Social Justice at UVic: Creating Safer Spaces Facilitator - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Social Justice at UVic: Creating Safer Spaces

Facilitator Introductions Agenda - Introduction/Key Liam Green (he/him) Terms and Definitions • White Settler (Raised in Treaty 1 Territory; Born in Northern England) - Relational • Queer, Neurodivergent, Cis Male Accountability • UVic Staff (Office of Student Life: Social Justice and Mental Health Promotion Educator) - Self-Reflections, Polls and Icebreakers Nate Ponce (he/him) • Uninvited guest - How to promote Equity • Caddo, Lipan, and Mestizix Ancestry [Raised on Karankawa and Safety at UVic territory (aka Houston,Texas)] • Queer, IPOC, Cis Male • - Additional Learning UVSS Staff (Uvic Pride office coordinator, safer sex, harm reduction and healthy relationships) opportunities . Your Logo or Name Here

What are we talking about? Key Terms / Definitions Power Access to resources and to decision-making in order to get what you want done. Power can be visible, hidden or invisible and show up as power over others, power with others, and/or power within. Privilege Advantages that members of dominant groups have in society, whether they want them or not. When power is used to advantage someone economically, socially, etc. Oppression When power is used to harm someone. Oppression can appear institutionally, ideologically, interpersonally, or can be internalized. Anti-Oppression The process of intentionally working to disrupt, challenge and dismantle systems of power and oppression which negatively affect certain groups of people based on identity markers, life experiences and cultural histories Your Logo or Name Here 4

Relational Accountability – 4 places to be anti-oppressive Challenging Systemic Barriers, UVic Community Using Anti-Oppressive Practice when doing research Consensual Allyship, Bystander Interpersonal Intervention and Equity in our relationships Self Critical Self-Location and Reflection on your positionality Land Honoring the land and the stewards of the land we occupy Your Logo or Name Here 5

Icebreaker – Accountability to Land– 5 minutes 1. Introduce yourself (Name, Pronouns, What you’re studying at UVic) 2. If known, name the lands that you currently live or study on 3. If known, name the lands that you were raised on 4. If you don’t know, why do you think that is? What gets in the way of knowing? 5. What’s one way that you love to connect with the natural world? Your Logo or Name Here 6

Our Relationship to Ourselves: Self-Awareness and Critical Self-Location Self Indigeneity Your Logo or Name Here 7

What to do when someone says or does something concerning/problematic? – Calling Out vs. Calling In Callin lling O Out Callin lling I In ● When we need to let someone know that ● When there is an opportunity to explore their words or actions are unacceptable and something deeper, make meaning together, will not be tolerated and find a mutual sense of understanding across difference ● When we need to interrupt in order to preven ent f furth ther er h harm or if ther ere i e is perceived ed ● When we are seeking to understand or or a actual v violen ence o e occurring learn more ● Will likely feel hard and uncomfortable, but necessary ● Focused on reflection, not reaction ● Allows us to hit the “pause” button and ● When we want to help imagine different break the momentum perspectives, possibilities, or outcomes Your Logo or Name Here 9

What does this sound like? Callin lling O Out – Callin lling I In – … I don’t find that funny. Tell me why that’s … I’m curious. What was your intention funny to you. when you said that? … Why do you think that is the case? Why … I need to push back against that. I do you believe that to be true? disagree. I don’t see it that way. … How might someone else see this differently? Is it possible that someone … It sounds like you’re making some might misinterpret your words/actions? assumptions that we need to unpack a bit. … How might your own comfort level, … Okay, I am having a strong reaction to assumptions, expectations and prior that and I need to let you know why. experiences be influencing your beliefs? Your Logo or Name Here 10

