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� Developing Meaningful Engagement of Lived Experience Advocates Learning Circle .

2024

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Learning Circle Session-Decolonization of Our Minds: Fostering a Culture of Belonging within Lived Experience Partnerships

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WEL

Click on “Manage Participants”

2. Hover over your name, then click on the … to click “rename”

3. Enter your name, City/County & pronouns

WELCOME!

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Who We Are.

Amber�Strategy Lead, �PLEH

Taj�Director

Elisabeth�System Improvement Advisor

PLEH

Tanesha

Consultant,

TSTJ

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Agenda :

Introductions of Facilitators
Overview of Objectives, Expectations and Outcomes
Icebreaker Question
Setting a Brave Space
Norms
Oppression

Racism
Agents of Oppression vs. Targets of Oppression
Power and Privilege

How does Racism Influence Homelessness
Somatic Break
White Cultural Norms

Undoing White Cultural Norms

Somatic Break
Practical Application of Being an Anti-Racist in the Homelessness Response System

Belonging

Close Out

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Objective :

To discuss how racism and oppression has impacted and continues to impact the work of engaging persons with lived expertise and the global majority who are the closest to the problem of homelessness.

Learn and utilize tools and practices to understand how to become an equitable and anti-racist organization centered on creating belonging.

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Expectations :

Participants will learn practices and tools to assist in unpacking oppression and learn techniques to better connect with those most impacted and at the forefront of homelessness. �
Participants will be present, committed and reflective.

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Intention (debunking common concerns around equity education) :

Creates Division, promotes divisive ideas and behaviors

Dialogue, through our facilitation, will steer from the racialized dichotomy
This is about all marginalized populations

Attempts to make those of the dominant culture hate themself or feel guilt, shame, or blame.

Intention is to educate about systemic racism and interpersonal racism and how it affects PWLEH engagement; the hope is that the dialogue will foster growth

Race Baiting- What is it dialogue?
Stripping of Privilege and Power

Understand our proximity to “Whiteness”
Understand our privilege and power and understand how to use it for the greater good. (a positive tool, not stripping of power)

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Intention :

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Outcomes :

Participants will be empowered to engage in courageous conversations to connect with those most impacted by homelessness
Participants will be able to connect with those with lived experiences and be able to use the practices and tools to see the wholeness of the person
Participants will be able to define key terms and concepts
Participants will be able to examine the ways in which our own biases influences our judgements and affects others

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Setting A Brave Space

A framework to establish guidelines for conversations and behavior foundational to diversity, inclusion, belonging, social justice and anti-racism.
Creation of an atmosphere of learning and that fosters honesty, sensitivity and respect but also challenges and brings out authentic engagement
Entitle it a “brave” to reflect that during this conversation we are asking participants to rise and the challenges of genuine dialogue on diversity and social justice issues
Expectation that participants will engage in authentic dialogue and discussion and that we understand that discussion will NOT be free of discomfort or difficulty
Encourage participants to be brave in exploring the content that pushes them to the edges of their comfort zone to maximize learning

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Norms Setting :

Controversy with Civility
Own Your Intentions and Your Impact
Challenge by choice
Respect
No Attacks
Expect and Accept Non Closure
Speak Your Truth and Accept Discomfort
We are ALL Learning
Sit in Your Feelings
Confidentiality
Provide Grace
Make Space
Be Present and Care for Self

Controversy w/ civility (Social Change Model of Leadership Development -Astin & Astin 1996) - controversy NOT avoided but a natural outcome / strengthens rather than weakens

Different views are expected and honored with a group commitment to understand the sources of disagreement�Note: Does NOT mean restrain but attentive to the ways patriarchal societies socialize members to view aggression and dominance as normative means to approach conflict/ care NOT to replicate oppressive behavior

Own Your Intentions and Your Impact

Impact of actions is NOT always congruent with intentions and that positive r neutral intentions do not trump negative impact

Confidentiality

Stories are confidential/paramount to ensure that we can ALL be psychologically safe in this conversations

Challenge by Choice -

Discussion may provide a challenging opportunity and not everyone will externalize the degree to which they are engage

May be examining the issues internally and this engagement on a topic will not be forced. Are asking that you actively examine what keeps you from being challenged? Asking yourself: Do you hold an unpopular belief? / Are you fearful of how others will react to your thoughts? Are you fatigued and overwhelmed and unable to formulate a thoughtful contribution at the time? / Encourage participants to be attentive to the degree which their identify and privilege informs their decision to engage in the activity or dialogue.

Respect - support in maintaining mindfulness of the different ways they can demonstrate respectfulness to one another / Ask how might you challenge the view of someone else in a respectful manner?

