied, minimized, and justified all the time Younger generations need help connecting the world’s history of racism, classism, sexism, and heterosexism to today’s socio-cultural issues Young people want to make a difference using different approaches, but they need strong leadership and guidance

IT IS THE COLLECTIVE POWER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT MAKES CHANGE HAPPEN

Special thanks to: Leonardo Zuniga Taro Hashimoto Monica Abdelkader and Ed Lee who helped prepare this workshop Questions?