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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">OST
Racism and Youth</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">This
debrief turned out to be longer than I thought it would, and I choose not to
edit it down.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I am offering some my
most vulnerable moments here – perhaps that is easier in an email format as you
are not standing right in front of me.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>And this debrief seems to speak to Doug and Michael’s
postings.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">When
I received a call to facilitate a one-half day OST, I wasn’t sure if I could be
an OST facilitator in this forum.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>You see, although I’ve been facilitating OST for a few years now, this
OST was for a multi-cultural association exploring racism and youth.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I’ve worked in these issues all my life
and wasn’t sure I could be as objective as I know I need to be for the group to
do “their” work.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">As
those who care deeply about these issues gathered, the day after yet another
snowstorm, I recognized several faces.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>After the opening circle, 15 topics came quickly and were posted by
adults and youth.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">I
then watched as the youth went right to their discussion area and began – I
always marvel at how young people love this process.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Some adults seemed to “choose” for 15
minutes – many saw themes – educators wanted to group themes together.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Several adults looked at the topics and
wanted clarity on the topics.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>A few made the decision to group their topics together into a larger
group.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In their desire to be
inclusive, they invited a gentleman from a First Nation’s community to join
their conversation and he stated that his topic on First Nation’s awareness
needed to stand on its own, not grouped with others, and as he made his way to
his discussion area several people followed.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Students – some stayed with the group right through the
closing circle, others left and were not seen again!<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">For
me, holding space for this conversation was challenging.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A few were butterflies.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I left the room as I heard and watched
the frustration of “nothing ever changing” and yet the hope – the constant hope
that one more conversation might make a difference.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The learned helplessness in the group
spoke out many times.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">This
is the point in the story where I include my evolution in the philosophy of
these issues and in facilitation (just a warning for those who might want to
skip it!).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I offer it here as it
speaks to my development and evolution in facilitating.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">My
journey to my own process – I have to be the change I want in the world. I have
worked with issues of racism, discrimination and harassment for years ever since
I served on a race relations committee in junior high school in the southern US
in the 60’s.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>My mother’s mother was
indigenous South American.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In
various positions I held, as soon as someone heard that I had experience in this
area, it would be added to my job description – and I found myself accepting
it.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I have served as
harassment/discrimination counselor, advisor, and in policy/program development
and implementation on top of executive positions and faculty positions.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I have been a student researching
residential schools in Canada and the history of Mi’kmaq education.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I have facilitated OST and other forms
with First Nation’s communities in Canada.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>I was asked to provide awareness training with the Nova Scotia Human
Rights Commission and with other institutions across the Country.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I was also asked to develop focus group
facilitation for venues to explore racism.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>And through all of this I watched how aggression breeds aggression, how
learned helplessness continued to be conditioned.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">In
an attempt to understand what was happening both inside of me and “out there” I
found myself undertaking a graduate degree.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>My Master’s thesis was a surprise.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I wanted to take a step back from the
front line of these policies.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I
found myself conducting a spiritual and heart-based exploration and
clarification in an academic setting!! The only consistent policies I found to
explore in Nova Scotia were sexual harassment policies in post-secondary
institutions.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In the year 2000
discrimination policies were not in place consistently in post-secondary
institutions.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I began my
exploration of these polices, the advisors who work with them, and explored how
diversity management initiatives might influence them.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Giving myself the “space” and distance
to explore without internal pressure to “do” something about it.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">I
have spent enough time in communities to know and see historical white
privilege.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>My son returned from Sri
Lanka in December after working with a Canada World Youth program.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He, too, found himself in communities as
one of the few white people and was astounded at how the assumption was that he
was brighter, better educated and rich because he is white.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He found himself in exactly the same
situation that I did, as a dark skinned youngster believed that my son’s skin
was softer and prettier because it was white.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>His heart was touched and will never be
the same. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">So –
back to the OST.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I left the room as
I touched those old feelings and saw quite clearly how my big heart wanted so
much to fix, to alleviate suffering.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>I saw how often advocacy and advising asked me to become a fixer and it
never “felt” right.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Even as a
trainer and Professor “forced” conversations didn’t get us there – rarely were
people attending those sessions in a truly voluntary manner, for some it was
mandatory training.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And I’m not
saying that there is never a place for mandatory training.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">I
have been in conversations where I felt forced, as it can take great energy to
“stay with” a difficult conversation where so much of my own stuff is coming up
for me.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As an executive and chair
of provincial committees I would recommend that we “listen” to the problem
more.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">So
this time, I’m invited to come and formally do what I was doing all
along</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">–<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN>hold space for good-hearted people to engage in conversations from the
heart</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">–<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN>for adults working in these areas to listen to youth</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">–<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN>for youth to see how adults are trying to assist them</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">–<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN>a chance to explore our differences without “doing” anything about
it</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">–<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN>a place where participants asked how to talk to each other</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am
always intrigued as to how people respond to this process.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In the closing circle a woman who has
been at many of the sessions I’ve participated in and facilitated and who is
often known as one who will take over, thanked the sponsor for the event and the
form.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>She said that in all the
discussions she had attended working in this area for 26 years, she has never
felt as safe as in this group and this form.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Attendance at the OST meeting was
voluntary, participants were invited to become butterflies and bumblebees – an
absence of conversation motivated strictly by fear.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Two young women were delighted with the
Tibetan cymbals as they were a reminder of their own culture.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">I find that
holding space is an intended loan of my attention (to quote Michael) to what is
happening in the group, circle, and space.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>When I’m opening the space, I am weaving; my energy is magnetic, inviting
energy to the center, to the collective.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>My awareness is inclusive of the group, the collective, and me. As I
become aware of the 'we' of the group, as the agenda begins to develop, and once
everyone has begun to move to sessions – I begin to withdraw.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">There was great learning in the room without one lecture,
facilitated activity or video!<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>An
interesting piece of trivia – this is one of the first times I’ve been involved
in a meeting of 40 people in North America around issues and not one white male
was in the room.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Another
interesting tidbit – the other facilitations/training I offered in these areas
were part of a job or volunteer – my OST facilitations were paid
gigs!!</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">I’m not intending to make meaning of right and wrong
here.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There are many essential
positions of advocate, advisor and counselor.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And OST is not the only tool to be used
with groups.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Having extensive
experience using other methods for sensitive issues of
harassment/discrimination, I was intrigued to watch and hold space for the
group’s learning.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Following are the
topics generated:</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Mi’kmaq Awareness</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">How
can schools and homes work together to deal with racism?</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">How
is racism experienced by people in schools?</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">What
is racism?</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Why
do school staff not have cultural events planned throughout the year, and feel
forced?</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">What
are schools doing to combat racism in the school?</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Curriculum “must” be multicultural</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Moving policy to performance from students’
perspective</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">What
are the effects of racism on students facing it?</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Estrangement – not being understood</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Do
students feel supported in school?</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Marginalized groups – what are we doing to protect
them?</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">What
are we doing to make them feel part of the education experience?</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Methods of conflict resolution in schools</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Racist/derogatory language in the classroom (through the
curriculum/materials)</FONT></P></DIV>
<P><FONT size=2>Judith Richardson<BR>Pono Consultants
International<BR>Facilitating the Flow<BR> of Inspired
Collaboration<BR>www.ponoconsultants.com<BR>(902) 435-0308 </FONT></P>
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