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For information about Deb's book, The Quilt of Humanity: A Metaphor for Healing and Reparation, click here
Tangled Threads and Cultural Beliefs that Damage the Quilt of Humanity
Part of the process of repairing the quilt of humanity involves mending the damage caused by such things as racism, sexism, heterosexism and classism, to name just a few. To be effective in this mending process, we need to recognize that the threads of races, gender, sexual orientation, and class in particular are tangled up together in such a way that they can only be untangled and repaired together. In her book, where we stand: Class Matters,bell hooks speaks directly about this:
“To challenge racism or sexism without linking [my italics] these systems to economic structures of exploitation and our collective participation in the upholding and maintenance of such structures, however marginal that engagement may be, is ultimately to betray a vision of justice for all.” (p. 161)
Perpetuating and Spreading America’s Myths
A few months ago, I found myself watching the TV show, “Extreme Makeover.” This show is ostensibly about granting individuals their dreams. In most cases, the “makeover” involves providing individuals with plastic surgery and other procedures to change their appearance. Read more
Class Privilege: Local and Global
Two articles in the New York Times illustrate the impact of class differences and the vast economic inequities that exist both in the U.S. and globally. There is a continually growing divide between those who live richly and lavishly and those who Read more
Color Blind?
So often we hear people claiming to be “color blind” as a way to indicate that they hold no prejudices based on race. Their rationale appears to be that if you don’t notice a difference, it can no longer have a negative impact. What they fail to realize is that when we fail to “notice” differences, there are negative consequences at three levels – the individual, the cultural and the systemic.
At the systemic level, when power differences and distribution of resources and equity are systemically based on race, not noticing race contributes to the continuation of these ongoing inequities. It is precisely the invisibility of these systemic differences that make them so invidious and dangerous. In the case of power inequities, therefore, the danger is not in “seeing” and “noticing” differences but in failing to see the inequities that systemically result from them.
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Everything’s Connected
Table of contents for Change, Transition and Transformation
Part 7 in the Change, Transition, and Transformation Series
When my neck was in pain, I knew that my muscles had tightened up and locked into place. According to Dr. Lou, my chiropractor, the massage had not been effective because my muscles were not the source of misalignment. Rather, the muscles had tightened up in response to the misalignment of my vertebrae.
I continued to see Dr. Lou so he could make adjustments to realign my spine. But, in between visits, my back would become misaligned again and the pain would return. Interestingly, the muscles were so used to being in a tightened, resistance mode, they would fall back into the familiar role by force of habit, pulling my spine out of alignment in the process. The muscles, rather than supporting the adjustments, were working against them.
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Who Worries About What? – The Impact of Race
My ex-husband is Caribbean-American of African descent (from Barbados) so even though I am white, I know what it is like to raise two children of color. My almost twenty one year old son Read more
Change, Transition, and Transformation for Executive Directors
Over the last few months, I have been facilitating a monthly Learning and Support Group for executive directors of New York City nonprofit organizations with the support of the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York.
I developed this series after having conducted a few roundtable discussion meetings with these organizational leaders. What became apparent during these discussions was their difficulty finding time to step back and reflect on their work, their roles, their visions for their organizations and their professional and personal development that is crucial to their ongoing success and effectiveness. Read more
Stories As a Means to Make Sense of Our Lives
When I was undergoing my personal transition (see the Change, Transition, and Transformation Series), I had to find ways to pay attention to, see and understand the connections between my mind, body and spirit to tap into a new sense of focus and creativity.
Another vehicle for becoming aligned and integrated as individuals involves stories.
Stories as a Mean to Enhance Mutual Understanding
Since stories are the way we make sense of our lives, story telling is an important vehicle for gaining mutual understanding. It is by telling our stories and hearing and understanding their differences that we can begin to create larger more inclusive and fully integrated stories. Like quilters, story-tellers piece together what is otherwise unconnected. Read more
Stories About Ourselves and Stories About Others
I had an experience recently in a long-term learning group that I was in. All the participants had made a commitment to attend six 3-day sessions over an 18-month period of time.