Questions to ask yourself when calling someone in Callin lling I In 1. 1. Do I Have t the E Emotio ional C l Capacit ity t to Call So ll Someone i in Right N Now? (sel elf-care) 2. 2. Do I Ha Have P e Privilege Over er T Tho hose se W Who ho Ar Are Ha e Harmed b by Thi his P s Per erson’s Ac s Actions? s? (positi tionality ty) 3. What A Are ( (Or Were) Thei eir I Inten entions? ns? Do You T Think nk T They ey’ll C Chang nge T e Their Behavio vior? r? (capacity ty f for growth) 4. 4. Why E Exactly Did T d They ey D Do This O Oppr pres essive T e Thing ng? (intent and nd i igno norance) e) Your Logo or Name Here 11

How to respond to feedback that someone else gives you? Sometimes w s we’ e’re o e on n the he rec ecei eiving end o end of bei being ng c called i in If you’re experiencing strong emotions (anger, shame, guilt, frustration, sadness, embarrassment) Try: - “I’m getting defensive about this and I don’t want to. Can you give me a minute?”- - Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths and/or try other grounding techniques - If you’re having a defense reaction, try: “I want to understand what you’re saying, so I’m going to try to not get defensive when you tell me. Can you back up so I can try again?” Thank the person. Try: - “Thanks for telling me that there’s a problem/thanks for telling me that you’re not comfortable with this” - “I’m glad you brought this to my attention” - “I appreciate your willingness to talk with me about this” Work on building your skill set and lean on others for support (friends, family, classmates) Your Logo or Name Here 12

Ways to engage in effective Allyship PROM OMOTE E RET ETHIN INK Doing y your own n research a and l nd learni ning ng on Asking M Margina inaliz lized pe people to educ ducate y you racism, colonialism and oppression on n the heir o opp ppressio ion Amplify o other ers’ v voices es b before y e your own Thinking that 1 act ct of s of soli olidarity m makes you ou an an al ally f y forever r Asking o othe hers ho how y you u can s n suppo upport the hem, Performative A Ally llyship ip (Posting Social Media including, when appropriate, offer ering Statuses, Letting people know that you’re sug uggestio ions ns. “outraged and shocked” Giving s something ing up up to allow a Assuming or promoting that there’s only 1 y 1 marginalized person access to a resource / right way t to do do allyship hip o or be be an n ally program or opportunity. Com mun Rem emem ember er: Ally lly is is a a verb – actions a are more p power erfu ful than w words ity Your Logo or Name Here 13

Two ways too incorporate Anti-Oppressive practice into Grad school Interrogate – • Who’s voices am I centering? • Are there particular groups that are being excluded from academic discourse or literature? • What is defined as knowledge? What is defined as intelligence? • Who is an expert? What credentials does someone need to have to be an expert? Include – - Incorporate different viewpoints into research and practice - Seek out divergent viewpoints from your peers and classmates - Don’t separate conversations about anti-oppression, colonialism and social justice. Rather, integrate marginalized voices and different ways of learning, being and perceiving the world into all parts of your work Your Logo or Name Here 14

Additional Learning at UVic UVSS A Advoc ocac acy G y Groups Equity ty a and Hu Human R Righ ghts Of Offi fice ( (EQHR) - UVic Pride - Anti-Racism Workshop - Gender Empowerment Centre - Human Rights Volunteers - Students of Colour Collective Anti-Vi Violen ence e Projec ect ( (AVP VP) - Society for Students with Disabilities - Consent Training - Native Students Union - Supporting a Survivor Office o e of S Studen ent L Life ( e (OS OSL) L) Indigen enous, A Academ emic and C Community Engagemen ent ( t (First P Peo eople’ e’s H House) e) - Bringing in the Bystander: Bystander Intervention - Indigenous Cultural Acumen Training - Tools for Change: Sexualized Violence Lea earning, T Tea eaching S Support a t and Innovati tion Prevention (LTSI TSI) - Anti-Oppression Workshops - TA Modules and Learnings Your Logo or Name Here 15

Breakout Rooms of 3 - (5 minutes) – Discuss 1 way that you could advance your learning on social justice / anti-oppression and/or 1 action that you could take to work in consensual allyship with a marginalized community? Your Logo or Name Here 16

Thank You LIAM GREEN Office of Student Life oslprogram@uvic.ca