Racism and Open Space

Tue Apr 18 08:57:42 PDT 2000

The simple answer to your question, 

> Is the Open Space movement capable of taking us out of the boxes that we're doing open
> space in - you know what I'm saying??"

is that Open Space is all about breaking down barriers and getting us out of boxes.

Having said this, I can't help but react to some other parts of your message.  For one, were you deliberately trying to provoke reactions when you made the following contradictory comments just two sentences apart?

> This book that I'm reading called Undoing Racism says that until we "undo racism"
> that everything else that we do will be for the benefit of white people.  
and
> I am also noticing the community service movement includes a
> majority of white people - incidently doing service mostly for people of color. 

For another, I wasn't aware that either community service or Open Space had attained the status of a "movement" -- whatever that may imply.

While there is some value in taking the black & white view of the world that you seem to be adopting, this does seem to ignore and possibly devalue all the other views.  For example, you didn't say whether you yourself are
black, white, yellow, red or ...
male, female, cross-gender or ...
homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual or ...
anglo-saxon, hispanic, cajun or ...
christian, muslim, jewish or ...
and so forth.
It seems to me that while there is relevance to all of these perspectives (and the many others not listed), Open Space is really about relating to each other as human beings in a universe of other beings,  letting all of us appreciate all views and agreeing on ways to live together in diversity and harmony.

Patrick McAuley

PTM Consulting
20 Magnolia Lane
Guelph, ON  N1G 4X7
Canada

Tel:  (519) 827-9396
Fax:  (519) 827-0956
patrick.mcauley at sympatico.ca

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: biver 
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
  Sent: Tuesday, April 18, 2000 10:08 AM
  Subject: Racism and Open Space

  Hi folks!

  I'm new to Open Space and have been exploring it as a way to build
  university-community relationships.  This has given me the opportunity and the
  necessity to take a serious look at racism and the way it is affecting us - in terms
  of who has power, how service systems ultimately breed dependency, debilitating
  affects of the criminal justice system, just to name a few things.  I'm also new to
  understanding the construct of institutionalized racism in the US.  So I've been
  thinking about the role Open Space does/could play in all of this.  I can see how
  open space can provide a way out of our racist constructs in that - it breaks down
  power.  Anyone willing to take personal responsibility can have power.  But where
  I'm wondering about the limitations includes that many of the groups that we
  collectively work with are doing open space within their own boxes - that is, Public
  health is still public health talking about how they can do health to poor
  communities rather than inviting those directly affected to participate in the open
  space.  This is clearly a limitation.... not sure what to do with it and what it
  means for open space collectively...

  I'm also wondering if there are any people of color out there in open space land
  benefitting from the monetary fruits and labor of open space.  And if not, why not?
  As this has been my year to begin to become more politically and socially aware, I
  can't help but notice that in the United States the environmental movement, the
  spirituality/new age movement, the sustainability movement, and community service
  movement include mostly white people.  Is the Open Space movement the same way?
  This book that I'm reading called Undoing Racism says that until we "undo racism"
  that everything else that we do will be for the benefit of white people.  That was
  obviously true with the women's movement - we should have called it the white
  women's movement.  I am also noticing the community service movement includes a
  majority of white people - incidently doing service mostly for people of color.  Is
  the Open Space movement capable of taking us out of the boxes that we're doing open
  space in - you know what I'm saying??  Can Open Space move the movement beyond
  racism as well as the limiting organizations/business we're working with?

  I would be very receptive to some dialogue about this.  Open Space and Racism seem
  to be the focal points of my research that I'm wrapping up and can't help but
  question things....  And it seems like an important thing to question...

  Nancie T. Biver
  National Service Fellow
  America's Promise and Higher Education
  nbiver at mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
  www.tulane.edu/~amerprom
  504-862-8000 x1538
  New Orleans, LA

  "There are those who see the world as it is and ask, Why?  And there are those who
  see the world as it could be and ask, Why not?"  -George Bernard Shaw

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