Anti-Oppression

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In 2004, at our Global Goddess Leadership Conference Lisa Tonna presented a workshop on oppression and what we can do about it.

The notes below are from her workshop.

 

Creating a Common Language

Ally
One whose personal commitments to dismantling racism is reflected in a willingness to educate oneself about racism and racial justice, challenge one's own racial prejudices, learn and practice skills of anti-racism, interrupt racist statements, behaviors, policies and institutional structures. (Carmen Vazquez and Betty Powell)

Anti-Racist
Intentional action which seeks to end racism. Actions and attitudes which challenge personal, cultural and institutional racism. With an understanding of the systematic nature of racism, an anti-racist works actively to counter racist stereotypes and attitudes in her/himself and others, and to dismantle institutional structures and policies. Anti­racism is more than tolerating or even celebrating diversity. For instance a diverse organization is not necessarily anti­racist. An anti-racist multi-cultural organization or institution is one that includes people from diverse cultural backgrounds as "stakeholders" in the work, benefits responsibilities and key decisions of the organization. (Adapted from Bailey Jackson (Carmen Vazquez and Betty Powell))

Culture
"The vast structure of behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, habits, beliefs, customs, language, rituals, ceremonies and practices peculiar to a particular group of people, and that provides them with a general design for living and with patterns for interpreting reality" (Wade Nobles (Carmen Vazquez and Betty Powell))

Cultural Diversity
Differences in age, color, gender, ethnic heritage, language, national origin, spiritual belief or tradition, sexual orientation, physical, mental or emotional nature, and economic circumstances. Each of these differences brings a diverse perspective, reflection and insight to every life experience. (Carmen Vazquez and Betty Powell))

Discrimination
An act. A failure to treat all persons equally where no reasonable distinction can be found between those favored and those not favored (Blacks Law Dictionary (Carmen Vazquez and Betty Powell)

A showing of partiality or prejudice in treatment; specific policies or actions directed against the welfare of a group. Discrimination is a tool of oppression. (Carmen Vazquez and Betty Powell)

Racial Prejudice
A pre judgement based on myth, missing information, misinformation (lies) or stereotypes about people of color or white people. Racial Stereotype  

A generalization imposed on an entire group (all Puerto Ricans, or all Italians) based on a real or perceived characteristic of some individual belonging to that group, or based on a cultural norm which has been distorted, or based on myth or total misunderstanding of the group/ethnicity/culture. (Carmen Vazquez and Betty Powell) 

Racism
Prejudice +Institutional Power

A system of oppression and a system of advantage based on race/color (David T. Wellman (Carmen Vazquez and Betty Powell))  

The historically constructed personal, cultural and institutional manifestations of racial prejudice against people of color. (Carmen Vazquez and Betty Powell)

Racist
Any action or inaction, intentional or not, which directly or indirectly contributes to the perpetuation of racism. Use it as an adjective opposed to a noun. People are humans not racists they may have racist behavior. Using it as a noun leads us to an us vs. them. It is dehumanizing. By using it as an adjective we are describing the behavior. (NABWMWT) 

White Skin Privilege
White skin privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets that white people can count on cashing in each day, but about which they were "meant" to remain oblivious. White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools and blank checks. (From White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh)

 

Most of the anti-racist material was taken from different workshops at the Creating Change Conference 2001 from the following sources:

• National Association of Black and White Men Working Together (NABWMWT)
• Southerners On New Ground (SONG)
• Carmen Vazquez and Betty Powell

 

