Divesting from whiteness is a challenging process because it calls our very selfhood into question. Letting go of white supremacy is not just an intellectual exercise; it is a radical act that forces us to continually reassess our beliefs, values, and assumptions. More importantly, it requires us to relinquish and reimagine our understanding of who we are and how we exist in the world. To move forward, we must transcend the notion that this is solely about 'being a good ally.' If we fail to do so, we inadvertently center whiteness in social justice movements. #culture #dei #socialjustice #leadership #diversityandinclusion #blm
David Goldenkranz’s Post
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"ADHD affects people differently." Sometimes, I need a visual to better understand myself. While it may seem obvious, this depiction of how neurodivergence exists on a spectrum was an 'ah-ha' moment for me. The fact that these components shift on the spectrum over the course of an hour, day, week, etc., makes it even more useful in terms of understanding why my struggles with ADHD are so different depending on the time or situation. Too often, I feel like I exert a lot of energy trying to verbally explain my neurodivergent behaviors and tendencies to friends and colleagues using so many words—and then a picture like this reminds me that there are ways of teaching and learning that are so much more helpful for minds like mine. Thank you, Dr. Tiffany Jameson, MBA, PHR, for your insightful and comprehensive course/discussion on neurodivergence in the workplace. #ADHD #mentalhealth #workculture #leadership #ableism #intersectionality #neurodivergence #learning #education Image credit: LinkedIn Learning - Understanding and Supporting ADHD Colleagues in the Workplace. Full course here: https://lnkd.in/gv4cwmXt
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This says it all. #work #leadership #community #eduction #passion #employees
Truth. 💯
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I am disheartened by all of the in-fighting within social justice circles. Lately, it feels like the default assumption is that if someone is not proclaiming themselves to be on the cutting edge of anti-oppression work, they are pushed out of the conversation. Not only does this diminish our capacity for compassion and solidarity, but it also works completely against the deeper liberation that we are all working toward. There is another approach. For anyone involved in DEIB, or simply passionate about social justice and live near Seattle, try and make it to this in-person workshop on June 20th-21st. James Boutin is an incredible facilitator and will be bringing together a phenomenal team. Check it out: https://lnkd.in/gJhWQDYU #solidarity #liberation #socialjustice #DEI #diversity #equity #inclusion #leadership #development #selfimprovement #empowerment #education
Educator, Facilitator, and Trainer for Social Change. I help those dedicated to social and organizational change do their work effectively, sustainably, and authentically. jamesboutin.com
Have you found yourself struggling with how divisive social justice work can sometimes feel? Do you wish you had more capacity and skill to support relationship and community when things get difficult? Social Justice Stewardship: Relational Skills for Sustainable Change is a two-day in-person training that Network for EdWork, Martha Hurwitz, Emily Lee, and I are offering on June 20-21. Find a link to more information here: https://lnkd.in/gJhWQDYU Who Is This For? Folks actively working on social justice across various sectors (education, law, healthcare, food access, climate justice, etc...) who are passionate about supporting the work over the long-haul. Why Focus on Relational Skills? Social change is not easy. It takes time, commitment, and vision. But most importantly, social change requires community and partnership. None of us can implement a vision for social change on our own. Relationships within and between communities are the very foundation of long-term efforts. The larger the vision, the stronger the communities and relationships need to be. Because relationships are so crucial to the success of the work, the work risks falling apart when they are not supported. That’s why an essential task in any social justice effort is stewardship. What Does It Mean to Be a Steward of Social Justice? Stewards track and support not only the relationships between various individuals and communities. Stewards also track and support the larger community that those relationships exist within. Not everyone needs to be a steward. And even those who excel at it don’t need to do it all the time. But any social justice effort that lasts will ultimately come to rely on the quality of stewardship its members are able to offer. Stewards tend to relationships and community so that trauma and conflict will have less room to sow disconnection - the root of social injustice. When trauma and conflict do arise, as they naturally will, stewards work together to hold space toward healing, insight, and deeper connection. In doing so, they play a key role in actualizing social justice values. In short, social justice work relies on its stewards. If you are called to this kind of stewardship, and you’d like to deepen your skillset around it, this training might be a good fit for you. Click here for more information and registration: https://lnkd.in/gJhWQDYU #socialjustice #stewardship #socialchange #Seattle
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I am honored to have been invited to present at this year's virtual Racial Justice at Work Summit on April 23rd-25th! https://lnkd.in/gXwKSbNE #racialjusticeatwork #summit #work #dei #racialjustice #leadership #culture #community #learning #professional #social
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These types of responses are literally the manifestation of multiple generations that were taught the BS saying that "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt." Compound that with being a Black and being expected to always persevere and be strong no matter what, and it only makes sense why we cannot see strength in tears.
