LUNIK CO-OPERATIVE
Oppression Awareness Workshop: Ray Garcia
March 1, 2013
HERE are some notes from our oppression awareness training with Ray Garcia!
Lunik co-op is an anti-oppressive safe space for students. The workshop gave us a better understanding of oppression and strategies to move forward and keep lunik a safe, alternative space on campus.
Why Oppression Awareness?
-Resistance is one component of fighting oppression. Anti-oppression implies a constant struggles rather than moving away from a model of oppression
-Oppression awareness also includes a healing process and self-care. Move beyond a constant fight.
What do we need in this space to make it safe:
-mutual respect
-active listening
-eye contact
-understanding
-share the air
-multiple truths
-”claim” model – if you say so
-center on what was said
-listen to both sides
-acknowledge where they are coming from
-inquire
-move towards resolution
“The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence, just because you haven’t experienced it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist”
-respecting different experiences
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What is Privilege?
-power
who has it?
Examples:“beautiful, white, men, thin, tall, eurocentric features, extroverts, monogomy, citizenship, education, heteronormative, christianity, police, military, government, able bodied, english language speaking,economics, rational thinking, self-made”
All the systems of power collectively play into how we express power
What forms of privilege can you identify having?
Intersectionality:
-we all have forms of privilege. Layers of oppression. This change and influences our experience in the world, how we interact with our environment and move through space.
DISCRIMINATION Vs. OPPRESSION
Everyone can discriminate but only some types fit into a larger system of power. This depends on who is privileged and in what ways.
4 Parts of Oppression (ALL must apply):
(example used: $ and class)
1. Social/Cultural: beliefs and stereotype – ideas of success, hard work=successful person, low income people are lazy.
2. Institutional: ivy league education, university, welfare systems, TV shows and media representations of low income people (or lack of)
3. Personal: emulate ideas of success, internalize false beliefs and stereotypes, false expectations based on classist ideas.
4. Impersonal: envy, respect/idolization of rich, personal views of other people.
strategies for inclusiveness
-Identify oppressive situations: discomfort, apprehension, intimidation
-Create safe spaces for marginalized groups
-Connect with other organizations on campus that work on inclusiveness.
-Constant dialogue on inclusiveness and oppression awareness in our space.
Cool Blogs to Check Out:
http://decolonizeyourmind.tumblr.com/
http://dearcissexism.tumblr.com/
http://fuckyeahbodypositive.tumblr.com/
http://stfuabelism.tumblr.com/
LUNIK CO-OP 