No Attacks

Difference between personal attack on an individual and challenge to an individual’s idea or belief/or a statement that makes an individual and feel uncomfortable
Pointed challenges are not necessarily attacks, but the uncomfortable experience that may result can sometimes lead to defensive reaction
Draw attention from the non-attack and toward the roots of the defensive response-sense of threat to the privileges one’s agent group
Distinguish yourself from your position or privilege
Speak/engage around difficult behaviors with the spirit of wanting to earnestly improve and support our workplace and culture and our communities

Expect and Accept Non Closure

Sit and processing is ok
An answer may not present itself in that time

Speak Your Truth and Accept Discomfort

Celebrate your discomfort
Not everyone’s ministry/wheelhouse/understand silence
No one is looking for an answer or solution when in discomfort
Speak from an “I” space and not a “we” or “you” space to own your thoughts and feelings without attributing them to others

We are ALL Learning

Not leveraging one person over others or vice versa
On-going learning
Don’t expect to understand what you are learning or hearing today
We are all trying to do a little bit better
Understand where your bias’ come from and here are some tools to do things differently

Sit In Your Feelings

Digest your thoughts you do not have to say your first or second thought
Don’t force the conversation - all learning not fixed in a day or this hour

Provide Grace

Might not use the most eloquently words and for some and so having patience and space for others

Provide Space

- be mindful and not to dominate

Anything missing?

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Icebreaker :

What is taking up space in your mind right now?

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COMMUNITIES WILL BUILD AND SUSTAIN REPLICABLE MODELS THAT CENTER PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS WHO ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY REPRESENTED WITHIN THE SYSTEM, HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED, WHO HAVE THE LEAST PROXIMITY TO POWER, TO ADDRESS INEQUITIES AND IMPROVE SYSTEM DESIGN

RECRUIT & SUSTAIN PWLEH CENTERING THOSE DISPORPORTIONATELY IMPACTED�(RE #1)

Meaningful Engagement of PLEH ToC �

BUILD VULNERABLE, AUTHENTIC, AND TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED PWLEH (RE #1)

CO-DESIGN SOLUTIONS AND INTERVENTIONS (RE#2)

CENTER AND INCORPORATE TRAUMA INFORMED AND HEALING PRACTICES

Compensate for conversations with PWLEH

Actively listen to PWLEH

Incorporate feedback

Identify willing, able, committed PWLEH

Administrative support for PWLEH

Center racial equity in PWLEH recruitment

Utilize techniques from ‘Fundamentals of Facilitation for Racial Justice Work’

PWLEH make decisions

Feedback is integrated in system design

Center marginalized voices

Space is made where harm may be inflicted unintentionally

Conversations are ground in love

EXTERNAL

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Racial Equity Indicators

SYSTEM DECISION - MAKING POWER*

To improve the design of the housing stability and recovery system those of The Global Majority and Indigenous People, including those with lived experience, are empowered to make decisions and are in decision making roles in the housing stability and recovery system to effect equitable change with the goal of improving outcomes for those of the Global Majority

LIVED �EXPERIENCE �

People experiencing homelessness, especially those of the Global Majority and Indigenous People, have experiences that preserve their dignity, free from retribution, and have their needs met in a timely manner.

SYSTEM OUTCOMES

Communities close all racial/ethnic disproportionality in housing placements, returns to homelessness and the average length of time from identification to housing by improving outcomes for those of The Global Majority and Indigenous People who experience homelessness.

Additionally, our work is grounded in indicators that we believe are foundational in creating a racially equitable system which is necessary to ensure that homelessness is rare and brief. This week and last month’s session is building out of System Decision-Making Power which states to improve the design of the housing stability and recovery system (what our housing equity strategists are rebranding the homeless response system) those of The Global Majority and Indigenous People, including those with lived experience are empowered to make decisions and are in decision making roles in the housing stability and recovery system to effect equitable change with the goal of improving outcomes for those of The Global Majority. This means that there is a need for representation for those of The Global Majority and Indigenous People in ALL aspects of the HRS; from leadership/executive team and board down to front line and ensuring that those that are involved with lived experience are also representative of those disproportionately impacted and historically marginalized. Nothing with us without us, although a central principle in the disability movement, is also center in this work to end homelessness

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Timeline

A brief timeline of Race and Homelessness in America

1820s

1830

1863

1865-1877

1880s

The Industrial Revolution and rise of American cities bring massive #s of people to Northeast. Many become homeless wandering the streets looking for work. Cities respond by creating loitering and panhandling laws Many rounded up are free Blacks and runaway slaves

President Andrew Jackson signs the Indian Removal Act displacing tens of thousands of Indigenous Tribes causing them to suffer from disease, starvation, and exhaustion as they migrated west. First major federal legislation to create mass homelessness

