Liberating Power - The Key to Advancing Equity
A few years ago I was facilitating a conversation about equity and power. The premise behind the discussion was that in order to pursue equity, the folks who experience the inequities must be in positions of power to make decisions about the things that matter - resource distribution, policies, practices, etc. I asked the room, What gets in the way of you sharing or relinquishing power? Immediately, a white man said, If I give up my power I’ll be out of a job! And there it is. That’s it in a nutshell. The reason, I believe, many DREI efforts fail is deeply ingrained in the idea that those in power are protecting their self-interest. The fear of loss of power is greater than the interest in achieving equity. And given that for many, interest in achieving equity is tacit at best, a superficial-branding exercise at worst, we need to address the power dynamics head-on.
The protection of self-interest is a reality for any individual that holds power over — power over another group of people, power over individuals, power over resources, power over information, power over decisions, and choice. If we think of self-interest as needs you only have to remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to understand that protecting one’s self-interest is a basic and psychological human need. We all have the need for safety and security, the need for esteem, and the need for self-actualization. The problem occurs when we start to subscribe to a belief system that says: 1) I’m more deserving of having my needs meet then anyone else 2) there is not enough to go around, so I will hoard all of the things I need even if it means others experience greater disparity and 3) there is no connection between collective interest and self-interest.
How do we dismantle this belief system?...
First, we must shift the narrative on who is deserving. It’s a complicated narrative that is often weaponized and fed by racist, nationalist, ableist, sexist, and homophobic ideologies. The rewrite requires us to center humanist ideals, that every human being is deserving of having their needs met while also recognizing that some of us have systematically been denied the fundamental basic needs to live safe and secure. You only have to look at recent events in this country to see the truth of who benefits from protection and who is persistently denied that basic human right.
Second, we emphasize there is more than enough to go around. We live in the wealthiest country in the world. The reality is there is enough food, enough land, enough money, enough employment opportunity -- if we could collectively be satisfied with the things we need and not greed. Our current existence is still one where a very small minority of the population has in excess an exorbitant amount of resources and power.
Third, the truth has always been that we all collectively benefit by creating solutions for the most disenfranchised. Applying the principles developed by john powell for targeted universalism. Which says, if we target solutions to address inequality experienced by those most impacted, then the collective benefits are felt universally.
Lastly, think about the places where you personally hold power. Maybe you’re a gate keeper to resources and information. Perhaps you have a role in setting policy - inside your institution or in the public sphere. Examine the places where you have personal power and make a list. Looking at the list, and think about all of the ways you can be more liberated with your power. Are there ways you can share, distribute, or completely relinquish the power so those with less access can activate their own power, voice, and experience? Ask yourself, how are you using your own positions of power to disrupt the status quo and in service to equity?