Strategies For Being An Effective Ally

1. Assume that all people in your own group including yourself want to be allies to people in other groups. Assume that you in particular are good enough and smart enough to be an effective ally. (This does not mean that you have nothing more to learn--see #6 below.)
2. Assume that you have a perfect right to be concerned with other people's liberation issues, and that it is in your own interest to do so and to be an ally.
3. Assume that all people in the target group want members of your group and you in particu­lar as an ally. Assume that they recognize you as such--at least potentially.
4. Assume that any appearances to the contrary (any apparent rejections of you as an ally) are the result of target group people's experience of oppression and internalized oppression.
5. Assume that people in the target group are already communicating to you in the best way that they can at the present time. Assume that they can and will do better. Think about how to assist them in this without making your support dependent upon their "improving" in any way. (Hint: think about what has been helpful for you when you were in the target group position.)
6. Assume that the target group people are experts on their own experience, and that you have much to learn from them. Use your own intelligence and your own experience as a target group member to think about what the target group people might find useful.
7. Recognize that as a non-target person you are an expert on the experience of having been conditioned to take the oppressor role. This means that you know the content of the lies which target group people have internalized. Don't let timidity force you into pretended ignorance.
8. Assume that target group people are survivors and that they have a long history of resis­tance. Become an expert on this history and assist target group people to take full pride in it.
9. Become an expert on all the issues which are of concern to people in the target group, especially the issues which are most closely tied in to their internalized oppression. Assume that making mistakes is part of the learning process of being an ever more effective ally. Be prepared for flare-ups of disappointment and criticism. Acknowledge and apologize for mis­takes; learn from them, but don't retreat.
10. Recognize that people in the target group can spot oppressor-role conditioning"; do not bother with trying to "convince" them that this conditioning did not happen to you. Don't attempt to convince target group people that you "are on their side" just be there.
11. Do not expect "gratitude" from people in the target group; thoughfully interrupt if it is offered to you. Remember, being an ally is a matter of choice. It is not an obligation; it is something you get to do.
12. Be a 100% ally; no deals: no strings attached: "I'll oppose your oppression if you oppose mine." Everyone's oppression needs to be opposed unconditionally.

 

Some Working Assumptions For White Activists Seeking To Recruit Other Whites As Allies For Eliminating Racism.

1. Assume that all human beings desire warm, close relationships with each other. This is also true of you and of all other white people.
2. Assume that you are a regular white person (not an exceptional white person) and that all whites are good people, caring, intelligent, compassionate and hard working.
3. Recognize that we have much to celebrate about our histories and our diversities; we have rich traditions of music and dance, and proud histories of struggle.
4. Assume that all white people have undergone some variety of systemic conditioning or "training" to take on the "oppressor role" in relation to people of color. Sometimes this training has been to participate in acts of violence, or to join in racial slurs or jokes; sometimes this training has been to be "extra nice" towards people of color.
5. Assume that no human being ever would have agreed to take on any aspect of an oppressor role if they had not first been mistreated or oppressed themselves, originally as young people, and in a variety of other ways.
6. Assume that no white person ever chose to acquire any of the conditioning or training and that every one of us attempted to resist taking on any aspect of the oppressor role.
7. Assume that the history of our own acts of resistance have been obscured and hidden from us and that many of us feel no pride in our heritages and traditions.
8. Recognize that most whites (at least in the United States) have a history of immigrant oppression in which their own ethnic group has been the target of mis­treatment at the hands of other white ethnic groups who were in a position of relative social power.
9. Recognize that all people need acknowledgment that their liberation issues are legitimate.
10. Assume that in spite of the material rewards and preferential treatment that our society gives to white people, these spurious "advantages" do not offset the real costs of racism to us as human beings.
11. Assume that the conditioning which white people have undergone has been hurtful to us as human beings: it has betrayed our sense of ourselves, robbed us of close and trusting relationships with our families, given us a false picture of reality, isolated us from the majority of the world's peoples, blunted our imagination, lim­ited our vision, enforced our sense of powerlessness, hampered our ability to love.
12. Assume that at some level, all white people know this. Accordingly the task of the white activist is not to persuade or convince other whites of this truth, but to make their own buried awareness accessible to them.
13. Assume that the elimination of racism is in the real self-interest of all people.
14. Assume that all white people are eager to join in the project of eliminating racism and that appearances to the contrary are the result of feelings of despair and powerlessness caused by the individual's own experiences of oppression and mistreatment.
15. Recognize how the temptation to classify other whites into "good whites" and "bad whites" is often a mechanism for perpetuating other forms of oppression such as classism and regional oppression.
16. Recognize that engaging in anti-racist activity commits us to the building of real connections with people and functioning as allies for them.
17. Assume that white people (like all other human beings) will change their minds and let go of deeply ingrained attitudes and behavior patterns when they feel acknowledged and appreciated as individuals; when they are listened to with complete respect on their own grievances and liberation concerns; when they trust the person presenting the perspective; when the new perspective makes sense to them; when they are not blamed for their prior conditioning or behavior.

