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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>Hi, Brother
Chris –<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>You asked <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><<span class=GramE>how</span> the process
works in places where there are deeply entrenched power dynamics.><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>-<span class=GramE>and</span>-<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><I'm wondering if others working in more
rigid places than Canada, the US or New Zealand might have had different
experiences and if so, what did you do either before the event or during?><br
style='mso-special-character:line-break'>
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]><br style='mso-special-character:line-break'>
<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I agree with what’s been said before –
as long as you give it the 2 or 2.5 days instead of expect people to unfold quickly
and find their own voice in a ‘mini’-OS, people always seem to find
allies, talk together, name things, create things that enrich the whole meeting
– and they note that this is the first time they have felt included / the
first time other participants have worked with them and not for them / the
first time others could listen without rushing right into solving without
listening, and so on.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I have not worked with a group combining people
of different castes in India, but I have worked with very different cultures
and power dynamics all in one big group (such as the International AIDS
Conferences, such as union, management and non-union workers meeting together,
such as violence survivors, such as immigrant, monolingual (non English
speaking) parents working with activist-sophisticated policy and social service
folks, such as parishioners of different languages and young ages working with
the Bishop of their congregation, and so on.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I know you’ve done a bit of this
too and have much experience to draw upon.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>However my few additional thoughts are:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I would wonder if it would be always
automatically <i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span style='font-style:
italic;mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>useful</span></i> to combine people of such
incredibly different power levels as low caste members and others of much
higher <span class=SpellE>stratas</span> – wouldn’t it be most
amazing to give the lowest-caste folks their own special (and ongoing) Open
Spaces to give them a rich, solid voice and a shared experience? <span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span><span class=GramE>And to do that as a
first priority?</span><span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>To help a <span
class=GramE>very</span> marginalized group really get their own great things
going in Open Space for themselves, about themselves?<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span><span class=GramE>And then later to
combine a mixed – strata group…?</span><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>And:<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>Often when there is a group of a much lower (quieter? What word to
choose?) power dynamic, I recommend to the event organizers that they bring in
this minority / subgroup in 1 or 2 days ahead of time – they get
acclimated to the space, often they get a day of workshop sharing issues or
learning vocabulary that will be used in the upcoming event; I recommend they
also get time for social interaction, celebration and play (such as having a
relaxed social evening with food and dance and performers) – and also I assist
that orientation/community building/work day by helping them do something like
co-create a group poem naming and proclaiming realities, issues and
hopes/dreams.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>So then the other
participants come in the next day – by that time these earlier folks
really own and feel comfortable in the spaces in the building, have had an
intro to the space and the meeting and even a mini- or experiential description
of OS -- and so are more able to jump right in the day everyone starts
together, and they start by opening the gathering with a group poem presentation
given by some members of the sub-group – to make <i style='mso-bidi-font-style:
normal'><span style='font-style:italic;mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>them</span></i>
the <span class=SpellE>welcomers</span>, too; to set the tone for the event; to
start the event with their collective / co-created vision and energy.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Stray thoughts on power and OS,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Lisa<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black;mso-no-proof:
yes'>___________________________</span></font><font color=black><span
style='color:black;mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font size=2
color=blue face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";
color:blue;font-weight:bold;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal;mso-no-proof:yes'>L i s
a<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>H e f t<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue;mso-no-proof:
yes'>Consultant, Facilitator, Educator<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue;mso-no-proof:
yes'>O p e n i n g<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>S p a c e<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black;mso-no-proof:
yes'>2325 Oregon<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black;mso-no-proof:
yes'>Berkeley, California<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black;mso-no-proof:
yes'>94705-1106<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>USA<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black;mso-no-proof:
yes'>+01 510 548-8449<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black;mso-no-proof:
yes'><a href="mailto:lisaheft@openingspace.net"><font color=black><span
style='color:black'>lisaheft@openingspace.net</span></font></a></span></font><font
color=black><span style='color:black;mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black;mso-no-proof:
yes'><a href="http://www.openingspace.net"><font color=black><span
style='color:black'>www.openingspace.net</span></font></a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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