After the Emancipation Proclamation, Free Blacks experience homelessness on the edges of Army Camps and in Northern cities

“Black Codes” are enacted in southern states to restrict the rights of Blacks. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Reconstruction Act of 1867 heralded in a short era of “Radical Reconstruction” where interracial democracy and equitable economic development is est. However 1865 is when the KKK is est and increasing sentiment of white supremacy takes hold and heralds in the end to Reconstruction in 1877. Jim Crow institutes a century apartheid in America

Black “hobos” are among the tens of thousands looking for opportunities across the nation

1607-1776

1640s-1670s

1804

1619

1734

Colonists steal land by force from Indigenous people and force them to leave ancestral land, killing many and spreading deadly disease

Twenty slaves are stolen from their homes in West Africa and brought to Jamestown marking the beginning of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Earliest cases of homelessness documented, English colonists and Indigenous people become homeless during “King Phillips War” in New England, a major effort by Indigenous people to expel English colonizers

The first poor house in the colonies opens in NYT outside of Wall Street, Boston and Philly follow suit. Poor houses served as jils aimshoues and de facto mental institutions

Louisiana Purchase doubles the size of US and expands slavery south and west as well as the theft of lands from Indigenous People

This timeline was created by Jeff Olivet, Amand Andere, Marc Dones, Brittani Manzo, and Jessica Venegas and was revised as of March 2019 and was included in the email to registrants and will be sent out with the slides as well.

People of color have long been disproportionately represented among those experiencing homeless in the United States. Yet our collective response to high rates of homelessness among people of color has been slow to develop. In recent years, an increasing focus on racial equity has begun to permeate local and national organizations focused on preventing and ending homelessness—a promising step in recognizing that structural racism drives homeless in America. This brief timeline lays out the history of the connections between race and homelessness in the United States and is intended to inform the work ahead in pursuit of racial equity.

1607-1776: Colonists steal land by force from Indigenous people and force them to leave ancestral land, killing many and spreading deadly disease

1619: Twenty slaves are stolen from their homes in West Africa and brought to Jamestown beginning the trans-Atlantic slave trade

1640s-1670s : Earliest cases of homelessness documented, English colonists and Indigenous people become homeless during “King Phillips War” in New England, a major effort by Indigenous people to expel English colonizers

1734: The first poor house in the colonies opens in NYT outside of Wall Street, Boston and Philly follow suit. Poor houses served as jils aimshoues and de facto mental institutions

1804: Louisiana Purchase doubles the size of US and expands slavery south and west as well as the theft of lands from Indigenous People

1820s: The Industrial Revolution and rise of American cities bring massive #s of people to Northeast. Many become homeless wandering the streets looking for work. Cities respond by creating loitering and panhandling laws Many rounded up are free Blacks and runaway slaves

1830: President Andrew Jackson signs the Indian Removal Act displacing tens of thousands of Indigenous Tribes causing them to suffer from disease, starvation, and exhaustion as they migrated west. First major federal legislation to create mass homelessness

1863: After the Emancipation Proclamation, Free Blacks experience homelessness on the edges of Army Camps and in Northern cities

1865-1877: “Black Codes” are enacted in southern states to restrict the rights of Blacks. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Reconstruction Act of 1867 heralded in a short era of “Radical Reconstruction” where interracial democracy and equitable economic development is est. However 1865 is when the KKK is est and increasing sentiment of white supremacy takes hold and heralds in the end to Reconstruction in 1877. Jim Crow institutes a century apartheid in America

1880s: Black “hobos” are among the tens of thousands looking for opportunites across the nation

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Timeline

A brief timeline of Race and Homelessness in America

1882

1927

1930s

1880s-1970s

1918-1968

The Chinese Exclusion Act m bans immigration by Chinese laborers and excluded them from US citizenship

The Great Migration of Black individuals and families from former slave states to large cities in the Northeast, Midwest and West coast begins. They are pushed into overcrowded segregated housing

The Mississippi River floods, displaces hundreds of thousands of people from IL to LA and creating mass homelessness and speeding along the Great Migration. The recovery of the region includes segregated camps and Black Men under armed guard are held captive and forced to rebuild levees in MS, LA and AR

Institutionalized housing discrimination, restrictive covenants, redlining FHA and GI bill loans result in entrenched housing segregation across America and excludes those of the Global Majority from home ownership , .

Great Depression creates homelessness and unemployment for people of ALL races and ethnicities in the US on a scale not seen before or since.

