Living Together: RA Skills for Engaging in Conversations on Diversity and Social Justice
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Originally presented at Resident Assistant Training at Boston College on August 18, 2012. This brief presentation discusses how to approach difficult conversations and confront problematic language around issues of diversity and social justice.
RAWBAT
• Define basic terms including power, privilege,
and microagression
• Identify instances where microagressions may
be occurring
• Identify the difference between intent and
impact when making statements
• Describe “rules of thumb” for successfully
navigating difficult conversations around
difference
POWER
“social oppression exists when
one social group, whether
knowingly or unconsciously,
exploits another social group
for its own benefit.”
Hardiman, R., & Jackson, B. W. (1997). Conceptual foundations for social justice courses. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.). Teaching for diversity and social justice: A
sourcebook (pp. 16-29). New York, NY: Routledge. (page 17)
PRIVILEGE
“Both agents, those who are
privileged in the hierarchy of
oppression, and targets, those
who are victimized and
penalized, play a role in
maintaining oppression.”
Bell, L. A. (1997). Theoretical Foundations for Social Justice Education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.). Teaching for diversity and social justice: A sourcebook (pp. 16-29).
New York, NY: Routledge. (page 12)
microagressions are...
“brief and commonplace daily
verbal, behavioral, or
environmental indignities, whether
intentional or unintentional, that
communicate hostile, derogatory,
or negative... slights and insults
toward people...”
Sue, Derald Wing; Capodilupo, Christina M.; Torino, Gina C.; Bucceri, Jennifer M.; Holder, Aisha M. B.; Nadal, Kevin L.; Esquilin, Marta.
Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Implications for Clinical Practice. American Psychologist, v62 n4 p271-286 May-Jun 2007.
We often have a good
INTENT
but the
IMPACT
of what we say can have a
different unintended effect.
Some of my best
friends are... [insert]
Cullen, M. (2008). 35 dumb things well-intentioned people say. New York, NY: Morgan James Publishing. (page 63)
“Why do [insert]
always have to sit
together? They are
always sticking
together.”
Cullen, M. (2008). 35 dumb things well-intentioned people say. New York, NY: Morgan James Publishing. (page 98)
Now what...
• Remember this conversation
• Manage your feelings of defensiveness
• Listen intently to what happened
• Reflect on what you heard
• Figure out how to ground yourself so you can
hear difficult feedback
Special thanks to Stacey Pearson Wharton.
Now what 2...
• Apologize immediately
• Take responsibility
• Don’t try to prove your point of view or how
much of a ____ist you are not
• Share how you can make it different (if possible
• Follow up
RAWBAT
• Define basic terms including power, privilege,
and microagression
• Identify instances where microagressions may
be occurring
• Identify the difference between intent and
impact when making statements
• Describe “rules of thumb” for successfully
navigating difficult conversations around
difference
IV IN G
L R
E T H E
TO G
Skills for Engaging in Conversations on
Diversity and Social Justice