© Ricky Sherover-Marcuse, PhD. Used with permission.

 

Improving Communication Within A Diverse Group

1. Begin with the assumption that human beings are natural communicators, and that we desire warm, close relationships with each other.
2. Assume that biologica, cultural, ethnic, sexual, religious, and age differences between human beings are seldom the real cause of difficulties in communication.
3. Assume that the real case of such difficulties is the division and separation resulting from institutionalized imbalances in social and eco­nomic power, i.e., social oppression. The conditioning which perpetuates the divisions between us separates us into target and non-target groups.
4. People who are in the target group of a particular form of mistreatment are socialized to become victims; people who are the non-target group of a particular form of mistreatment are socialized to become perpetrators­either in a direct, active form of in an indirect, passive form. Neither of these roles serves our best interests as human beings.
5. Assume that no one wanted those roles; no one wanted these divi­sions. Everyone resisted the social conditioning to take on those roles as best they could. But this conditioning clings to us and makes it difficult to see and hear each other clearly. We make unaware assumptions about what other people are thinking and feeling. We forget to check with each other and really listen.
6. Assume that issues of oppression have some connection to difficulties in communication. Assume that racism, sexism, job status, etc. figure in somewhere.
7. Assume that target group people are the experts on their own experi­ence and that they have perspectives and information which non-target people need to hear.
8. Assume that when everything is taken into account, every human being has communicated as clearly as they could, and in general has done the best they could in each situation.
9. Assume that in spite of the ways we have been divided, it is possible to reach through those divisions, to listen to each other well and to change habitual ways of action which have kept us separated.

© Ricky Sherover-Marcuse, PhD. Used with permission.

 

How You Can Be An Ally

We each have complex identities. From our different identity groups, such as our gender identity, race, age, religion, sexual orientation etc., we experience different levels of oppression and privilege simultaneously. Recognizing the privileges we receive from an identity can help us to act as allies. It is important to note that within any form of oppression- such as racism, ableism, sexism, ageism, and classism- the person who belongs to the dominant identity group could act in the following ways as an ally. (For example, change the title of this handout to: "How you can be a male ally" or "How you can be a white ally," etc.) 

REMEMBER that_________people are human beings first and foremost. RELAX. Don't worry about what to say or do. Just be yourself. 

COMMUNICATE with people and find out what each individual is like rather than making assumptions about ________people as a group. If you don't know, ask respectfully. If people do not wish to answer or explain, however, respect their choice. 

LISTEN to how each person chooses to self-identify, ("lesbian," gay," "she," "he," "black", "white", "Asian", etc.) and then respect that in conversations with them and about them. Using words, names, or pronouns someone uses to self-identify is one way of showing respect. 

ENABLE children to ask questions about ________people. Open communication helps to overcome fearful and misleading attitudes. Answer children's questions honestly and at the emotional and intellectual level of that child. 

THROW AWAY all your stereotypes and assumptions about ________ people. Examine your attitude and work on your fears instead. Look at how stereotypes are used to oppress other groups of people as well. 

INTERRUPT offensive language, insensitive jokes, mocking behavior, etc. Speak up when you are in that situation and let people know their language, behavior, and jokes are not acceptable. 

ENCOURAGE the inclusion of ________people on your staff, board of directors,

committees, volunteer program, etc. Seek the input of people in your program and projects. They have a unique perspective that can enhance any program or project. 

