Reducing individual and institutional discrimination

What is an ally? A person who Speaks out against mistreatment Is knowledgeable of the struggles and challenges experienced by the mistreated group Does not take over but supports Usually not a member of the group being mistreated

Levels of Being an Ally Non-Ally (joining the offender, blocked awareness, disengagement, avoidance, dismissal, denial) -"No hear, no see, no feel, and no say " Silent Ally ( covert responding, silenced witnessing, hesitation to act, preparation for active witnessing) - "Hear, see, feel, but no say and no do" Active Ally( overt behavioural responding, immediate or delayed responses) -"Hear, see, feel, say, and do " Activist Ally (becoming an agent for systemic change)

Overcoming Barriers Remind yourself why it is personally important to you to intervene Think about your intervention as expressing disagreement and correcting misinformation Don’t expect everyone to welcome your intervention – people are at different stages in terms of openness to new information, especially if it challenges long standing beliefs

Overcoming Barriers Take a deep breath and keep breathing – our bodies need air If you don’t intervene and wish you had think about what stopped you and how you would like to respond “next time”. While no two situations are the same this post incident analysis will help you be better prepared for intervening in the future Remember – like with any new skill it will become easier and you will gain skill with practice

What keeps stereotypes (misinformation) in place Misinformation is internalized – from family, community, media Mistreatment of “other” is based on this misinformation This mistreatment is accepted by others in the environment Experiences which confirm misinformation are paid attention to Experiences which contradict the misinformation are dismissed as unique or as an anomaly

Disrupting the Cycle Expressing disagreement Identifying misinformation and providing correct information Speaking up when mistreatment occurs A part of the system (yes – you are part of the system) no longer perpetuates or sanctions the mistreatment All of this disrupts system functioning – change begins to occur

Options for Intervening Active Ally/other possible allies/witnesses Target Person Responsible Incident Persons in Authority Other Employees

Options for intervention With groups of people to provide correct information and to reduce misinformation With the individual person acting on misinformation With supervisors so that new standards for acceptable behaviour are developed

Intervening with the person responsible Interrupt what is happening – don’t let it continue Disagree and explain why Question the validity of their information Point out how it offends and hurts Help the person self-reflect

Pay attention to your body language Keep your voice level Maintain a friendly or neutral tone Tone Pleasant and friendly Smile and connect visually Expression Relax your body Hands open, shoulders down Stance

Tips for making a difference There is a greater chance that you will be heard - challenging information is easier to accept from someone you know and respect Suspicion and defensive is reduced when you feel you know someone Form Relationships It is difficult to argue with personalized information – e.g. I would be offended, hurt, angry, etc, if it happened to me Invite personal exploration - Have you ever been treated this way? What do you think would be the impact? Make it personal I know we both want the best outcome for this patient. I know your time is important and I don’t want to waste your time. Find Common Ground

More Tips for making a difference Do not label the behaviour as racist, bigoted, etc. unless it is an extreme incident Instead talk about why the comment or behaviour was hurtful, incorrect, based on inaccurate information, etc. Use neutral language Interpret behaviour positively – e.g. mistreatment is based on misinformation, not ill will Try to determine what that person needs in order to be open to new information Assume the best of people Even if you are shaking inside start those difficult conversations – they are rarely as hard as we think they are going to be Overcome fear