This activity shows some of the advantages and disadvantages related to organizational power and privilege. The activity is used to show how long-term accumulation of advantages based on organizational privilege can produce gaps among groups and create inequities in the communities we hope to serve. We will see visually how our positions within the organizations we work have privileged us, some perhaps more than others. The central question at the end is, what does our positioning reveal and how may we use this understanding to close these gaps?

1. Step Forward, Step Back1
Organizational Identity Activity
(20-25 minutes)
Introduction:
This activity shows some of the advantages and disadvantages related to organizational power
and privilege. The activity is used to show how long-term accumulation of advantages based on
organizational privilege can produce gaps among groups and create inequities in the
communities we hope to serve. We will see visually how our positions within the organizations
we work have privileged us, some perhaps more than others. The central question at the end is,
what does our positioning reveal and how may we use this understanding to close these gaps?
Instructions:
 This activity should be conducted in a large open area where participants can move
around easily.
 Ask participants to stand and form a line in the middle of the room. They should be
touching shoulders with the people on both sides. (Use your judgment about asking
people to stand so close together. If you think it would be awkward for the group,
another way to do this is to ask everyone to hold a piece of string with the person next to
them. As the activity progresses, they will hold the string for as long as possible,
dropping it when they are too far apart to hold onto it). If participants are not able to take
a step (e.g., if they are in a wheelchair), invite them to “move forward or back.”
 Read each statement to the group. Participants will respond accordingly to what is true
for them – that is, they will step forward, or step back. If the statement doesn’t apply,
participants will stand still.
 Give people time to think before they move.
 Ask people to observe how others move as you read the statements.
 Let participants know that this activity may bring up strong emotions, and that’s OK. Let
them know they will have a chance to talk about how they feel at the end of the activity.
To begin, form a line in the middle of the room. The facilitator will read a series of statements.
Think about how the statements apply to you. Then take one step forward, stand still, or take
one step back.
1 This activity is adapted from Everyday Democracy’s Facing Racism in a Diverse Nation, discussion guide,pp.16-21.
http://everyday-democracy.org/resources/facing-racism-diverse-nation

2. 1. If your organization’s grant making portfolio is between $5-$15 million annually, take
one step forward.
2. If your organization’s grant making portfolio is more than $50 million, take one step
forward.
3. If you have discretionary grant making authority for funds between $100,000 and
$200,000, take one step forward.
4. If you have discretionary grant making authority over $200,000, take one step forward.
5. If your organization has equity elements written into employee competencies, take one
step forward.
6. If your organization’s grant making authority is national and/or international, take one
step forward.
7. If past strategic planning in your organization has been done by a small group of
“experts” selected by top management and with little to no input from your grantees, take
one step back.
8. If your position in the organization reflects upper management, take one step forward.
9. If equity impact statements are not required of potential grantees, take one step back.
10. If the staff of your organization reflects less than 50% the diversity of the people in the
communities where grants are awarded, take one step back.
11. If the board of your organization reflects less than 50% the diversity of the people in the
communities where grants are awarded, take one step back.
12. If your organization publishes its materials only in English, take one step back.
13. If your organization does an annual internal equity assessment with all staff, take one
step forward.
14. If your organization regularly includes items on staff and board meetings agendas to
continually build a common understanding and vocabulary on equity, take one step
forward.
15. If your organization regularly entertains feedback from grantees on issues of equity and
has procedures in place to integrate that feedback, take one step forward.
Facilitator:
 What patterns, if any, did you notice about where everyone ended up in the room?
 When you think about where everyone ended up, what does this say about our country?
What does it say about our work? What might it mean for the communities we serve?
 How does it feel to have gone through this activity?