Claremont Lincoln University

Why should we center the voices of black women? Does “centering” mean ignoring other group’s perspectives? How can we be whole, free people—together? Ebony Janice Moore is a womanist scholar and activist doing community-organizing work, most specifically around black women’s body ownership as a justice issue, and equal access to education and pay for women of color in the U.S. and in several African countries. What is “body ownership” and how is it related to justice, theology, higher education, and mental health in the United States? How can upending the current ways we privilege voices, perspectives, and leadership change our entire civic space. In this episode, we discuss what it means to “decolonize everything,” and how this can be the life-affirming step our society needs to take to fully thrive, together.

Ways to listen to this episode:

Apple Podcasts (iOS/Desktop)

Stitcher (iOS/Android/Desktop)

Spotify (iOS/Android/Desktop)

In this episode, we discuss:

Definitions for decolonization, feminism, womanism, privilege, and “centering”

Why centering one group’s experience benefits everyone

How centering one group’s experience does not mean other groups never get to share/participate

Why systems of oppression are linked in various ways in society

How to begin to dismantle white supremacy

Resources for learning from perspectives that may be missing from current public discourse (on everything from homeschooling to hip hop)

Key questions to easily surface places of privilege that block human flourishing

Transcript

Top 3 takeaways from this week’s episode:

“What if conversation is radical worship?”

Truly hearing others, and letting their world experiences expand your own reality, can be transformative. If we can learn to listen with a posture of openness and seek to understand, the possibilities for learning more about the world are endless. If we surround ourselves with those that have the same perspectives, we miss valuable opportunities to expand our minds, and spirits. What would conversation look like if you sought to hear, instead of insisting on speaking?

What if conversation is radical worship?. Listen now:CLICK TO TWEET

2. “It’s not the nice thing to do, it’s the necessary thing to do.”

Why should we center the voices of those who continue to be marginalized? One idea is that we do it because it’s kind, or to be nice to people we know. But this isn’t the whole story—leaving out some people’s narratives depletes the full experience of everyone. We do not live wholly if only some perspectives are heard. While being inclusive may feel good, don’t just do it because it feels right: do it because robust community is not possible until we decenter the voices of power and start paying attention to those who have not yet been fully heard.

It’s not the nice thing to do, it’s the necessary thing to do.” Listen now:CLICK TO TWEET

3. “If you don’t center someone, they’re just a prop.”

Most Americans are aware that diversity is positive, and most sectors (education, politics, health care) are working to attempt to be “inclusive.” But just adding participants or changing mission statements isn’t enough. To successfully dismantle white supremacy, we must center the voices of people of color, particularly black women. Until we do that, including them in our groups and systems merely continues to use their work, images, labor, and wisdom for our own purposes. Inviting someone to an event is not enough. Including someone in a photograph is not enough. Having one guest speaker for MLK Day is not enough. We must center previously discredited voices in order to inform real change.

If you don’t center someone, they’re just a prop. Listen now:CLICK TO TWEET

Mentioned on the episode:

Black Girl Mixtape: https://www.blackgirlmixtape.com/

“Ain’t I a Woman,” credited to Sojourner Truth: http://sojournertruthmemorial.org/sojourner-truth/her-words/

A contemporary treatment of “Ain’t I a Woman” and its influence: https://qz.com/1291608/sojourner-truth-said-aint-i-a-woman-in-1851-black-women-today-are-asking-the-same-thing/

More resources on Delores Williams: https://www.religion-online.org/author/delores-s-williams/

“Womanist Theology,” by Emilie M. Townes

Alice Walker’s In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens: Womanist Prose: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Search_of_Our_Mothers%27_Gardens

“In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens: The Creativity of Black Women in the South (1974),” by Alice Walker: http://www.msmagazine.com/spring2002/walker.asp

More information on voting by women and black women in the 2018 presidential election: https://qz.com/833003/election-2016-all-women-voted-overwhelmingly-for-clinton-except-the-white-one

https://www.vox.com/identities/2018/1/8/16849720/black-voters-women-midterm-2018

https://www.essence.com/news/politics/most-black-women-voted-for-hillary-clinton

More on the “fantastic hegemonic imagination”: http://religiondispatches.org/tag/fantastic-hegemonic-imagination

http://sfonline.barnard.edu/queer-religion/womanist-etho-poetics/

The Life & Times of Elizabeth Keckly, the story of the dressmaker and designer who served Mary Lincoln: https://umc.tv/film/tim-reids-legacy-documentary-series-life-times-elizabeth-keckley/

http://richmondmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/stage-screen/elizabeth-keckly-film/

Definition of “decolonization”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decolonization

More on the idea of the “Christian demonic filter”: https://www.thefreepeopleproject.com/blog/2018/1/10/a-word-on-astrology-and-the-christian-demonic-filter

