One week ago, I had the privilege of attending the Undoing Racism training with the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond (PISAB), offered in partnership with the Haymarket People's Fund.
This training offered me a "Matrix" moment (Keanu Reeves-style) of really seeing the depth of what we're up against in the fight for a country free from the grasp of White supremacist oppression, which harms ALL people in different ways.
I've been exploring ways that White supremacy has been built into me as a White American.
http://tinyurl.com/ortljoa http://tinyurl.com/pkm8xxf
But what the Undoing Racism training offered me was a deeper look at our history and institutions and how they were created and nurtured with the purpose of establishing and maintaining White supremacy.
One of the most powerful ideas I walked away with was about gatekeeping (using one's own privilege to control who has access to certain resources). I had only heard the term "gatekeeping" used as a negative thing. PISAB taught me that gatekeeping is NOT an inherently oppressive act. It all depends on HOW the gatekeeper does the gatekeeping.
The harmful gatekeeping is when a person of privilege goes into a community that is not theirs and acts as gatekeeper to resources heading inside the community (ie "If I like your program, I will bring money/resources from the local higher ed institution in order to fund it." OR worse, "I thought up a program that will solve a problem in your community.").
But a conscious gatekeeper can flip this dynamic. If I have privilege and I am purporting to serve in a community, I can use my privilege to keep the gate for resources heading OUT of the community I purport to work for. (ie asking outsiders who have ideas or proposals for the community: "Who are you? What are you seeking? Who stands to gain from your involvement here?")
The core resources are already in the community. They don't need to be brought in. The danger is that the culture of extraction can come in under the guise of offering resources when in fact, they are a force for extraction.
I recommend this training 1000% for all people who wish for a better America. Just don't come expecting an easy time.
This training offered me a "Matrix" moment (Keanu Reeves-style) of really seeing the depth of what we're up against in the fight for a country free from the grasp of White supremacist oppression, which harms ALL people in different ways.
I've been exploring ways that White supremacy has been built into me as a White American.
http://tinyurl.com/ortljoa http://tinyurl.com/pkm8xxf
But what the Undoing Racism training offered me was a deeper look at our history and institutions and how they were created and nurtured with the purpose of establishing and maintaining White supremacy.
One of the most powerful ideas I walked away with was about gatekeeping (using one's own privilege to control who has access to certain resources). I had only heard the term "gatekeeping" used as a negative thing. PISAB taught me that gatekeeping is NOT an inherently oppressive act. It all depends on HOW the gatekeeper does the gatekeeping.
The harmful gatekeeping is when a person of privilege goes into a community that is not theirs and acts as gatekeeper to resources heading inside the community (ie "If I like your program, I will bring money/resources from the local higher ed institution in order to fund it." OR worse, "I thought up a program that will solve a problem in your community.").
But a conscious gatekeeper can flip this dynamic. If I have privilege and I am purporting to serve in a community, I can use my privilege to keep the gate for resources heading OUT of the community I purport to work for. (ie asking outsiders who have ideas or proposals for the community: "Who are you? What are you seeking? Who stands to gain from your involvement here?")
The core resources are already in the community. They don't need to be brought in. The danger is that the culture of extraction can come in under the guise of offering resources when in fact, they are a force for extraction.
I recommend this training 1000% for all people who wish for a better America. Just don't come expecting an easy time.
RSS Feed