Positionality Statement
My worldview is shaped by my specific privileges and traumas. I move through the world as a disabled, queer, cis, white woman. As a white child, I did not experience social interactions defined by my skin color. It was as an adult -through education, uncomfortable conversations, and ignorant mistakes- that my whiteness became apparent. I am deep in the weeds of learning how to navigate and erode the racist systems I encounter. I use antiracist principles to approach my life and work.
My worldview is also shaped by trauma, dismissal, and abuse. I manage multiple autoimmune conditions, which present finacial, social, physical, and mental barriers. I live with complex PTSD that arose from sexual and psycological abuse and intergenerational trauma. I navigate these barriers with self-care through psycotherapy, regimented diet, and holistic medicine. My trauma and healing journey inform an empathic approach to my work and praxis.
In identifying my priviledges as a white, cis, university educated person and my struggles as a chronically ill, queer, and fem person, I am commiting to the slow practices of dismantling racist, sexitst, ableist, and classist institutions beginning with my own identities and assumptions. Through my work and daily life, I am motivated by values that prioritize accesibility and approach equity in every space that I occupy.
Approach to Community Education
As a community educator and storyteller, I am committed to education as a tool for societal change. That said, educational institutions are deeply embedded within cultural and political systems. I recognize that schools -like so many institutions- are deeply prejudiced with racial, financial and access barriers that shape the demographics both within and without of the classroom. These barriers are not considered when the merit and language of the academy is used to judge a persons abilities. Finacial barriers to entry and the legacy of debt loom large over the pursuit of university degrees.
During my pursuit of higher education, I relied on social services like Medicaid to receive medical care including psycotherapy. Without these services and others, I could not have completed my education. Because of these and other societal disparities, I do not believe in a ruling or influential class of educated or skilled people (i.e. a meritocracy). By that I mean that, I do not use degrees, certificates, and other merit related acollades as representative of a persons worth and/or wisdom. That said, I know that my expereinces at university have shaped the way that I move through the world and I believe in the power of education to transform.
I conduct classes, meetings, and outreach events using experiential activities and non-violent communication to spread valuable ideas and generate networks for meaningful collaboration. In one such role, I managed a podcast directing twenty volunteers. I coordinated and managed multiple educational workshops to train the undergraduate students how to use the Adobe Audition software, how to compose compelling stories, and how to critically assess the impact of our messages on the communities featured in our podcast. Sensitive, critical, and reflexive production was essential because we presented stories about displacement (i.e. gentrification and immigration). In that role, I gained experience in outreach and recruitment, interviewing skills, and event planning. Moreover, I learned to listen to and respond to the needs of my students and organize a democratic, safe, and productive working environment. When I work with individuals, organizations, and communities, I work to create inclusive spaces that address barriers presented by race, class, gender, and disability.
