Social Justice Institute

The SJI Way: Chinook Fund's Anti-Oppression Training Leads to Results

By Tory Read, Eva Benavidez Clayton, and Peg Logan

A man came in for a session to talk about his experience being born as a woman and becoming a man. As a Christian, I was taught that homosexuality and sex change operations were bad. This man's life story really affected me. It was an awakening for me, especially seeing how his son loves him and accepts him. I learned to accept people for who they are. It's not up to me to judge. Someone can have a lifestyle that I wouldn't live, and still be a good person and still be able to do good work in community. I can relate to this man's situation, because people judge us that live in the housing projects all the time.

- Kathy Ewing, South Lincoln Homes resident

Kathy Ewing and Charlotte Garcia play a game that educates participants about the history of heterosexism in the United States.

Introduction

Chinook Fund's Social Justice Institute is unique among anti-oppression trainings in the United States in that it focuses on the intersection of multiple oppressions - particularly emphasizing race, class and gender. Recognizing that almost everyone lives with both privilege and oppression, SJI enables participants to tell their own life stories, hear about their classmates' struggles, and develop the tools they need to work together with others to eradicate oppression in their communities. SJI teaches participants how to hold themselves and others accountable. At the same time, they learn the histories of diverse peoples, develop their ability to analyze systems and issues in their communities, and expand their capacity to create and implement concrete plans for action, based on organizing.

Before SJI, I talked a lot and said nothing. SJI helped me find my voice and communicate more effectively.
- Veronica Quezada, former La Alma/Lincoln Park resident

Debra Johnson goes up to receive her SJI diploma at Tivoli Student Union.

Residents experience personal transformation

As a result of SJI, many people of color interviewed said that the earliest lesson they took away from the training was a new acceptance of self. "I am able to define who I am in my own way, and I don't feel like I have to fit into mainstream culture," said former La Alma/Lincoln Park resident Candace RedShirt.

The second lesson was the revelation that large forces are at work in our society that play a role in how they feel about themselves. "I don't personalize things as much," said former La Alma/Lincoln Park resident Robert Woodhull. "I feel less alone. I know that injustice is happening to a lot of people, and it's not about me."

White people interviewed talked about the impact of learning the history of racist laws and about the ongoing institutional racism in our society. "SJI started me thinking about white privilege," said Baker resident Ruth Rheames. "I know now that if I am going to have a relationship with a person of color, a real relationship, I have to take the initiative by asking questions and listening for a while. I don't need to do the talking."

Respondents also discussed overcoming deep-seated personal biases through the SJI experience. "I still remember the moment that I realized that I had prejudices, too," said Veronica Quezada. "It changed me. Before SJI, I wouldn't have even talked to [some people]. I can't go out there and try to change things if I don't deal with my own junk."

Personal transformation leads to collective power

After talking about the way they had transformed as individuals, respondents went on to describe why this new understanding of self and society is essential for achieving results in communities. "SJI helps us build alliances across differences," said Candace RedShirt.

Ruth Rheames and James Chapman talk about neighborhood issues at an SJI graduation.

Residents are engaged in new leadership roles in their community

• In the neighborhood
  Since taking SJI, many respondents use their skills to take on new leadership roles in their neighborhoods. Some are serving as advocates for friends, family and neighbors. "My neighbor was ready to go to her kid's school and blow up," said North Lincoln Homes resident Andrea Miller. "A white kid had said to her kid, ‘You aren't beautiful because you are black.' I went with her to the school, and I met with the principal and the parents of both children. We worked it out. I like to problem solve."
• At home
  Candace RedShirt and others report a change in parenting practices. "At school, my daughter called a boy in her class who is effeminate ‘girl,'" she said. "The boy cut her jacket. The counselor intervened and made the child's parents pay for the jacket. I made it clear to my daughter that what she had done was wrong, and that she had the responsibility to apologize. She apologized, and the counselor, who is a lesbian, was very impacted."
• On the job
  "I'm a recruiter at my job," said SJI graduate Janet Meis, who is white. "I'm trying to fill positions with more people of color and immigrants. I'm in a position where I can help, and I want to use my power in the right way." "I have experienced racism and discrimination at my job in my community," said James Chapman. "I'm talking to the Equal Opportunity Employment Center, seeking justice. Before SJI, I wouldn't have taken this step. I want to stop discrimination."
  