1940s

1968 - present

1960s- 1980s

1972 -�1992

110,000 -120,000 Japanese Americans are rounded up - businesses and homes stolen- and incarcerated in government run internment camps. In 1988 survivors were paid $20,000 in reparations

Deinstitutionalization of people in mental state hospitals and lack of adequately funded community-based housing result in homelessness of tens of thousands

Ongoing housing discrimination, gentrification and the disparate impact of zoning laws on communities of color put people of color especially those of the Global Majority and Indigenous People at higher risk of homelessness than their White counterparts

An 80% reduction in federal investments in public housing coupled with reductions in other social safety nets drives a massive spike in homelessness and lays the groundwork for the contemporary homelessness epidemic which disproportionately impacts those of the Global Majority.

1882 : The Chinese Exclusion Act m bans immigration by Chinese laborers and excluded them from US citizenship

1880s-1970s: The Great Migration of Black individuals and families from former slave states to large cities in the Northeast, Midwest and West coast begins. They are pushed into overcrowded segregated housing

1927: The Mississippi River floods, displaces hundreds of thousands of people from IL to LA and creating mass homelessness and speeding along the Great Migration. The recovery of the region includes segregated camps and Black Men under armed guard are held captive and forced to rebuild levees in MS, LA and AR

1918-1968: Institutionalized housing discrimination, restrictive covenants, redlining FHA and GI bill loans result in entrenched housing segregation across America and excludes those of the Global Majority from home ownership , .

1930s: Great Depression creates homelessness and unemployment for people of ALL races and ethnicities in the US on a scale not seen before or since.

1940s: 110,000 -120,000 Japanese Americans are rounded up - businesses and homes stolen- and incarcerated in government run internment camps. In 1988 survivors were paid $20,000 in reparations

1960s-1980s: Deinstitutionalization of people in mental state hospitals and lack of adequately funded community-based housing result in homelessness of tens of thousands

1968-present: Ongoing housing discrimination, gentrification and the disparate impact of zoning laws on communities of color put people of color especially those of the Global Majority and Indigenous People at higher risk of homelessness than their White counterparts

1972-1992: An 80% reduction in federal investments in public housing coupled with reductions in other social safety nets drives a massive spike in homelessness and lays the groundwork for the contemporary homelessness epidemic which disproportionately impacts those of the Global Majority.

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Timeline

A brief timeline of Race and Homelessness in America

1980s-�1990s

2010s

2000s

Research by Kim Hopper, Peter Rossi, Robert Rosenheck, Dennis Culhane, and others document high rates of homelessness among those of the Global Majority . One study showed that Black children under 5 are 29 times more likely than their White counterparts to end up in shelters.

Federal, national, and local initiatives to address homelessness begin to adopt shared frameworks and best practices but the disproportionate impact of housing stability on communities of color is not central and strategies are not tailored towards the needs of those communities. .

Focused work on racism and homelessness begins to coalesce. A White House Briefing on Youth Homelessness includes an emphasis on racial equity

1980s-1990s: Research by Kim Hopper, Peter Rossi, Robert Rosenheck, Dennis Culhane, and others document high rates of homelessness among those of the Global Majority . One study showed that Black children under 5 are 29 times more likely than their White counterparts to end up in shelters.

2000s: Federal, national, and local initiatives to address homelessness begin to adopt shared frameworks and best practices but the disproportionate impact of housing stability on communities of color is not central and strategies are not tailored towards the needs of those communities.

2010s: Focused work on racism and homelessness begins to coalesce. A White House Briefing on Youth Homelessness includes an emphasis on racial equity

This timeline is offered as an overview to highlight key events and activities that have brought us to where we are now. It is clear that people of color are—and have long been—much more likely than white people to be homeless in America.

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Oppression :

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Types

Of

Oppression :

4 types:

Ideological/Structural
Internalized
Interpersonal
Institutional/Systemic

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Types

Of

Oppression :

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Pyramid of White Supremacy :

Again the goal is not to vilify a single race but to understand how White Supremacy and racism is demonstrated in society. This is embedded in our culture and we have to reflect to see if we have been victim of or acted somewhere in the pyramid. This is how covert racism shows up in our work. The “Pyramid of White Supremacy” was a component of professor Erin Stuleberg’s 2016 Diversity and the Self class for students majoring in elementary education. The original version of the pyramid has seven levels, with indiffiference at the bottom followed by minimiztion, veiled racism, discrimination, calls for violence and genocide at the top. Under each level of the pyramid bricas are listed such as “ not challenging racist jokes” under the indifference and “school to prison pipleline” under discrimination. A notation on the pyramid reads, “in a pyramid, every brick depends on the ones below it for support. If the bricks at the bottom are removed, the whole structure comes tumbling down. She didn’t want her students to think about white supremacy as “meant in robes and hoods or torches marching in streets,” because it would give them the impression that it was separate from their lives.

