Classroom Culture

To cultivate a culture of mutual respect within a safe space…

We fiercely protect marginalized communities.

This means we do not allow bigotry of any kind and will remove anyone committed to a bigoted ideology or opinion. Yes, we are so inclusive that we exclude those who choose to exclude. I know. It doesn’t make sense, but it is the only way to keep this place safe for marginalized people, communities, and ideas. You are welcome here, all you have to do is not promote bigotry.

We get ready to get uncomfortable.

Most of us have to unlearn a lot of bullshit we were indoctrinated with, that feels uncomfortable. Particularly, it doesn’t feel good to face the problematic things we’ve said, believed, or taught. But we have to face the discomfort or we will continue the pattern of oppression.

We do not get defensive.

Defensiveness is a natural response - when faced with discomfort, our evolutionary brains want to eliminate that so they try to make excuses for what we are afraid to really examine. This armor may protect our feelings in the moment, but at what cost? Friends, if you feel defensive - and we all do when being called out or in - don’t speak. Instead think about your thoughts, feelings, and examine what the feelings of others might be. Then speak with a trusted friend (you can speak to this community, here, too!) to process and unlearn and relearn before speaking publically.

We lift up the voices of the marginalized.

We do this by sharing their theory, philosophy, art, all their work rather than speaking over them. Where possible I will always direct you to original sources and/or activists.

We listen even when we feel that a person is not speaking “nicely.”

Many folx who hold oppressed identities, are frankly, fucking exhausted. Sometimes we must use snark and satire to process our trauma and that may not look nice to folx who are not familiar with our particular oppressions. Sometimes we are exhausted from constantly having to justify ourselves to those who hold privilege where we do not, that we can’t hold someone’s hand as we educate them. Many times, we are not even being abusive or attacking, but the other person is feeling sensitive and/or defensive and to them it feels mean. We all get butthurt sometimes. But if we’re here to be allies, that means we’re here to be allies even if people aren’t supremely gentle. People should be free of oppression regardless of how polite they are about it. (And of course, none of this means I will allow anyone to attack or be abusive.)

We practice radical listening.

To me, this means listening and deciding to believe the person/community even if we have not personally experienced or witnessed what they are talking about.