PAY ATTENTION to the possible existence of racist, homophobic, heterosexist, or prejudice attitudes and behaviors in places or activities you go to. CONSIDER that (homophobia, racism, sexism and prejudice) are the invention ­and therefore, the responsibility of non- ________people. Educate yourself and other heterosexual people about these issues.

Workshop given for Global Goddess Women by Lisa Tonna 2004

Department of Peace

There is an Asian adage, "If you give a man a fish, he eats for the day. If you teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime."

This saying could be used for Peace, World Peace.

How can we accomplish this?

We believe that House Representative, Dennis J. Kucinich, D-OH-10, has the answer. On July 11th of this year, he presented legislation that would establish a Federal Dept. of Peace. His words on July 11th are even more significant today because of our President's current agenda of attacking Iraq.

"The time for peace is now," Congressman Kucinich said. "At the dawn of a new millennium, there is no better time to review age old challenges with new thinking that peace is not only the absence of violence, but the presence of a higher evolution of human awareness with respect, trust and integrity toward humankind. Our founding fathers recognized that peace was one of the highest duties of the newly organized free and independent states. But too often, we have overlooked the long-term solution of peace for instant gratification of war. This continued downward spiral of violence must stop to ensure that future generations will live in peace and harmony."

Congressman Kucinich goes on to say, "The challenges inherent in creating a Department of Peace are massive," "But the alternatives are worse. Violence at home, in the schools, in the media, and between nations has dragged down humanity. It's time to recognize that traditional, militant objectives for peace are not working, and the only solution is to make peace the goal of a cabinet level agency."

The bill presented to Congress by Kucinich is outlined as follows,

Establish a cabinet-level department in the executive branch of the Federal Government dedicated to peacemaking and the study of conditions that are conducive to both domestic and international peace. Headed by a Secretary of Peace, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.

The mission of the Department shall: hold peace as an organizing principle; endeavor to promote justice and democratic principles to expand human rights; strengthen nonmilitary means of peacemaking; promote the development of human potential; work to create peace, prevent violence, divert from armed conflict and develop new structures in nonviolent dispute resolution; and take a proactive, strategic approach in the development of policies that promote national and international conflict prevention, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful resolution of conflict and structured mediation of conflict.

The Department will create and establish a Peace Academy, modeled after the military service academies, which will provide a 4-year concentration in peace education. Graduates will be required to serve 5 years in public service in programs dedicated to domestic or international nonviolent conflict resolution.

The principal officers of the Department, in addition to the Secretary of Peace will include; the Under Secretary of Peace; the Assistant Secretary for Peace Education and Training; the Assistant Secretary for Domestic Peace Activities, the Assistant Secretary for International Peace Activities; the Assistant Secretary for Technology for Peace; the Assistant Secretary for Arms Control and Disarmament; the Assistant Secretary for Peaceful Coexistence and Nonviolent Conflict Resolution; the Assistant Secretary for Human and Economic Rights; and a General Counsel.

The first day of each year, January 1st will be designated as Peace Day in the United States and all citizens should be encouraged to observe and celebrate the blessings of peace and endeavor to create peace in the coming year.

Global Goddess fully supports this bill and we encourage all of you to write to your local Congressman to support this bill. You can do this by going to http://www.house.gov/writerep/ and typing in your state and zip code. This will bring up who your local Congressman is and how to contact them.

There are steps that we, as individuals, can take to help promote these ideas.

What Can You Do To Help

Hold "Teach-Ins" on the Issue of Peace. Holding a public "Teach-In" on the issue of peace and non-violence is a great way to get your community to debate the issues. You can do this by inviting a public official, religious leaders, educators, heads of organizations or local community leaders who have contributed to promoting peace and justice.

Contact your state representatives, city council, mayor and ask them to sponsor a resolution that promotes peace and justice on the local, national and international levels.