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Categories of Racism :

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Why Name White Supremacy :

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The 8 White Identities :

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The 8 White Identities :

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The 8 White Identities :

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The 8 White Identities :

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The 8 White Identities :

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The 8 White Identities :

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The 8 White Identities :

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The 8 White Identities :

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Anti-Blackness :

“The reason people think it’s important to be white is that they think it’s important not to be black.”

James Baldwin

https://nbdiversity.rutgers.edu/video/anti-racism-activist-educator-jane-elliot-speaks-white-citizens

Anti-Blackness is defined as the beliefs, attitudes, actions, practices, and behaviors of individuals and institutions that devalue, minimize, and marginalize the full participation of Black people2 —visibly (or perceived to be) of African descent. It is the systematic denial of Black humanity and dignity, which makes Black people effectively ineligible for full citizenship. The Anti-Blackness paradigm positions Blackness as inherently problematic, rather than recognizing the long, rich, and diverse history of Black people throughout the African diaspora, and acknowledging that Black communities across the United States (and the world) have been severely disadvantaged as a result of historical and contemporary systemic racism. Anti-Blackness is also closely related to anti-darkness/colorism, as it amplifies and prioritizes proximity to whiteness.

Anti Blackness is a component of White Supremacy and a part of White Supremacy that is held by many, even Black people

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Anti-Blackness :

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Model Minority Myth :

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Oppression In the Media :

Now that we have gone through the types of oppression and have seen examples of how it shows up concretely, let's see how it inundates us in our media.

As stated White Supremacy is embedded in our culture and is bombards us

The story of L’Daijohnique Lee who was charged with felony criminal mischief, she was charged after police said she admitted she smashed the window of her assailant after being assaulted. Her assailant was filmed punching Ms. Lee repeatedly after a parking dispute. He stalked her, harassed her, brandished a gun and ultimately beat her. He was charged with four MISDEAMEANOR charges while the victim, who was hospitalized, was charged with a FELONY. The charges against Ms. Lee were eventually not pursued.

Next picture is of cartoon that depicts different forms of treatment at the hands of police, the picture definitely speaks for itself

Then see who messages are conveyed in the media, during the pandemic and the emergency shut downs to keep people safe we have two different narratives pushed out by the media, while one group is protesting against the the gross mistreatment of those of a marginalized group we have another group protesting against not being able to acquire non essential items in person

Finally, we can’t forget the college admissions scandal a few years ago which exposed those of privilege and power paying for their children to be in elite schools by lying about their extracurricular activities or having others take tests for them but where you aware of Black and Brown moms such as Tanya McDowell who got 12 years for sending her 6yr old to Norwalk Connecticut’s Brookside Elementary School while she lived in another town, Bridgeport Connecticut and was homeless. She was convicted of 1st degree larceny for “stealing” an education

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Oppression In the Media :

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Oppression In the Care :

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Targets of Oppression vs. Agents of Oppression :

Targets of Oppression: members of social identity groups that are disenfranchised, exploited, and victimized in a variety of ways by agents of oppression and the agent’s systems or institutions. Targets of oppression are subject to containment, having their choices and movements restricted and limited, are seen and treated as expendable and replaceable, without an individual identity apart from their group, and are compartmentalized into narrowly defined roles.

Agents of Oppression: members of the dominant social groups in the United States, privileged by birth or acquisition, which knowingly or unknowingly exploit and reap unfair advantage over members of groups that are targets of oppression.

Now that we see how oppression plays out in the media and how it affects marginalized people physically let's get into the discussion of power and privilege. Before we can talk about power and privilege we need to understand who has and who doesn’t have power as dictated by society (societal norms which through this work we are working to undo but to undo we must understand)

[Read the definition of Targets of Oppression]

Targets of oppression are people subjected to exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, cultural imperialism, and violence. Targets of oppression are kept in their place by the agent of oppression’s ideology, which supports oppression by denying that it exists and blames the conditions of oppression on actions of the targets.

Targets of oppression have fewer “life chances” or benefits as a result of their membership in a particular social group.

[Read definition of Agents of Oppression]

Agents of oppression are also trapped by the system of institutionalized oppression that benefits them and are confined to roles and prescribed behaviors. In United States culture, agents have the power to define the “norm” for what is reality and they see themselves as normal or proper, whereas targets are likely to be labeled as deviant, evil, abnormal, substandard, or defective.

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Targets of Oppression vs. Agents of Oppression :

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Power & Privilege :

"I am not interested in power for power's sake, but I'm interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good."

Martin Luther King Jr.

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Power & Privilege :

Types of Power

Personal
Positional
Expert
Relational
Cultural

There are types of power and we utilize them in our daily lives especially at work. They influence multiple aspects from who receives services to who gets a promotion.