Lawyer - Police Actions, Healthcare & Injury - Writer - Columnist at The Voice Newspaper - Anti Racism - Tech Enthusiast (AI is not used to write my posts)
“I do sympathise and feel for him, but I ask myself shouldn’t he be tougher? Don’t get me wrong I am not defending such vile people and their despicable views.…” “… the best way to shut them up was to score goals, and ram their racism down their throats.” This from one of my supportive Linkedin connections (so please go easy!) in response to my post on the tears of Real Madrid footballer Vinicius Jr. Here’s why many of us have a problem with this type of well intentioned, well meaning response— We’ve been forced to try to perform ourselves out of the harmful effects of racism since emancipation. This fault finding when black folk fall short of being tougher, of working harder and of being excellent to get ahead, whilst these are admirable reactions to racism, they are in fact an unfortunate necessity and therefore finding fault in this way is flawed. Deeply flawed. Yes, the black uphill struggle requires more physical and mental energy, it requires greater black power, more black stamina and greater black dexterity. And, after a while, it is hoped that by perpetually engaging in this black uphill struggle, black people would somehow evolve into people with greater, mental, physical and spiritual strength to be able to compensate for racism. And most importantly, that if we fail to take the necessary steps to equip ourselves for the black uphill struggle such as mental fortitude, we should be open to criticism when things apparently go wrong, e.g,. when racism takes a mental toll and we break down emotionally. This in effect is saying that it’s okay for Vinicius Jr and the rest of us black folk to be superhuman or exceptional by scoring greater goals, whilst our white counterparts only need to be ordinary to get ahead. This idea of having to be tougher, better or excellent, when being ordinary or mediocre is enough for white people, simply reinforces an uphill track for black people and an ordinary and/or fast track for white people. Racial equality and black progress is measured not by black excellence, but when mediocre black folk are able to succeed the same way as mediocre white folk succeed. It’s not often that we see a ‘strong’ famous, wealthy black man cry his eyes out in front of the world’s media due to racism. Some - including black folk - have viewed it as a sign of weakness, a win for racists. However, we should not engage in shifting the blame from racists by concluding that Vinicius-style-tears, amount to a failure to take personal responsibility. Tears are a language. Tears are a soothing balm against mental stress (women know this all too well and male suicide rates confirm it i.e., 3x greater than female). And, as long as racism persists, black tears will be shed in response to the mental toll of racism. I weep with Vinicius Jr.
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"Mainstream self-care has created NEW forms of oppression, extraction & exploitation . . . Today, many people partake in self-care as a means to enable their personal success & wealth accumulation under capitalism . . . Ultimately, the “self” in self-care further enables the colonial, capitalist fallacy that we can & should look out for ourselves . . ." - Dr. Ayesha Khan My commentary is not needed on this - I am merely amplifying Dr. Ayesha Khan's work. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gUtgYAW5 #selfcare #community #culture #lifeskills #environment #socialjustice #liberation #healing #success #purpose https://lnkd.in/gUtgYAW5
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"Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy." 🌍🌱🌿 . . . "Joanna Macy writes that until we can grieve for our planet, we cannot love it — grieving is a sign of spiritual health. But it is not enough to weep for our lost landscapes; we have to put our hands in the earth to make ourselves whole again. Even a wounded world is feeding us. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝘂𝘀, 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗷𝗼𝘆. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift." - Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants #joy #liberation #climate #earth #climatejustice #activisim #mother #health #mentalhealth #spirituality Photo by Eyoel Kahssay on Unsplash
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Judaism DOES NOT equal whiteness. We need to get better at rebuking Israeli politics without promoting antisemitism. In addition to the ethnic erasure that occurs when all Jews are lumped into the category of white, this latest round of hatred directed at Israel erases the fact that millions of Jews around the world, including as many as half of those in Israel, are NOT white. Mizrahi and Sephardic Jews have faced persecution for millennia - and this latest round of anti-Zionist fervor has all but erased their existence from many of our minds. Let me be clear, the Israeli government's genocidal rampage against Gaza is unacceptable, but advocating for the destruction of the livelihood of millions of Jews in Israel is not a solution rooted in social justice. Palestinian liberation will not succeed if it is predicated on fear, ignorance, hatred, and vengeance. We must become better at criticizing Israel without amplifying hatred toward Jews and equating Judaism with colonialism. #Israel #Palestine #gaza #war #politics #policy #leadership #democracy #genocide https://lnkd.in/gfGttZKf
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This flag is not a threat to America. Period. It was adopted by the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in 1920 to serve as a unifying symbol for Black Americans, to legitimize their identity as a cohesive group after centuries of slavery, oppression, and disenfranchisement. ❤️ Red is the blood that unites all people of Black African ancestry and has been shed for liberation. 🖤 Black is the color of the People. 💚 Green is the color of Africa's natural wealth. This flag should be honored and celebrated as a part of American history. #black #blackhistorymonth #blackexcellence #entrepreneurs #celebrate #educators #blacklivesmatter #history #social #leadership #culture #community
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Black History Month should also be an opportunity to celebrate everyday folks. Don't get me wrong, we need to acknowledge Black excellence, exceptionalism, and those who have made profound historical contributions to this country, but we also need to acknowledge that not everyone needs to make history to be worth celebrating. So, here's to: ➡️ Black parents who work tirelessly to ensure a better life for their babies ➡️ Black educators who have given so much to their students ➡️ Black religious leaders who bring hope to their communities ➡️ Black artists and performers who shine, but never receive the spotlight ➡️ Black entrepreneurs who bring forth new concepts, ideas, and knowledge ➡️ Black military personnel who put their lives on the line to defend America ➡️ Black Americans who show up to work and give it their all each and every day ➡️ . . . Please keep adding to the list the comments! #black #blackhistorymonth #blackexcellence #entrepreneurs #celebrate #educators #blacklivesmatter #history #social #leadership #culture #community Photo credit: Adrian Fernández on Unsplash
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Consultant/Facilitator/Coach: Equity and Inclusion
11moIndeed David. I was just speaking with a white coaching client about the embodiment of white supremacy in me and her, and what we are moving towards and practicing instead of supremacy, in our bodies not just our minds. So much to learn and unlearn in this life as so called white people. Appreciate your posts!