[Street] [Occupybostonoutreach] On the question of Outreach...and Inreach

Eli Feghali efeghali at gmail.com
Fri Dec 23 20:29:46 EST 2011


Same here. Oppression is internalized unconsciously. Amen to making an active effort in 2012 to create space within for a diversity of leadership. 

Also amen to stop thinking about occupy this holiday. Easier said than done. :)

Sent on the fly. 

On Dec 23, 2011, at 7:39 PM, Brian K <bdubkwob at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hey folks,
> 
> Here's a piece of wisdom from a Native American elder who is active in the anti-oppression working group. I think this is a powerful observation and captures something that I have been struggling with for years as an activist but never put my finger on it. Basically: whatever we do to reach OUT to new and diverse communities to join our movement is not going to change the composition of our movement if we don't also fight to create space IN-side our movement for those newer or more-diverse folks to feel comfortable and be welcomed and be 'in the lead' too. 
> 
> I share this insight because it is one that I am still working to understand and apply. For example, I have come to realize that some of the spaces that are male-dominated that I have been in are that way not because we planned it that way, or because we didn't 'reach out' to people who were not men, but because we don't create enough space IN our meetings (through progressive stack, encouraging women to facilitate and lead meetings, listening before speaking and being conscious of who has already spoken, and various other anti-oppresive measures). I imagine that spaces which are really anti-oppressive internally don't have to do as much 'targeted outreach' because the communities who would be targeted for it would already feel comfortable and/or welcome at the table such that extra outreach wouldn't be needed, or could be undertaken by folks who are in and of that community and represented at the table already. 
> 
> So I'll say that I've come to realize that as a man, for example, I need to combat sexism, chauvinism, machismo, and male supremacy inside our meetings, actions, and interactions MUCH more actively. What about you?
> 
> I know that email is not the best venue for thinking about or discussing this type of thing, but I think Clyde's message is powerful and should at least recieve a wider audience. 
> And besides, it is better to think and reflect a little bit before any New Years resolutions are made, as opposed to afterwards.  Right? =)
> 
> Okay I'm really gonna stop thinking about Occupy during my winter vacation. Seriously.
> 
> Cheers and semi-silly solidarity from afar,
> Brian
> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Clyde Grubbs <cegrubbs at mac.com>
> Date: Fri, Dec 16, 2011 at 9:12 PM
> Subject: Outreach and Inreach
> To: check_your_privilege_ob at googlegroups.com
> 
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I have heard some talk around the Occupy movement about "outreach" to People of Color Communities.
> 
> As many of you know, I have spend some decades as an Unitarian Universalist congregational minister, mostly with congregations that had a goal of becoming more multicultural and anti oppressive.
> 
> In that work we learned to use the words outreach and inreach to identify to two different aspects of including new people in the congregation.
> 
> 1.  Outreach includes banners, signage, advertising, and mailings. It includes speakers going out an talking up the congregation.  It also included being involved in the community at large as a anti oppressive congregation.  It includes word of mouth from folks in the community that this group is for real.
> 
> 2. Inreach includes making sure that when new people come into the community they feel welcomed and experience the congregation as having something to offer them. It also means not oppressing them.
> 
> In my experience, relative to welcoming People of Color many congregations have more problems with Inreach, and they can do all the work of Outreach over and over and still not be a safe or inclusive space because the congregation reflects dominant culture ways of being (albeit with a liberal civil rights veneer.)  
> 
> Unitarian Universalist congregations began conscious work to become more welcoming to gays, and lesbians (now GBLTQ communities) and over a lot of years the intentionality has made a difference in "Inreach" to non heterosexist communities.  Therefore I believe that work can be done and is being done to become intentionally inclusive of non dominant cultures and become affirmatively multicultural.
> 
> Like congregations many people come spontaneously to Occupy Movements.  I have had several conversations with Native Americans (aka Indigenous folk) and they feel attracted to vision and energy of protest and feel turned off by the dominant culture presumptions.  Yet Occupy activists want to do "outreach" to indigenous communities and do outreach to People of Color communities.  What is that all about?  Is there an assumption that People of Color don't know about the Occupy Movement and need to know (and then we will be delighted?)   
> 
> Somehow we need to communicate that the problem of building an inclusive Occupy Movement isn't solved with Outreach that isn't accompanied by Inreach, my getting the house in order.
> 
> or to put it simple and brash.
> 
> How to get more "American Indians?"  Convince the Occupy Movement to stop acting White. Get good word of mouth in the Native community that this movement is for real.
> 
> Wado,
> 
> Clyde
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Clyde Grubbs, 626/319-9738
> cegrubbs at mac.com
> 
> 
> <quote_ingrid_en.jpg>
> 
> 
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