Toni Morrison’s “The Site of Memory”: https://public.wsu.edu/~hughesc/morrison_memory.htm

How to connect with us:

EbonyJanice of The Free People Project: https://www.thefreepeopleproject.com/

Facebook: @TheFreePeopleProject

Facebook: @BlackGirlMixTape

Instagram: @BlackGirlMixTape

Twitter: @BlkGirlMixtape

The Claremont Core®

Engagement Skills for Creating a Sustainable Impact — In an increasingly interconnected world, leaders who want to make positive, sustainable change need to develop the critical perspectives and collaborative skills necessary to reach across traditional barriers of ideology, culture, economics and faith. At CLU, we put development of these capabilities at the center of our degree programs. The result is the Claremont Core®. Progress through the Core takes you through a process of self-awareness and steadily evolves towards engagement with others and society at large. With the Claremont Core, you will have the advanced knowledge, skills and capabilities to be a more effective change-maker in our new globalized world.

The Distinctiveness of the Core

From Inner to Outer: The Core leads you through an integrated process of personal and professional development. It begins with skills for self-development in the Mindfulness class and works steadily toward more outward engagement in the Dialogue, Collaboration and Change.

Portfolio: Along with The Core skills, you will be keeping a public portfolio outlining the progress toward your Capstone Action Project which classmates, faculty, friends, family and coworkers can follow. This will help enhance your professional persona and expand opportunities for dialogue and engagement beyond your current situation.

Contextualizing the Core: You will be expected to draw on your own background and interests in your discussions and assignments, thereby applying the knowledge and skills for your own self-improvement.

Collaboration across Degrees: You will have the opportunity to study alongside, and learn from, peers from the other degree programs who may be working in other sectors. This intentional opportunity for cross-sector interaction allows for creative possibilities for collaboration, perhaps even on the Capstone Action Project.

Ely is currently the Director of Civic Engagement for the NALEO Educational Fund

What did you research/study during your time at CLU?

As a Social Impact major, my studies and research focused on learning how to best support “Non-Traditional Learners” (young adults ages 16-24 who are still pursuing a high school degree) Through Better Understanding Their Struggles & Obstacles. This was an exploratory study set out to better understand the obstacles and issues stopping non-traditional learners from completing high school in order to inform youth development agencies and educational institutions how to better support them.

Why did you choose this area of study?

I chose this study area because every year, 1.2 million students drop out of high school in the U.S. Non-traditional learners make up the majority of this drop-out population. The economic implications of individuals’ not finishing high school and college are vast. I had a personal connection to this study because I was once a youth who was once kicked out several traditional high schools and eventually my school district. I faced many obstacles just trying to finish high school including, trying to stay out of jail and raising a son.

How does your capstone project improve or have a wider impact on society/your community?

This study put together a literature review to help readers define non-traditional learners and convened a group of my organization’s, LEAD (Leadership through Empowerment, Action, & Dialogue Inc.) stakeholders to interpret the information. Focused group dialogues and surveying was utilized in the interpretation process. The people surveyed ranged in age, experience, and connection to the topic of non-traditional learners. The survey found that the studies that exists about non-traditional learners do not fully define or represent the population of 18 – 24 year old youth that are still pursuing their high school education. 90% felt that “Financial and Family Status” somewhat represent LEAD’s non-traditional population while the surveyed were split when it came to “Enrollment Patterns” and “High School Status.” I believe this capstone project and research helps youth serving agencies better understand the population they are serving and demonstrates the need to include support services into their programs. In our experience, young people that join programs like ours have all the intentions of pursuing higher education but many times fall short because of the struggles they face being non-traditional learners.

Can you provide any advice to prospective students about the most effective way to approach their capstone?

When I first began thinking about what I wanted to do as a capstone project, I was thinking big. Although thinking big is good, the amount of time you have to conduct your research and deliver your capstone project is not a lot. My advice to prospective students would be think about a capstone project where most if not all of the elements will be in your control and capacity. As students are thinking of an issue to tackle through their capstone project, its important to think about what they actually impact in that given issue area and try to not tackle things that they have little experience and capacity to do. Reach out to partners for support and do not be shy to ask CLU for support.

How has the Phase II Capstone Grant propelled your project efforts?

The Phase II project intended to build on the knowledge and experience generated through the Capstone Project. The goal of the Phase II project – Youth Home Groups for Success is to pilot and create peer-to-peer support groups called “Home Groups” as a form of enhancing the support system for non-traditional learners pursuing their high school diploma. This project was piloted at a strategic YouthBuild program with the support of YouthBuild USA. The target population are youth ages 18-24 who are currently participating in a YouthBuild Program which provides education, counseling and job skills to unemployed young adults, generally the high school dropout population. The participating population have not only benefited from being part of this project but also gain valuable leadership and collaboration skills through weekly workshops. These workshops intend to strengthen and offer support to the “Home Groups.” In the end, we want to support the successful completion of these youth in the YouthBuild Program and examine the effectiveness of strategically using peer-to-peer support groups within the program’s structure. This project is an attempt to create a support system within youth development programs in order to maximize the success of youth. Our findings will be shared with the Affiliated Network of YouthBuild USA which is over 200 programs across the country serving our target population.