So, what are the types of power and what do they mean

Personal - this type of power is less about what you know and how you show up. This type of power is grounded in energy, vision, ability to communicate, emotional intelligence (this type of power is often exercised where other types of power is working against you)

Positional Power - this type of power is a product of organizational authority, hierarchy, status

Expert - this type of power is wisdom, knowledge, experience, skills

Relational - this type of power comes from connections to others

Cultural - this type of power is wielded from norms, manners, language, values morals history and ancestry. This is upheld by media and other dominant institutions - this type of power is used to usurp

These types of power do not work in a vacuum or silo. As the saying goes power begets power - you can have layers of power

�For example you can have a duality of relational and positional power - you can have the ability to undue a group decision and refocus on something else

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Power & Privilege :

MLK stated - [read quote from slide ]

Which is another way to view power and how it should be used

What he is describing is using power constructively vs. destructively

Constructive use of power means you are influencing decisions and people to ensure you are not preventing harm and improving relationships

Utilizing power constructively means you are focusing on empowerment, centering trust in your relationship, invites diverse perspectives, creating conditions for inclusion, cleaning barriers, balancing needs of self with needs of others, and with this use of power you are seeing the complexity of the situations

While using power destructively looks like relying on manipulation or coercion, using fear or intimidation, excluding voices that disagree, impeding success, over indexing on achieving goals that benefit a person’s agenda and focuses on right and wrong - having a binary view

Let’s be clear you can engage in destructive power unconsciously

That is seen in not having clear communication, not seeing barriers and mitigating against misuse of power

Reflectively think about:

What types of power do I feel able to use/comfortable using?

Which feels harder to access?

Where have I seen some of these types of power used constructively?

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Power & Privilege :

Discussion�

How do you use these types of power ? �
Do you have preferences/ a power you utilize more than others?�
Are there places where it is challenging for you to stay on the constructive side of power? �
Is there a power that you have not fully leveraged?

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Power & Privilege :

What is Privilege?

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Power & Privilege :

How to Use Power Constructively

Be consistent
Be open and transparent
Design meetings, agendas, events intentionally

Group Needs

Inclusive
Control
Openness

We have just scratched the surface and will go deeper in power and privilege at another time but want to give you a few tips on how to use power constructively

Be consistent in your actions and communication with those around you especially those with who you oversee whether formally or informally and inclusive of those with lived experience

Be open and transparent in your communication

Design meetings, agendas, and events intentionally meaning designing for the group

Be inclusive - creating a setting for others to say and feel that “I belong” - there is a place for me

Design for those involved to feel in control - that they have influence or agency in decisions

Design for openness - that they can be honest and share their point of view without fear of retribution or being disconnected from the group

Use of power can work against these needs to be met so ensuring that these three needs to be met must keep in mind

Power dynamics are ALWAYS present whether we see them or not

Every meeting, event is a chance to build a group’s power and transform power dynamics so if you fail at one time there is another opportunity

Most people are not trying to use power destructively - intentionally

Considering power dynamics in the design of your meetings will almost always be easier than managing them in the moment which is why intentional design is key

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Power & Privilege :

Tips for Using Design to Work with Power �

Do your research�
Chart the course �
Have a roadmap �
Refine your stakeholder list �
Define how decisions are being made or will occur

Tips for Using Design to Work With Power

Do your research - understand the context surrounding your meeting/event where there might be potential sources of conflict or resistance

Chart the course - have clear and specific agenda (we will look at practical tools at further session)

Have a roadmap - develop a clear and specific agenda (and we will show, again, at a future session what this looks like and how you incorporate power into it so that it is clear and transparent)

Refine your stakeholder list - make sure you have the right stakeholders in the room and ensure those are involved will not be retraumatized. And by “right” we mean those that are representative and diverse in thought and race and population.

Define how decisions are being made or will occur - Need to be transparent as to how decisions will be made, communicated. People participating in the meeting/event need to know how their input/feedback will be included in the work

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Oppression and Homelessness :

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Oppression and Homelessness :

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Somatic Break:

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White Cultural Norms/ White Supremacy :

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White Cultural Norms/ White Supremacy :

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White Cultural Norms/ White Supremacy :

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White Cultural Norms/ White Supremacy:

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White Cultural Norms/ White Supremacy:

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White Cultural Norms/ White Supremacy- Denial/Defensiveness :

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White Cultural Norms/ White Supremacy- Denial/Defensiveness :

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White Cultural Norms/ White Supremacy- Denial/Defensiveness :

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White Cultural Norms/ White Supremacy- Denial/Defensiveness :

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White Cultural Norms/ White Supremacy- Denial/Defensiveness :

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White Cultural Norms/ White Supremacy :

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White Cultural Norms/ White Supremacy :

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White Cultural Norms/ White Supremacy:

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White Cultural Norms/ White Supremacy :

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Identifying White Cultural Norms

Exercise :

White Cultural Norms Exercise

Let’s practice recognizing it by breaking out into groups, Remember in learning to identify them we can learn how to undo them in our current society especially in our work.

