sil #2: Indigenizing the academy (part 2: exercises)

[core topic]

This is part of an ongoing series 
on strategically inclusive leadership. 
Read the introduction here.

The purpose of this exercise is to explore the ideas presented in part 1 of Indigenization of the Academy in the context of your organization. The exercise presumes a larger organization at which you are part of a smaller part. For example, the following types of situations:

• A company or institution where you are involved in an Employee Resource Group
• A religious institution or faith community where you provide leadership in one particular location or sub-community
• A municipality where you are involved in a community association or cultural organization

getting practical with your team

part 1 - what the broader level is currently doing 

Draw the following chart on a whiteboard or large chart.

	Things our company / institution / organization /government currently does that matches each of the three categories:
Denial, status quo, continuing, etc.
Helping minoritized and racialized employees succeed in existing structure
Transforming the organization and building a new one together
Other thoughts and ideas

As a group, use sticky notes or just write down what your larger organization -- the company, government, etc. for which you work, is doing that matches each of the three categories on the left.. Additional thoughts which do not fit the three main categories can be put in the lower row.

part 2 - what our group is currently doing

 

After attendees have had some time to add their thoughts and ideas, add a third column to the table as shown here:

	Things our company / institution / organization /government currently does that matches each of the three categories:	What our ERG / non-profit /community organization is currently doing that matches each of the categories:
Denial, status quo, continuing, etc.	(this column will already have been filled in)
Helping minoritized and racialized employees succeed in existing structure
Transforming the organization and building a new one together
Other thoughts and ideas

Ask attendees to add in what your Employee Resource Group, or community organization, or faith community, is doing that currently matches each of the three categories on the left.

part 3 - what the broader level and our group could be doing

 

Note: depending on the time you have, you could do the following next or in a subsequent session: Add a column to the company / institution / organization / government part, and one to the ERG / non-profit / community organization, re “what could ____ be doing?” (Of course, do not look for things to do for the denial / status quo row).

	Things our company / institution / organization /government currently does that matches each of the three categories:	Things our company / institution / organization /government could be doing that matches the lower two categories:	What our ERG / non-profit /community organization is currently doing that matches each of the categories:	What our ERG / non-profit /community organization could be doing that matches each of the categories:
Denial, status quo, continuing, etc.	(this column will already have been filled in)	X	(this column will already have been filled in)	X
Helping minoritized and racialized employees succeed in existing structure
Transforming the organization and building a new one together
(Other thoughts and ideas)

option

After either part 2 or part 3, consider doing a Start - Stop - Continue exercise.

• Start - what should we start doing?
• Stop - what are we doing that we should stop doing?
• Continue - what are we doing that we should continue to do?

And I'm going to add a fourth step: Explore - what items should we explore further to see how they might be useful to us?

next steps

The input that everyone shared will likely be a good foundation for further discussion, exploration and strategizing on how to be truly and radically inclusive of everyone.

rob goetze