In a few words, what is the best thing about studying at CLU? What are you most proud of?

I truly enjoyed the flexibility of the program and the support I was given to balance my work and personal life. The professors and staff are extremely supportive and loving. I felt that I belonged not just to a University but also a community. I am most proud of meeting the academic and leadership challenge posed to me by CLU through their courses and gatherings. I love continuously being invited to gatherings and convenings

What’s next for you?

My nonprofit LEAD is still up and running but on a lesser capacity than before. We are continuing to build on the knowledge and experience we had through our years of work and through what we did in the Capstone project and Phase II. In December 2017, I became the Director of Civic Engagement for NALEO Educational Fund who is the leading nonpartisan organization facilitating the Latino participation in the political process from citizenship to elected office. In my role, I passionately run statewide citizenship, voter engagement, and Census 2020 programs and campaigns. I believe this connects to my future goals of working closer to civic engagement and governmental initiatives.

Maryum Ali, the oldest daughter of the inimitable Muhammad Ali, has always been invested in helping others. And by “helping,” she often means “listening.” Ali has a gift for meeting people where they are and building community through authentic relationship. Her career has included an original album of progressive rap music and works as a comedian. Ali has a keen gift for insight and understanding human nature. Later, as a social worker, she worked in vulnerable neighborhoods in Los Angeles, including with youth and in gang prevention.

In this episode of In Times Like These, Ali helps us understand why humility, a love of learning, and a sense of care for others—no matter who they are—are key ingredients for bringing about positive social change.

In this episode, we discuss:

Why humility is a key ingredient for communication

How empathy and understanding build relationships with at-risk clients and communities

What to do when you’re working in a system that’s set up to failHow feeling “superior” sabotages all of your well-intended work

“I’m as comfortable at the White House as I am in South Los Angeles.”

Maryum Ali’s life experience has given her the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life. As a young girl, she learned the value of humility and really caring about people. Ali shares with us why someone’s wealth or power don’t really matter—everyone has a need, everyone experiences pain, and when you’re working with others, how you treat them is the most important piece of expertise.

I’m as comfortable at the White House as I am in South Los Angeles. Listen now:CLICK TO TWEET

2. “Start with listening, not your to-do list.”

Many of us feel that we are equipped to lead communities because we have expertise, academic degrees, or specialized training. Ali reminds us that when we come into a conversation with an agenda, we are already trying to control the other person. Dialogue requires the ability to listen without preconceived ideas or judgment.

Start with listening, not your to-do list.” Listen now:CLICK TO TWEET

3. “The key is having the humility to know that you don’t know it all.”

Maryum Ali is a life-long learner. Through every turn in her career, and in every new context, she’s sought to gain experiences that can help her help others. In this episode, she helps us see that our expertise and accomplishments are often a block to creating positive social change. If we think we’ve got it figured out, we’re less likely to connect and really try to understand others’ perspectives. Collaboration requires humility and real sharing.

The key is having the humility to know that you don’t know it all. Listen now:CLICK TO TWEET

Mentioned on the episode:

DMTL Family Foundation: http://www.dmtlfamily.org/

People Skills: How to Assert Yourself, Listen to Others, and Resolve Conflicts by Robert Bolton: https://www.amazon.com/People-Skills-Yourself-Resolve-Conflicts/dp/067162248X

May May Ali’s “The Introduction” https://www.discogs.com/May-May-The-Introduction/master/347992

Ali has 15 years of experience in delinquency prevention and family development and has worked in many capacities in this field; from having direct practice experience with over 300 families to working as a Regional Manager for the Mayor’s Office of Gang Reduction & Youth Development in the City of Los Angeles. https://www.lagryd.org/

She is also the author of a children’s picture book about her father titled, I Shook Up the World: The Incredible Life of Muhammad Ali. https://www.amazon.com/Shook-Up-World-Incredible-Muhammad/dp/0836840984

How to connect with us:

Twitter: @maryum7

You can connect with me on Twitter here: @SVarnonHughes.

And you can always connect with us at CLU on our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts linked here.

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About the Podcast

In Times Like These explores the difficult spaces we humans navigate in culture and religion, in dialogue and doubt. We talk to voices from the field, in law, activism, civil rights, and from places of struggle and places of deep learning. In Times Like These, we unpack the most troubling issues of politics and faith we face, together.

In Times Like These is hosted by Dr. Stephanie Varnon-Hughes and is a CLU Live production by Claremont Lincoln University.