Residents are increasing their political participationIn the neighborhood

"Before, I felt I had no power," said Veronica Quezada. "I thought, ‘Why waste my time voting?' SJI taught me that I can have an impact if I understand the political system. I learned what city council does through a role-play. I voted in the last election."

Others report playing a more active role in advocating for ballot initiatives in a recent election. "I went out and spoke in communities in round table meetings on behalf of Referendums C and D," said Baker resident Deborah Cardenas.

Residents achieve success in moving community political agendas

• Neighbors work together to monitor toxic waste clean-up and keep developers accountable
  "VCAB, the Voluntary Clean-Up Advisory Board, is a group of residents from six neighborhoods near the old Gates Rubber Factory. The site is getting redeveloped, and we meet regularly to monitor industrial contamination there. We are working with the EPA, state and city officials, and the site's developers to make sure that all toxic threats to families and the community are identified and cleaned up. VCAB has obtained commitments from the state and the developer to make all applications related to the Gates redevelopment available at the local library. VCAB also used an SJI grant to leverage another grant that will pay a researcher to gather data to support our group's work. The state and the region are looking to us as a pilot program for community participation in remediation and redevelopment." -Tim Lopez
• Low-income residents organize to keep their computer lab
  "I got an SJI grant to rally the troops at Courthouse Square to get management to pay for the computer lab. Even though we had over 300 low-income users, we had had to shut the computer lab down because management wouldn't support it. With the grant, we were able to open up the lab again. We had meetings and circulated petitions, and we kept going to management to get support. We fought for our lab, because we need it to help us close the digital divide in our own small way. We won. Management is paying for the DSL line, and the lab is open." -Trish Kennedy
• Low-income residents get equal pay for equal work
  "Before, I'd just be happy to have a job. I'd never ask for a raise, even if I thought I deserved it. Recently, I did ask for a raise at my job. The people in the same role, we got together as a group and requested equal pay to what white college students received for doing the same job. Why would community input be less valuable than academic input? Before I would have told myself, I don't deserve that. Now, I have courage." - Veronica Quezada
  

Residents know more about community services and problem solving

"We had the first murder of 2005 right here in this neighborhood," said Kathy Ewing, "Residents were upset. I asked The Bridge Project to hook us up with counseling, and they did."

Tonya Hope says "If I can't communicate with one of our neighborhood police officers, I know that I can go to his boss, the watch commander for District 2. If I can't get through to him, then I know I can go to his boss, the chief of police. And I know all of them by name."

Tracey Saulters, Veronica Quezada, Loretta Koehler, Corinne Trujillo and Clayton Bates announce SJI small grants recipients at an SJI graduation.

Creating Change: The Social Justice Approach

Understand yourself and others

Social Justice Institute starts with who people are and where they are. Early sessions are devoted to exploring individual's strengths and beliefs, as well as early memories of difference and each person's present-day assumptions about race, class and gender. Exercises during these sessions serve to ground participants in their own lived experience, as well as to establish an important reference point that participants use to chart their own and the group's growth.

Analyze the system

Residents then learn to think critically about the systems they routinely interact with. They discuss why there are gaps in receiving adequate services. "The only way to prevent a system from steering us is to try to steer the system," said Cole resident Tonya Hope. "We have power, especially when we work together and present a united front."

Analyze the problem

"When there is a problem in the community, we need to find out all of the people that are affected by the problem and try to work together on it," said La Alma/Lincoln Park resident Carlos Perez. "We need to find out who makes the decisions about that issue. We need to ask, who are the stakeholders? Who are our allies? Who benefits if it doesn't change?"

Identify and address wedge issues

Participants explore "wedge issues" that may divide them (such as racism, sexism, heterosexism and classism). They create a common culture and language for addressing conflicts and differences that arise within the group. "SJI broke down sexism for me," said SJI graduate Olga Gonzales. "How can a liberation movement be effective if it oppresses half of its members?" Having language for the difficult issues that separate and silence people allows group members to hold each other accountable for their own barriers and build better communication, deeper relationships and greater trust

Identify root causes

Through an exploration of power that includes the ways in which race, class and gender affect organizing, participants learn how to identify the root causes of problems, not merely the symptoms. This skill allows them to propose effective strategies that will result in lasting changes and more equitable communities. For example, a conversation about classism helps some residents change their perspective on gentrification. One participant who wanted to improve her neighborhood by beautifying streets and yards learned from her classmates that a focus on beautification and increasing property values was already driving long-time residents out of the neighborhood. A reframing of the issue with an emphasis on root causes changed her focus from yards and alleys to affordable housing.

