Avoiding the ruts of injustice within and without
A warning
that I find myself offering with greater frequency these days is “watch out to
avoid the deeply cut grooves.” These are
the depressions that have been worn into the road by a repeated pattern of
travel. These are the familiar ways that establish and maintain systems of power. Whether it be power with, power against,
power under or over, individuals and organizations who have committed to be
just, equitable and inclusive are committing to shifting power patterns.
Equity and
justice are about power. We who claim a commitment
to building justice and equity are in the business of shifting power, period! It is for us to move beyond the deeply cut
grooves, find our way out of the ruts. We tend to have very little practice in
recognizing or naming power dynamics therefore, those who make a claim of
creating equity and justice must submit to radical exploration and radical
truth-telling. Rigorous and regular
self-examination is required in order to identify those grooves worn ever so
deeply, for they’ve become the bane of our wholeness. Unexamined, they prevent
us from establishing new paths, new openings, new ways of being.
There are a set of patterns that I frequently
notice when accompanying groups or organizations who have declared a commitment
to equity. I attribute this set of patterns to a category that I’ll refer to as
dis-acknowledgement of power.
Dis-acknowledgement
of power is multi-layered and makes for a treacherous journey on the path to
equity (lots of ruts). I could use descriptors
other than “Dis-acknowledgement” like denial, lying, projection, or avoidance to
name a few. I choose dis-acknowledgement because I want to
emphasize that there are steps taken that actively counteract knowing. I want to emphasize the fact that systems of
oppression get created, established and maintained by actions, by specific
behaviors, procedures, policies and processes. I want to reflect back to those
who have asked that I accompany them, the choice points – the actions they took
to either adhere to the system of oppression or to counteract it. I want to encourage (to support what the heart knows) – to encourage steps that match the
frequency of their vision of a just and equitable organization, a just and
equitable community or a just and equitable society.
Years ago, I
sat with the top management of a non-profit organization that did amazing work
in the world. They had a hierarchical structure, especially for a non-profit
organization. I was brought in to assist
them in actualizing their third strategic outcome, “To Build a culture of Equity
and Justice in their Organization.” When I brought up the question of how this management
team used their individual and collective power, everyone was taken aback. One of them, correcting me declared, “We
barely have any power in this organization.” The longer the discussion went, the more
insulted they were that I would make such an assertion and the more I realized
that a major part of my work (if they would still have me), would be addressing
this very question. Addressing how they used their power, how power moved
through their system and their impact in creating, maintaining or de-structuring
the status quo was central to their achieving that third strategic outcome.
I love this
work of accompanying those on the path to justice. Yes, there are moments when
I feel discouraged, especially in these times with rallying calls across the
world for reestablishing and strengthening systems of exclusion, control and
power-over. What keeps me going in the
midst of it all are the same practices that I encourage from those with whom I
work: 1) Self-examination and radical truth-telling, 2) Finding the patterns or
grooves that perpetuate oppression and taking steps to dismantle them, 3) Nurturing
the heart so that it can accept and offer compassion and grace as we bumble
along this road filled with deep ruts. In
keeping these practices we find that we have created new pathways!
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