The other day, I was asked here on FB how non-Black and non-Indigenous people can help dismantle the system we live in that causes all this systemic/state-driven violence and brutality against both of those communities. It can be a daunting thing to even begin to think about dismantling this system. But for members of the dominant culture who need/want to start small, there are really a couple of places you can look right away --- to your right and to your left --- in your home, in your workplace, at your school, the coffee shop you go to, the place you buy groceries, etc. Don’t see any Indigenous people or Black people, or only just one? Then you are not contributing to change. When your position in your community is based around maintaining the status quo, change can be threatening, but it does not need to be. Whether you are an employee or employer, ask yourself or your boss why there are no Indigenous or Black people where you work. If there is, why do we cap it at only one? What barriers am I putting up if no one from those communities is applying? What barriers am I putting up if they are applying? What barriers am I putting up in the interview selection process? Again, if representation from those communities is next to nothing in your workplace, place of education, community space, it’s because there is a wall of exclusion that you are contributing to. Sorry to indict you on this, but it is true. And for employers who post in their job postings (and I have a lot of bosses in my FB friends list) who post the platitude where they encourage applications from Aboriginal or diverse communities, if you aren’t willing to make the space or remove the barriers that are around your organization, then really, please don’t include it. It’s more insulting and offensive and infuriating when that is included in there, and then you have no Black or Indigenous people working in your space. Speaking of platitudes, there is also the one that is starting to sweep across the country. At many art events (it started in the west) there is this acknowledgement where people state the Indigenous territory that they are on/working on. It really is the smallest thing you can do. Start learning the worldviews, the concepts, the language, the community, the challenges of those communities, and what we are fighting for (and for those who don’t know, when we fight for social or environmental justice – that fight is always for EVERYONE, not just us). Think that’s too hard? Well, every Indigenous and Black person on this continent has had to learn two cultures – theirs and the dominant’s, with no reward or incentive to do so, and mostly by force, violence and murder. All of what I am saying is that to dismantle the system/status quo, we ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO give something of ourselves, and some of the space we enjoy, benefit from. Before I moved from Regina, I was the director of an organization for 5 years. In that time, I came to my own “Enough is Enough” point, and just started asking Indigenous women on the board, started programming predominantly Indigenous women artists, employing Indigenous women as my coworkers. Currently, at my place of employment, I am the only man that is employed on a daily basis, and again, a board of directors comprised of women. The three collectives I am part of? Again I am the only man and all the other members are Indigenous women, and women of color. I even realized last week that the conference I presented at will be the last time I speak in public by myself. I have never worked in isolation. I have always worked in collaboration and will present at conferences like that from now on. If they will only pay for one person, I will hand my place over to a (trans) woman who is Indigenous or Black. It really is simple to change the system if the will is there. You just have to humble yourself. How do you humble yourself? By reminding yourself that you are not an expert on being Black or Indigenous, and that the person you keep trying to interrupt is. This is just a starting point. And I am only one Indigenous person. I hope you know others that you can ask, and have meaningful conversations about this. And if other Black or Indigenous people don’t want to engage or answer your questions, that’s their prerogative. They are not obligated to make you feel good or provide you with a free education on what justice is. Why would they be? But you have an obligation to start creating a space where we aren’t threatened, excluded, unemployed, starved, beaten, go missing, murdered on a daily basis.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 17:48:57 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015