Write an opinion-editorial for your local paper and get it published, emphasizing the importance of local communities making efforts towards encouraging peace, tolerance and understanding.

Join an organization that has a campaign on the issue of peace and work with them, or start your own organization.

Circulate a petition to a local leader encourage them to keep the issue of peace and understanding on the local agenda.

Organize a peace rally to bring the issue of peace to the forefront of local community leaders and elected officials.

Organize a booth or a display case at local events. Your local library or community center are great places to set up an eye catching display about an issue that is important to you. Or you may want to reserve a booth at a highly attended event such as a concert, local sports event, rallies or community picnics.

These are the steps his Honorable Kucinich has suggested we can take to help, but in order to do so, we believe we need to be educated in how to resolve differences and settle conflicts in our own lives - right here at home - then we can take the message out all around us.

In the immortal words of John Lennon, "All we are saying, is give Peace a chance."

In Peace and Grace,

Bendis, Lisa, Meg, and Regina GlobalGoddess.org info@globalgoddess.org

Global Goddess Partners

Because networking and and helping women worldwide is what Global Goddess is all about, we are forming partnerships with other communities of women around the world. There is great strength in numbers and many ways to help women.

Please explore and join with us in celebrating all of Her many faces.

Circle Connections, Inc. http://www.circleconnections.com/

Circle Connections, Inc. is a membership organization that helps people start, sustain and connect their circles within the United States and Canada.Change becomes easier when women tend and befriend through the sharing of resources, ideas, energy, and aspirations. Whether you are called to take baby steps or eager for a huge leap of faith, Circle Connections provides the way you can be encircled and inspired by women who honor and support you, willing to support you on your journey.

Gather the Women http://www.gatherthewomen.org/gtw/index.htm

Gather the Women Global Matrix is a gathering place for women and women's organizations who share a belief that the time is now to activate the incredible power of women's wisdom on a planetary scale.

The Millionth Circle http://millionthcircle.org/

The intention of The Millionth Circle is to:

1) seed and nurture circles, wherever possible, in order to cultivate equality, sustainable livelihoods, preservation of the earth and peace for all,
2) bring the circle process into United Nations accredited NGOs and the 5th UN World Conference on Women, and
3) to connect circles so they may know themselves as a part of a larger movement to shift consciousness in the world.
Everyone who has been drawn to the idea of "the millionth circle" is part of the millionth circle movement, and any event or circle that anyone creates and in doing so furthers the formation of more circles with a sacred center can freely define what they are doing "as part of the millionth circle movement."

PeerSpirit http://peerspirit.com/

PeerSpirit is an education and service company that believes council, or circle, to be the common root of all cultures, a tradition that can take us from the campfire to the future. Council facilitates a level of conversation that allows groups of people to accomplish goals through an integrated experience of heart and mind.

Modern day slavery as an industry thrives around chocolate production!

Modern day slavery as an industry thrives around chocolate production! It sounds like a sick joke--some racist gone rampant with metaphors but it is no joking matter. This practice is present in Cote d'Ivoire a major world cacao producer (where many of the African cacao plantations are located). The abducted and enslaved come from various nearby countries as well.

During Martin Luther King Day celebrations, "Free At Last, Free At Last, Thank God Almighty, I'm Free at Last" reverberated through the air and my thoughts. Unfortunately this isn't true for all, even today. As a black-chocoholic I'm finding my chocolate addiction more bittersweet than ever.

The good news is that fair-trade and organic chocolate is not indicated in these horrendous crimes largely against women and children. I found a lot of info on a few websites concerned with the Chocolate Industry and Slavery:

http://vision.ucsd.edu/~kbranson/stopchocolateslavery/takeaction.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/labor-exploitation-in-the-chocolate-industry

http://gvnet.com/humantrafficking/CoteD'Ivoire.htm

http://www.vachss.com/help_text/archive/chocolate_slaves.html

http://www.stopthetraffik.org/chocolatecampaign/

As arises in my writing where I seek to put forth and support ethno-botany and economic botany as it relates to African descended people, I am in a catch 22. On the one hand when handled fairly, as I said through fair-trade, women-run co-ops and organic production firms, chocolate products are very good for African communities economically and that helps socially with school literacy programs and with holistic health by fighting infant mortality, HIV and AIDs, and more.

