I am Black and…
I am so many things-being Black is one of them.
This week I reflect on identity, narratives and statistics. Focusing on how stories formed through statistics can create stereotypes that normalise and embed damage within minoritised identities and communities.
I will introduce you to the concept of ‘damage-centred work’, which I confess, I have engaged with.
(I explain terms used in the video at the bottom of the page)
This week’s vlog is inspired by a famous letter written in 2009 by Professor Eve Tuck.
In her letter to communities, she warns us against engaging in damage-centred research- “research that intends to document peoples’ pain and brokenness to hold those in power accountable for their oppression. This kind of research operates with a flawed theory of change: it is often used to leverage reparations or resources for marginalized communities yet simultaneously reinforces and reinscribes a one-dimensional notion of these people as depleted, ruined, and hopeless."
If we perceive individuals and communities as damaged, we will never expect them to survive, let alone thrive.
Damage-centred work is common. It shows up in research, advocacy, policy, healthcare and education. It distracts us from focusing on the environments and wider structures which act as barriers or facilitators of wellbeing( education, nutrition, protection from environmental toxins, human rights, fair justice systems, safe housing, patient-centred health care, gainful employment etc.). It is often benevolent. But good intentions are not enough.
I now understand that to tackle inequities, I must recognise and reject damage-centred work and aim instead to do work which addresses inequities by acknowledging the multiple realities, including:
There are solutions, Strengths, assets, priorities and value systems within individuals and communities
Current disparities aRE legacies and manifestations of oppression
oppression is rooted in history, power and privilege.
to address inequalities, we must interrogate power.
I can’t wait to dig deeper into this approach with you in future posts.
Explanation of Term Used in This Video:
Damage-centred work: anything that contributes to individuals being stereotyped as broken, deficient or damaged by focusing only on one dimension of their reality. For e.g., in the UK, more people are now aware that Black women are four times more likely to die during pregnancy. It would be wrong to put ‘Black’ as a risk factor for maternal mortality because it is the experience of being a Black womxn( intersectionality) whilst accessing healthcare and living in society( social determinants of health) that contribute towards that risk. Not simply having Black skin.
Racially minoritised: a term I use in place of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous & people of colour), POC (people of colour), BAME (Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic) and BME (Black & Minority Ethnic) recognise that individuals and communities do not naturally exist as minorities; but instead have been assigned this identity in response to dominant socio-economic political narratives and the standard of ‘whiteness’. ‘Minoritised’ intentionally highlights contemporary power imbalances rooted in historical events of slavery, colonisation, and other systems of oppression.
Intersectionality: the acknowledgement that everyone has their unique experience of discrimination and oppression. It explains how this experience is compounded when people have multiple minoritised identities. For e.g. whilst women may experience sexism in society, Black lesbian cis-gendered women may experience sexism compounded by racism, compounded by homophobia.
Misogynoir: a term coined by Moya Bailey (an African-American feminist scholar, writer, and activist) to describe the unique combination of misogyny and anti-black racism experienced by Black women. An example of intersectionality!
Hegemony: cultural, social, political and/or economic dominance of one group over another
P.S
As always, if my thoughts this week struck a cord, piqued your interest, or you’d like to explore some of these ideas further or have questions, leave a comment and write to me HERE.
