Discussion Norms
Brave Space Agreements and Discussion Norms
- I agree to love, forgive, and take care of myself
- I agree to love others and build an inclusive community
- It is not the responsibility of the person being marginalized to educate those who are ignorant
- We will not call out people to share out their specific experiences, or to explain their traumatic experiences
- We will believe someone when they say they were harmed.
- Don鈥檛 ask them to 鈥減rove it鈥
- We will not allow the use of slurs or derogatory terms to refer to people or groups.
- Except for people within those groups?***
- Could be something we talk about/mention in our discussion with the whole chapter
- Except for people within those groups?***
- We will critique ideas, systems, societal norms, etc., not each other.
- We will be conscious of the language with which we offer critiques
- We will not practice ally policing: not critiquing someone for being less 鈥渨oke鈥, but rather encouraging people to step up who may worry they aren鈥檛 as 鈥渨oke鈥/knowledgeable
- It is not the responsibility of the person being marginalized to educate those who are ignorant
- I agree to be accountable for what I do and say
- We will not use Devil鈥檚 advocate - explain an alternative option.
- Explain more- take ownership of what you鈥檙e saying/ is there a better way to phrase what you鈥檙e saying?
- I.e. 鈥榠鈥檓 curious what you think of鈥︹ 鈥業鈥檇 like to learn more about鈥︹ 鈥榠鈥檝e heard this and I would like to understand what you think of it鈥︹
- We believe that being held accountable for our actions is positive and powerful.
- Consider why you are feeling defensive (if you are)
- We are fighting for a common goal
- 鈥楥oncerned troll鈥- someone who pretends to be on the side of one person but interjects devil鈥檚 advocate things into the conversation to distract it *** (Might not concern our group directly)
- We will not use Devil鈥檚 advocate - explain an alternative option.
- I agree to be thoughtful about choosing when I listen instead of speak
- We will 鈥楽tep up, step back鈥, and recognize when we should speak and when we should step back and let others speak.
- We recognize that certain voices and perspectives will need to be centered more than others in certain conversations.
- I agree to struggle against racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, classism, misogyny, shame, and other harmful systems
- We will not hold space to discuss any reverse ism鈥檚 or reverse 鈥榩hobias鈥 ex: reverse racism, reverse sexism, reverse homophobia, or reverse ableism, etc.
- But you can discuss it with us one and one- Aidan, Macy, Callum, Hannah
- No validation
- Not to invalidate experiences, but to avoid harming/putting down others鈥 experiences to validate our own
- We will center the harmed over the harmer by acknowledging intent but centering impact.
- We will not sacrifice the dignity and safety of those who were harmed in the name of becoming more educated
- Remember victims, not just oppressors
- We will not hold space to discuss any reverse ism鈥檚 or reverse 鈥榩hobias鈥 ex: reverse racism, reverse sexism, reverse homophobia, or reverse ableism, etc.
- I agree to struggle against these harmful systems that I have internalized when they show up in my thoughts and behaviors
- We recognize that sometimes conflict and discomfort are necessary for dismantling systems of oppression and we will not avoid conversations solely for the sake of comfort.
ghU 1: Race and Health Inequities
Presentation
ghU 2: Iodine Deficiency Disease in China
ghU 3: Mental Health
ghU 4: Proposition 118