Self-Guided Learning 

When there is terminology to name our experiences we develop a shared understanding of how we interact with the world around us. Living within an inequitable system, there are identifiable causes to the injustices we see everyday; causes that have deeply entrenched ties to historical traumas and violence, benefiting certain groups at the expense of others.

These injustices are often referred to as biases with "isms" and/or "phobias"-- racism (race/ethnicity), sexism (sex), homophobia/transphobia (gender/sexual orientation), classism (socioeconomic status/class), religious oppression/intolerance (religion), ableism (ability/disability), and ageism (age/generational).

The definitions we have created will allow you to engage with this material in a meaningful way so we can all start on the same page*. We have expanded further on some of these definitions in the self-guided learning section. Please note that these definitions are not all-encompassing. However, we hope they support your foundational learning.

Review the list of DEI definitions to aid in your learning.

Whenever you are hosting an event and/or gathering (large or small), we encourage you to start with a land acknowledgement statement. Gracie RedShirt Tyon, CU Denver Director of American Indian Student Services, created the following for community use: 

“As we gather here today, we honor and acknowledge that we are on the traditional territories and ancestral homelands of the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Nations. This area was also the site of trade, hunting, gathering and healing for many other Native Nations: The Lakota, Ute, Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, Shoshone and others.

We recognize the Indigenous peoples as the original stewards of the land and all the relatives within in, (animal nations, plant nations, insect nations, stone nation) As these words of acknowledgement are spoken and heard, the ties these nations have to their traditional homelands are renewed and reaffirmed. Let us acknowledge also the painful history of genocide and forced removal from this territory. We respect the many diverse Indigenous peoples still connected to this land on which we gather. We pay our respect to them and give thanks to all Tribal Nations and the ancestors of this place.”

Whenever you are facilitating a dialogue related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), it is important to set-up a group dynamic that allows those participating in the learning to authentically share their experiences. As educators, we should always meet people where they are at, but we should never leave them where they started. 

The same goes when you are engaging in dialogue related to DEI. Learning how to be comfortable when you are uncomfortable and actively participating in difficult dialogue is paramount in this work. We do not know what we do not know, but when we do know, we can be better. We are all responsible for growing in our awareness. 

Safe Space vs. Brave Space

Safe space may be a term you have heard before as it is common place in many DEI programs. However, because we know that language is important in this work, it is important to acknowledge the difference between safety and comfortability.

Safety refers to one's perception of personal well-being when exposed to danger/high-risk situations. When someone feels unsafe, their body is triggering either a flight, fight, freeze, and/or appease response to the external danger. 

Comfortability refers to a state of ease; free from pain or stress. Discomfort does not mean someone is responding to a dangerous threat; instead someone is resisting the process of engaging with unfamiliar and/or conflicting viewpoints/understandings of the world. Feeling agitated, frustrated, embarrassed, worried, shocked, confused, defensive, and/or other feelings of discomfort is expected and natural when going outside of our comfort zones. 

So, when an educator says that they want to set-up a safe space for participants to engage, their intent is for individuals to authentically share their experiences and learn from one another. However, the impact is the opposite; instead participants remain in their comfort zone. This is because individuals can claim that a space is "unsafe" if they feel challenged, uncomfortable, and/or invalidated in their experience(s). It is also a privilege to lean on and engage in safe spaces. It is important to recognize marginalized persons often do not have access to that same privilege because they fear for their safety on a daily basis. There is not an opportunity to voluntarily engage or disengage without consequence. 

That is why cultivating and supporting brave spaces is necessary; understanding and accepting the likelihood that we each will feel uncomfortable when learning about power, privilege, and oppression. 

• Group Guidelines for Interaction
  • Dr. Brenda J. Allen, Adapted from the Education 1100 Human Diversity & PEA 299 Intercultural Understanding and Competence Course, Spring 2004 
• Guidelines for Dialogue
  • Program of Intergroup Relations, University of Michigan, 2016
• Establishing Brave Spaces: The Role of Safety/Comfort in Dialogue
  • Program of Intergroup Relations, University of Michigan, 2014
• Exploring the Differences Between Dialogue, Discussion, and Debate
  • Adapted by Tanya Kachwaha 2002 from Huang-Nissan (1999) and Consultant/Trainers Southwest (1992)

How do you create spaces dedicated to re-imagining and working toward a world outside the white supremacist, cisheteropatriarchal, capitalistic gaze? 

Does this question create anxiety for you because you are not sure how to answer it? Does this question seem easy because you can answer it without hesitancy? Or do you feel a mix of confidence and anxiety in answering the question?

No matter how you feel, this question is an attempt to illustrate how in spaces related to social justice education, there is an unspoken culture of competition; if you cannot answer the question above, you are inherently assumed to be "not woke" and are no longer a person that is "doing the work." You are expected to know more than everyone else and one of the ways to show you are the "wokest" social justice warrior is to use jargon-heavy language.

Additionally, there is a culture of shame. You take it upon yourself to uphold the "duty" of policing those who are doing or not doing this work and shaming those who should "know better" in our circle of educators. This also applies to those we are educating; those who are trying to learn and do the work.

This is a concept known as "Woke Olympics and Social Justice Arrogance." 

"Woke Olympics and Social Justice Arrogance," by Reverend Dr. Jamie Washington

Three staff members from the Office of Equity were able to attend the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE) in May of 2019 and they were introduced to the topic of "Woke Olympics and Social Justice Arrogance" in a session led by Reverend Dr. Jamie Washington.

The following concepts were presented and coined by Reverend Dr. Washington and his team. We believe these concepts are critical to any and all engagement with social justice learning and education. 

So, what does it mean to be "woke"? 

woke /adjective/: alert to injustices in society. 

What are some major components of being a participant and contributor to "woke olympics?"

• "Flexing" within a Culture of Competition
• Culture of Shaming and Blaming
• Weaponization of Social Justice Knowing and Understanding