We are going to start today with understanding our privilege and power

We will take 5-7 minutes to place a stamp on any statement that connects with your life

Typically this exercise is done in person and everyone is in a line and certain statements allow you to take a step forward and others make you take a step back

Since we are virtual we are going to use the thumbs up stamp and thumbs down stamp on the board for those statements that reflect your life.

This is anonymous so we will not know what each person has placed on the board but we will be able to reflect to see what we have in common and where people are coming from

The statements in the top two sections would should be given a thumbs up stamp where it connects you while the bottom two sections should be given a thumbs down

What comes up for you looking at the board?

These statements are rooted in social norms, specifically White Cultural Norms/White Supremacy Norms

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Undoing White Cultural Norms :

Have and implement cultural competency in your work and daily life

Change our language, our use of vocabulary that is central to the work

Actively be an anti-racist and create belonging in the spaces we create but especially those we invite PWLEH into

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Undoing White Cultural Norms :

This visual from the Academy to Innovate HR demonstrates the components of intercultural competence - Make note that we do not use the term competence anymore. We use Cultural humility

We are going to start today with understanding our privilege and power

We will take 5-7 minutes to place a stamp on any statement that connects with your life

Typically this exercise is done in person and everyone is in a line and certain statements allow you to take a step forward and others make you take a step back

Since we are virtual we are going to use the thumbs up stamp and thumbs down stamp on the board for those statements that reflect your life.

This is anonymous so we will not know what each person has placed on the board but we will be able to reflect to see what we have in common and where people are coming from

The statements in the top two sections would should be given a thumbs up stamp where it connects you while the bottom two sections should be given a thumbs down

What comes up for you looking at the board?

These statements are rooted in social norms, specifically White Cultural Norms/White Supremacy Norms

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Undoing White Cultural Norms in Language:

Terms To Avoid	Suggested Alternatives	Comments
The poor �Low-class people�Poor people	People whose incomes are below the federal poverty threshold ��People who self-reported incomes were in the lowest income bracket	Use person-first language instead.� Define income brackets and levels, if possible.
Inner city�ghetto	Under-resourced	Avoid terms that describe people who come from urban environments/cities negatively as it assumes these environments are not good places to live.
Working poor	Hardworking, working hard to make ends meet	“Working poor” has negative associations with it and blames low-income people on themselves
The hungry	Food insecurity, food insecure, food poverty	Describe their lack of access to food rather than defining people by their traits
Homeless people or “the homeless”	People experiencing homelessness �Unhoused people Houseless	Homeless forms a “toxic narrative” that blames those experiencing homelessness instead on the system/structure and lack of affordable housing

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Undoing White Cultural Norms through Anti-Racism :

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Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience of Homelessness

What does it mean to meaningfully engage people with lived experience of homelessness?

Communities that have meaningfully engaged people with lived experience of homelessness create an environment where people with lived experience of homelessness are able to share their truth about what is working and what is not working in the system, without fear of retaliation.

In these communities the homeless response system leaders and governing bodies have included those disproportionately represented within the system and historically underserved and excluded, particularly Black, Brown, and Indigenous people and those who have lived experience of homelessness.

People with lived experience are paid for their time and expertise and lead on decisions affecting the community. Through this meaningful engagement of people with lived experience of homelessness a community develops and sustains interventions to end homelessness.

*Co-developed with BFZ Housing Equity Strategists, TSTJ LLC and based off guidance from USICH and HUD

So how can we be anti-racist in our work? We can do so by employing the standards of meaningful engagement in our practices when working with and including PWLEH

As a refresher the definition of Meaningful Engagement of PWLEH is:

Communities that have meaningfully engaged people with lived experience of homelessness create an environment where people with lived experience of homelessness are able to share their truth about what is working and what is not working in the system, without fear of retaliation.

In these communities the homeless response system leaders and governing bodies have included those disproportionately represented within the system and historically underserved and excluded, particularly Black, Brown, and Indigenous people and those who have lived experience of homelessness.

People with lived experience are paid for their time and expertise and lead on decisions affecting the community. Through this meaningful engagement of people with lived experience of homelessness a community develops and sustains interventions to end homelessness.

