Your JEDI Concierge

Justice. Diversity. Equity. Inclusion.

These are all buzzwords that you have likely heard at some point in time throughout the years, more so in the past year. I can't say I am not thrilled to see a rise in the awareness of social justice issues that have plagued marginalized communities for hundreds of years. However, it certainly makes you wonder if these "advances" are performative in nature–which would do more harm than good. On that note of "good", this isn't to say that individuals should strive to be good or perfect if they embark on this journey of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). Instead, aiming to be good-ish yet genuine is a more realistic way of approaching this. Good-ish? I know you might be confused as you wonder what this means. Well, identifying as a good person, means you will likely, at some point, view yourself as someone who is free of bias and mistakes. By thinking this way, you may cloud your judgment and perpetuate the very thing you committed to eliminating. If you position yourself as someone who is good-ish, you'll be cognizant of the fact that you have blind spots and will more likely address them. Anyone who sees themself as being good-ish, would likely thrive in the online community of allies that I wish to create to bring about awareness and collaboratively come up with possible solutions to these social justice issues.

My JEDI Journey

I first got involved in JEDI initiatives on a wider scale over three years ago, when I relocated to a more racially diverse country. Despite this diversity, I still faced overt and covert racism, microaggressions, and hurtful stereotypes. I would address these situations from a place of anger especially on the days I was targeted multiple times. The anger felt like the best defense as I was constantly being stuffed in a box simply because of my race, gender, or nationality. But, it got to a point where the anger was draining, and I needed a different outlet. That's when I noticed my academic institution was hosting an event called, Ed Talks, which was our version of Ted Talks. It was a platform for me to share my story and teach others to see beyond the stereotypes and get to know what truly defines me. After that day, I knew I wanted to continue to educate others. Instead of continuing to get angry, I wanted to focus on creating teachable moments.

I've created these teachable moments in many ways. I've gratuitously offered workshops to educators and other folks who work with youth, and the intention was to teach them how to create safe and inclusive spaces for youth who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour). I've also sat on several task forces and committees with a focus on anti-racism, JEDI, and cultural awareness. Through these spaces, I have conducted research, facilitated discussions on the topic, crafted educational materials, co-authored an anti-racism action plan, and hosted events that centered the voices of equity-seeking groups. One such event was Black Speaks, which provided a platform for Black students to share their lived experiences but also remind everyone that they are not a monolith. I was fortunate enough to get an opportunity to also write about this event so that those who weren't able to attend could still have an opportunity to learn something that might help them as they try to navigate these diverse spaces.

Potential Interactive Activity

One activity that my co-facilitator and I typically do in our workshops is one that focuses on privilege. This activity is usually a self-reflection in order to avoid any power conflicts in a space that requires vulnerability. The aim is not to make individuals feel bad about having privilege but rather to make them aware of it and how they can use it to help others. The activity below requires participants to assess the privilege wheel and highlight which of their qualities put them in a position of power and which make them marginalized. This self-positioning activity allows persons to come from a place of understanding as they partake in JEDI activities, whether big or small—it really puts things into perspective.

The Master Plan

When my co-facilitator and I do these workshops, we use the four agreements of courageous conversations as our guide. This is a concept that I would also adopt as I create an online community using WordPress and linking it to a platform such as Memberful. This community would have the opportunity to partake in synchronous and asynchronous activities. For the person who is on the go and would rather learn independently while still having access to me, it would be worth using a course builder integration such as LearnDash or Sensei, preferably with the use of a tracking feature so individuals can see their progress. While these may be quite powerful sessions, I find that open dialogue is a cut above the rest. So an open-source discussion software such as Discourse may be useful for facilitating members-only forum discussions. Sadly, there are many trolls who are keen on interrupting these spaces and so a forum with a paywall may be best. Lastly, we know that the concept of JEDI is ever-changing. For this reason, a monthly or quarterly newsletter sent via Mailchimp will provide an additional opportunity for me to connect with the community.

Though I have been involved in JEDI initiatives for quite some time, it is never my place to reprimand or judge but rather walk alongside anyone who wishes to contribute to change at an individual or societal level. I have a personal stake in doing this work because not only do I have lived experiences, but so do my friends, family members, and other people that I care about. This isn’t about making money but rather making a difference for my niece, my future children, and the rest of the future generations. I know I won’t see a significant change in my lifetime, and I am okay with that. I am satisfied with the progress I have seen throughout my life and will continue to see in the years to come. Regardless, I’d love to find like-minded individuals to be a part of this community of change with me. If you aren’t convinced just yet, below is one of the most powerful testimonials I’ve received so far—it fuels me, and I hope it will fuel you too :)