Originally presented to faculty and staff as part of a collaboration between Vernon Wall and myself. This presentation explores how concepts of diversity and social justice intersect with current phenomena in social media.

1. with Vernon Wall
& Paul Brown
Social Justice.
Media.
Change.

2. Understand five key
concepts of social
justice and how they
may play out online
and off.

3. Joining up..
In relation to issues of
inclusion, diversity and
social justice:
What excites you?
What concerns you?
How does social
media play into this?

4. diversity
multiculturalism
social justice
a common language…

5. What is Social Justice?

6. A Process and A Goal
"The goal of social justice education is full and
equal participation of all groups in a society
that is mutually shaped to meet their needs.
Social justice includes a vision of society that is
equitable and all members are physically and
psychologically safe and secure."
Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice: A Sourcebook. Edited by Maurianne Adams, Lee Anne Bell, and Pat Griffin.

7. What is Social Media?

8. A Tool and A Context

9. TOOL

10. CONTEXT

11. Your online and offline lives
are inextricable intertwined.

12. Key
Concepts…
5
the path to competence…

13. Individual Identity
and Group Membership1

14. YOUR NAME

15. digital stamp.

16. digital footprints
follow us.

17. FROM THE WOMB!
We even have digital stamps

18. you can be
whomever you
want to be.
online

19. Privileged and Marginalized Groups
Nationality
Gender
Race
Religion
Sexual
Orientation
Class
Ableness
Age
Others
BIG 8

20. Dominant and Subordinated Group Patterns
Have access to power Need access to power
Make the rules, decisions Adapt to rules, decisions
Control the resources Need access to resources
Define the organizational culture Work to assimilate and fit in to dominant culture
Fit into organizational culture Feel out of place
Assumed capable Often assumed to be deficient
Assumed to belong Viewed as outsiders
Approached Suspected
Seen as normal Seen as special exception
Given the benefit of the doubt Have to earn benefit of doubt
Often less aware of differential treatment Often very aware of differential treatment
Focus: How far we’ve come Focus: How far we need to go…

21. What are some of the patterns/
noticings that are present in your
inventory?
Identities I’m most conscious of…
Identities I’m least conscious of…
Where do you struggle?
Nationality
Gender
Race
Religion Sexual
Orientation
Class
Ableness
Age
Others

22. Equal = Equitable
Equal is not necessarily Equitable

23. intent v.
impact

24. You might “STEP
IN IT”
@paulgordonbrown

25. We all have multiple group
memberships.
intersectionality

26. We no longer exist
as playwrights or
actors but as
terminals of
multiple networks.
-Baudrillard
(Baudrillard, 1987/2012, p. 23)

27. BLURRYHYBRIDIZED
SATURATED
The online profile
“is and is not the user.”
(Martínez Alemán & Lynk Wartman, 2009, p. 23)
a “rupture” or “a series of
decisive far-reaching
breaks from the past”
(Bloland, 2005, p. 125)
an “implosion”
or a collapse of
boundaries
(Baudrillard, 1981/1995)
“singularity… a future period during
which the pace of technological
change will be so rapid, its impact so
deep, that human life will be
irreversibly transformed” (Kurzweil, 2005)

28. • Personalwork
• Dialogue&skillbuilding
• Action
If you
want
peace
work for
justice.
Paul 6
Social Justice

29. From this point, what is “your work”?
Where do you struggle?
What do you need to do to
continue to grow in this area?

30. How do we engage each
other in these
conversations in online
and digital spaces?

31. social listening

32. Just because
you use social
media doesn’t
mean you
know how to
use it well.

33. role modeling

34. Conversations…
• What resonated with you from these comments?
Connections, Reactions, Thoughts . . .
• What do you believe are characteristics of a caring and
supportive community? How does this look online?
• What can you personally do to make sure that those
around you feel that they "matter"?
• Based on these comments, what is one thing that you will
start doing, one thing that you will stop doing and one
thing that you will continue doing in order to make the
Longwood campus a welcoming place for all?

35. • Have done personal work on subordinated and dominant
identities that are not their “primary” ones.
• Recognize their strengths and “learning edges.”
• Know that culture and identity impact all that we do.
• Are humble.
• Acknowledge “gradual growth” in others.
• Are not afraid to apologize or say: “I don’t know.”
• Know that the word “ally” is an adjective/verb - not a noun.
• Believe that there is hope and that we each can make a
difference.
Vernon A. Wall, 2009
Those committed to
social justice…

36. • Recognize that knowing how to use social media and
knowing how to use it well are two different things.
• Are constantly listening, learning and connecting
• Understand that the online is temporal and ambiguous
• Are humble and open.
• Understand what is best accomplished online and what is
best accomplished offline
• Use social media to lift up others
• Believe that social media can create meaningful change
Those committed to
social media justice…

37. • Communities are built through building relationships of trust and commitment.
• We all are doing the best we can (most of the time)
• We don’t know all there is to know.
• Just because you are, doesn’t mean you understand.
• Oppression is pervasive and impacts us all.
• Not our faults, but we must accept responsibility.
• Conflict and discomfort are often part of growth.
• Seek first to understand, then to be understood.
• Practice some forgiveness and letting go.
• Self-work, healing and self love are necessary for acceptance of others.
• There are no quick fixes.
• Individuals and communities do grow and change.
• There is HOPE!
Rev. Jamie Washington, Ph.D. 2003
Diverse Community
Foundations

38. • Individual Identity and group membership are always
present.
• Think about who you want to be online. Know how
others may try to define you.
• We all have dominant and subordinated identity groups.
We also have multiple group memberships.
• Think about social media as both a tool and a context.
You are entering into communities.
• Equal is not necessarily equitable.
Review

39. • Intent vs. Impact
• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but
acknowledge them and move forward.
• We all have multiple group memberships.
Intersectionality.
• The online and offline space makes this
even blurrier.
Review

40. The
power of
social
media is it
forces
necessary
change.
-Erik Qualman

41. Injustice
anywhere is
a threat to
justice
everywhere.

42. vernon.wall@gmail.com
www.sjti.org
www.vernonwall.org
@vernonAwall
paulgordonbrown@gmail.com
www.paulgordonbrown.com
@paulgordonbrown
Social Justice.
Media.
Change.