Recognize institutional oppression

As the root causes of problems become more easily identifiable, participants get space and guidance to explore how these root causes have affected them on a personal and systemic level. SJI examines tracking at Denver's East High School. In 2000, while 76% of the students in advanced placement or accelerated classes were white, they made up only 42% of the student body. A Chicana participant who graduated from East vividly related her experience of being one of the only people of color in her advanced placement classes. "It made me feel like I didn't belong, or that I had just gotten lucky."

For most participants, it is the first time they have explicitly discussed how systems benefit white people at the expense of people of color. Vocabulary such as "institutional racism," "internalized racism" and "privilege" are defined and incorporated into a dialogue about their own lives and communities. "I work a lot with immigrants, and SJI gave me the vocabulary and understanding to talk about race and class and things like privilege and prejudice," said Deborah Cardenas.

Learn the histories of oppression

The SJI curriculum includes a historical review of racist laws and actions that highlights the legal construction of slavery, the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and "Operation Wetback," a government program launched in 1954 to deport undocumented Mexican immigrants. Most of this history is not taught in schools, and participants feel both appalled and validated as they hear the scope and extent of the oppression. "As a Native American, I'm always fighting to get my people's experience and perspective included. Here, for the first time, I am able to listen to your history (pointing to a Chicana, and then to an African American participant) because the history of my people is also included," said one participant. "Before SJI, when people from other cultures would talk about their struggles, I would find myself being offended, because how can you trump slavery? But now, I see that it is all the same struggle, it just has different backgrounds." said North Lincoln Homes resident Tia Lottie.

Recognize internal oppression

People of color continually receive messages that they are dumb, weak or inadequate. SJI identifies these messages as expressions of oppression that take hold both within ourselves and within systems and institutions. "When I started at Metro," said Veronica Quezada, "I felt alone and misunderstood. I felt invisible and little, and I lost my voice. I cried almost every day for my first semester. SJI helped me understand that there wasn't anything wrong with me. I began to see the institutional racism. I would have quit school without SJI and this analysis."

Use community organizing to take action

A common understanding of the things that divide us is necessary to build collective power and make lasting change. SJI combines that understanding with the practical skills of community organizing, teaching participants how to identify and analyze an issue, recruit members, and lead an action. "Now I know the steps to address problems," said Robert Woodhull. "I also better understand how systems work, and that I need to do the research to know who to address within a system when I need something. Understanding the mission of the system, their agenda, helps us to get better results."

"The anti-oppression analysis helped me understand more about people I wouldn't have associated with before, like people who have different political views from me," said Baker resident Loretta Koehler. "Now, I see that I can disagree with them on some things, and still be able to partner with them on other issues where we agree. It's a big step toward building bigger organized power."

Tonya Hope has applied skills from SJI to her work as a leader in MOP’s school reform efforts.

Looking Forward: The SJI approach leads to results

SJI offers an effective way to develop leaders. Exposed to an analysis of systems and power, participants are better able to design and lead viable strategies for systems change. An understanding of oppression is a critical component of this analysis, because it addresses the ways that power is used unjustly to keep people from participating fully in society and to exclude people from receiving equitable opportunities and services.

• Using a lens of privilege and oppression helps leaders avoid organizing around an issue that doesn't result in better conditions for their community.
• Overcoming "wedge" issues helps activists work together over a longer period of time, allowing them to achieve sustainable results.
• Groups with SJI training recruit and involve a wider range of people and work with a larger pool of allies. Organizing efforts are more inclusive of all people.
• Trained to recognize the impacts of internalized oppression, activists are better able to recognize and overcome these internal barriers and to support others who are doing the same.
• SJI graduates use their training to contribute to larger organizing efforts and find the technical and moral support necessary to create systems change.

SJI is right to the point. If they were to teach it in schools, we would transform institutions. It would change communities immediately by increasing all of our awareness of the cover-up embedded in our society. Racism is a sickness that can be cured with education like what I learned in SJI. You can't cure an illness until you know it is there.
- James Chapman, Cole resident

Kathy Ewing’s granddaughter Tainesha dances at an SJI graduation