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Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience of Homelessness�Critical Standards Categories :

Internal Practices
Relationship Framework
Infrastructure Principles

*Co-developed with BFZ Housing Equity Strategists, TSTJ LLC and based off guidance from USICH and HUD

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Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience of Homelessness�Core Elements Relationship Framework:

Create Belonging
Re-evaluate Perception of “Professionalism”
Treat with dignity and respect
Implement Trauma & Healing Informed Practices
Value the contribution
Build partnership & power share

Specifically we are anti-racist when employing the Relationship Framework Standards of the Meaningful Engagement of PWLEH. Which are:

Create belonging, ensuring that all involved feel like they belong, that there is space and time to build true authentic relationships. There is communication and connection, accessibility, comfortability. You are getting to know those involved, and moving at the speed of trust. There is radical hospitality, hospitality that goes beyond being friendly; it is welcoming guests with a warmth, openness, and authenticity that significantly exceeds expectations. (give example of what it means - bringing a PLEH to conference - did you provide for incidentals, provide funding for food, paying for their time while at the conference, are you making that their basic needs are being met for them to be present and provide the capacity they are being asked to provide)
Re-evaluate perception of “Professionalism”, considerations for appearance and capacity, consistency, language need to be evaluated. De-centering the White Dominant Narrative is imperative. The standards of professionalism, according to American grassroots organizer-scholars Tema Okun and Keith Jones, are heavily defined by white supremacy culture- or the systemic, institutionalized centering of whiteness. Creating a fair and equitable spaces begins by accepting and appreciating the diversity of employees’ cultures, experiences, and knowledge. Understanding that all contributions are needed and valued. Do not miss the message because of the method.
Treat with dignity and respect,treating individuals with courtesy, acknowledging and being aware of cultural identities, actively listening, using person-first language that acknowledges the individual beyond their housing status, refraining from judgment or stigmatization, and valuing their perspectives and experiences
Implement Trauma Informed Practices lead with empathy and respect, demonstrate the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, exercise compassion, and grace. Recognize the pervasive nature of the trauma of experiencing homelessness and promote environments of healing and recovery, actively working to prevent re-traumatization.
Value the contribution advocates are equitably compensated for their time, and respected for their contributions. Compensation levels and types factor in the historical disenfranchisement of participants and support needed to be effective. Compensation should be made available via different modalities (i.e. check, reloadable gift cards, direct deposit, and other cash handling services such as Cash App and Venmo, etc.). Additionally, credit given to ideas, solutions, practices.
Build partnership & power share, lived experience partners come from a position of disenfranchisement. Create relationships that are mutually beneficial, placing lived experience on a level playing field. A space where people with lived experience have power and feel a sense of control to address issues and present solutions. Roles and responsibilities are fully discussed and outlined with people with lived experience. Additionally, decision making methods are agreed upon prior to implementation (i.e. consensus, majority vote, etc.)

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Anti-Racism through Meaningful Engagement- Commitment to Emotional Well Being :

Conversation may touch on hard issues and personal experiences which can be triggering and not our intention
Should you feel uncomfortable or unsafe in our conversation or any subsequent conversation please inform us either privately or in the group so that we can address it. Please understand that these discussion will not be free of discomfort or difficulty but will be free of violence which is what we promise to shield all from through these discussions.
Working to build trust and foundation with each other so if in these conversations you are triggered or made to feel uncomfortable because of a question posed please recognize that we are human and do not want to cause harm or leave you in any worse emotional state from our conversations
Support is key so please inform us if there is anything we should know to ensure that you feel safe in this conversation
Honored to that you are here, thank you for taking the time to speak and share your time and experience with us. We will honor the stories you share and will not share anything outside of this conversation,especially those things that are personal or confidential.

Let’s look at one component specifically belonging. How do we create belonging, we know the definition of but what does it look like in practice?

Refresher that we are

Have space and time to build true authentic relationships.
There is communication and connection, accessibility, comfortability.
You are getting to know those involved, and moving at the speed of trust.
There is radical hospitality, hospitality that goes beyond being friendly; it is welcoming guests with a warmth, openness, and authenticity that significantly exceeds expectations.

Creating belonging is also using the Brave Space Framework or as a real life example from us

When we first were developing our PWLEH Advisors now called Housing Equity Strategists we had to develop a space virtually and we did this through creating and utilizing the Committment to Emotional Well Being which is outlined in this slide

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What is Belonging look like?

[Insert quotes from HES if they cannot be present]

�

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Give yourself grace and space after this training to digest the information and your feelings

Remember we are ALL learning and this is ongoing

Take the tools and resources and utilize them

Do one small thing
Be consistent
Acknowledge mistakes and learn from them��

Close Out :

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Close Out Activity:

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Survey :

This survey should take you 7 minutes or less!

https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7791359/BFZ-s-PWLEH-Learning-Lab-April-2024-Survey

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We thank you for your interest and appreciate your time to participate in today’s learning circle session

Please direct any and all questions to:

pwleh@community.solutions