On the other hand when chocolate is not created or purchased conscientiously it could spell disaster which includes modern day slavery and child abuse. Of course the fair-traded chocolate is far more expensive than some of the popular name brands we are used to but that shouldn't be a deterrent (less is more). We have no choice about paying more unless of course we want to support slavery and extreme child abuse.

The main thing about this and other botanical products is awareness; building, maintaining and raising awareness because these industries are driven by us--the consumers. People think everything natural is good but goodness is a holistic issue--it needs to grow from a good place mentally and spirituality as well.

Stephanie Rose Bird

Treaty for Women's Rights

Open letter to President Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell and
our U.S. Senators.

We, at GlobalGoddess.Org, implore you to support the Treaty of the
Right of Women, approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on
July 12, 2002.

This treaty, also known as CEDAW, is one of the most powerful tools
used to promote the human rights of women globally. This treaty has
already saved and helped women in the 170 ratifying nations.

This treaty was used to make domestic violence a crime in Colombia;
it helped women secure their right to inherit land in Tanzania. Even
the countries of South Africa, Uganda and Costa Rica have utilized
the provisions of this treaty in their own laws.

Our diplomatic efforts are hindered by the lack of ratification by
the U.S. to stop sexual trafficking, domestic violence and the
deplorable denial of healthcare and education to women.

Ratification of this treaty would mean that there are no necessary
changes to U.S. laws because the provisions in CEDAW are already
similar to existing treaties on civil rights, political rights, race,
torture and genocide.

It is important to point out that U.S. voters overwhelming support
not only human rights for women domestically but globally as well.

Now is the time for ratification. Keep your promises to the women of
the United States and to all women globally.
Lead by example.

GlobalGoddess.Org was created to "help women globally" and we are
interested in all efforts to improve the status of women, whether it
is in our own backyard or abroad.

In Peace and Grace,

Bendis, Lisa, Meg and Regina

GlobalGoddess.Org
Info@globalgoddess.org

Women in Black

I joined Women In Black in my community shortly after 9/11/01. Standing in silent vigil gave me a space to mourn worldwide violence. I was in Eastern Europe during the period Sarajevo was under siege. That is where I first heard about Women In Black and the worldwide attention they brought to the violence used against women as a tool of that war.

Women In Black have won a number of awards for their work toward peace. In 2001, the international movement of Women in Black was honored with the Millennium Peace Prize for Women, awarded by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

Women in Black is not an organization. It is loosely connected groups of women who use this format as a means of mobilization and a formula for action. It is standard for women wearing black, standing in a public place in silent, non-violent vigils at regular times and intervals. As the country gears up for war men are wishing to stand with us. Some groups call themselves “People In Black” and others have asked men to stand behind them in silent support.

Mission Statement:
Women In Black stand in silent vigil to protest war, rape as a tool of war, ethnic cleansing and human rights abuses all over the world. We are silent because mere words cannot express the tragedy that wars and hatred bring. We refuse to add to the cacophony of empty statements that are spoken with the best intentions yet may be erased or go unheard under the sound of a passing ambulance or a bomb exploding nearby.

Our silence is visible. We invite women to stand with us, reflect about themselves and women who have been raped, tortured or killed in concentration camps, women who have disappeared, whose loved ones have disappeared or have been killed, whose homes have been demolished. We wear black as a symbol of sorrow for all victims of war, for the destruction of people, nature and the fabric of life.

Women in Black is an international movement of women of conscience of all denominations and nationalities. What unites us all is our commitment to justice and a world free of violence. Historically Women In Black have held vigils to protest violence in their part of the world. . Each vigil is autonomous, setting its own policy and guidelines.

http://www.womeninblack.net
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De Williams