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  Rev Ogun Holder

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Random musings and articles or posts previously published elsewhere. If you like what you read, please leave a comment, share, and support my writing by leaving a tip.

DEI-Need-More

7/27/2023

4 Comments

 
Picture
[A version of this post  was originally published in Unity Magazine Jul/Aug 2023 issue. Image by Jaque Fragua]

​In the last few years Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs have been all the rage. You’ve probably attended a training or workshop at your workplace or at your spiritual community. You’ve also probably noticed that not much has changed since those DEI programs were implemented. Yes, change takes time, but there is likely another reason. While they can be a useful tool to get much needed yet challenging and uncomfortable conversations started, they are rarely designed for long-term systemic change. That’s because they continue to center whiteness, and as a result, may do more harm than good in the long run. 

‘Diversity’ asks, “Who’s at the table?” ‘Equity’ responds by bringing attention to who’s not at the table, and the barriers that they face to get a seat at the table. ‘Inclusion’ makes sure everyone’s ideas have been heard. Unfortunately, sometimes the process stops here. It can be frustrating for those at the margins to finally have a seat at the decision-making table only to have their ideas ignored. What’s the next step? Justice.

Justice seeks to make sure the ideas of those in the minority are taken seriously. And not just the racial minority. Too often the underrepresented include women, LGBTQIA+ and non-binary folk, people with disabilities, the economically disadvantaged, and more. For true systemic change, however, Justice may not be enough if we don’t take a deeper into the origins of the organization. In other words, “Who built the table in the first place? Why did they build it? Who did they build it for?” This is the work of Decolonizing.

Decolonization, in its more literal sense, is undoing colonization – the forced introduction of social, political, and economic systems by a foreign empire. Decolonization is the process of restoring indigenous cultural, economic, and spiritual practices that were not grounded in the labor exploitation of many for the financial gain of a few. 

Regardless of intention, as I wrote in my previous article, we cannot help but bring our internalized and unconscious biases to our practices and creations. The same is true for our spiritual movements. Take Unity, for example, which was founded in the late nineteenth century by a white couple in Missouri. The well-accepted racial discriminations of the time and place were both challenged and reinforced by the movement: black students could enroll in classes, but they could not live on the campus or swim in the pool at Unity Village. 

Eventually these overtly racist practices were eliminated, and decades later official apologies proffered. Then why is it that, to this day, the movement’s participants, especially in the USA, are still overwhelmingly white? Maybe because it was the population that it was unintentionally designed to serve from the outset? Maybe because its teachings, both in content and pedagogy, do not take race and ethnicity into account?

To be clear, not taking them into account doesn’t make it inherently nonracist. The teachings are considered universal, but because they were created by white founders in a predominantly white part of the country and likely initially serving a white audience, they did not take into account the systemic obstacles its followers had to face. The creators’ unconscious ideologies would have become embedded by default.

A certain amount of privilege is assumed in order to have opportunities to learn and practice - time, resources, internet access, transportation, mental and emotional bandwidth. Do prosperity teachings, for example, factor in the barriers that have created the well-documented racial wealth gap? Do health and healing principles account for
Black people being 75% more likely to live in communities that are next to industrial facilities and directly affected by their pollution Does the movement expect participants to adhere to the teachings rather than the teachings adapt to the adherents?

To their credit, many spiritual and religious movements like Unity have started DEI initiatives to address current wrongs and better serve their diverse participants. But if there’s a true desire for lasting systemic transformation that creates cultural shifts beyond the organizations, the core teachings and theologies have to be decolonized. This does not mean erase them, but sincerely interrogate them. And it's those on the margins who need to do the investigating.
4 Comments
Sharon Ketchum link
7/28/2023 10:15:51 am

Really thought provoking article. It is difficult as a white person, to identify those unconscious barriers. Would love to hear some ideas on what we can do to make the teachings more inclusive to all races, the full range of economic experiences, understandable for the spectrum of neurodiversity. My wife has type 1 diabetes , and I don't really have a good "healing" answer for her condition other that seeing and affirming the health that she does have. Hope this blossoms into a great discussion. Thanks.Ogdun

Reply
CC Coltrain
11/21/2023 10:45:59 am

Fabulous post,Ogun. Gave me a much-needed entry point into how to begin thinking about decolonizing.the educational opportunities we offer, from day 1 through ministerial training. I really appreciate it.

Reply
Rev. Sharon Dunn link
11/23/2023 09:38:25 am

“But if there’s a true desire for lasting systemic transformation that creates cultural shifts beyond the organizations, the core teachings and theologies have to be decolonized.”

I agree that the organizations, just like all of us, have the hope of transformation. The teachings and theology however, are not to be rewritten. Would you rewrite the Vedas, the Bhagavad Gita, Emerson? Why not be original and create a new teaching like Buddha did? Censorship is dangerous. It may look like “gender neutral” to rewrite the Science of Mind textbook but it is simply a revision. The great text stands. And what about the teaching? Quantum physics is the science of SOM. If you want systemic, sustainable change, how about focusing more on how we have progressed in order to uplift and encourage participation in this change? The shame, blame and frame approach is disheartening at best. We grow weary and turn away from accusation, Yes, let’s learn from each other. How about sharing instead of shaming?

This is about justice—also feels like retribution, which in many cases is warranted. In this social, political and economic arena, somehow the SOM teaching fell in and now has to defend itself. Maybe the founders and their era need decolonization, but by using the actual teaching, that accusatory word would never demonstrate the desired outcome. Alienation will be what keeps people hiding their true feelings and will shut down listening. The greatest need, to be heard, will happen faster by sharing rather than shaming.

Peace.
From an Elder (you know, one of those who need to be put out to pasture LOL).

Reply
Karin Wilson link
11/23/2023 11:56:36 am

Very interesting and thoughtful post and an issue I’ve pressed for since I entered SOM in the 1990s.

My gut tells me over and over again that the principles of New Thought hold true. The “fault” lies in our white-centric interpretation.

If we know objectively that there is active separation (racism, income disparity etc), then to deny this is to put the teaching to a lie. When the world puts blocks in place that prevent individuals from reaching the full potential of their Human Spirit, then it is our (New Thought’s) responsibility to work to demonstrate that.

That’s how I’ve always read the teaching - as a both/and leading into wholeness. Dualism gets us nowhere. “Treat and move your feet” - not just for ourselves, but by joining and actively working in action to uplift and support others and dismantle what needs to be dismantled.

As for removing gendered language - it’s time. Think of how many versions the Bible has gone through in order to make it accessible for the current day.

The truth lies in principle. Minor things like using “He” for something we know had no gender/form gets in the way of helping people to see themselves and know they are part of the Oneness we speak of, then I’m all for moving on

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