Towards a More Hopeful and Just Future
Looking at social justice through a critical theory lens

Compiled by Marianna Cavezza and Katrina Diener

Land Acknowledgement

We want to begin by acknowledging that this booklet was created on
the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish,
Kwikwetlem, səl̓ilwətaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsleil-Waututh), S’ólh Téméxw
(Stó:lō), Qayqayt, Stz'uminus, and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam).
We recognize that we are here as uninvited guests and express our
gratitude for the opportunity to live and learn on this land moving
forward in the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation.

With Gratitude

We would like to thank Geeta, Ilam, Jenny, Kari, Lan, Lina, Sun, Susan,
Wendy and Zoe for their active engagement in co-constructing this
inquiry.
We would also like to thank Dr. Annabella Cant for her support and
guidance along this journey.

Photo credit: Marianna

Social Justice: A Work in Process
Our project unfolds as we see injustices perpetuating around us and recognize the urgent need for
change. While education is often regarded as neutral, Eurocentric practices have continually
dominated (Battiste, 2013; Freire, 2005; Souto-Manning et al., 2018). As early childhood educators we
desire to reimagine early childhood places as sites for activism. In an effort to think more deeply about
how this might look, we choose to engage with Sensoy and DiAngelo’s (2017) book, Is Everyone
Really Equal?, with a group of eight other women. Meeting once a week for eight consecutive weeks
over Zoom, we co-construct our understanding of social justice as we engage with ideas from the book
and our lives.
As we begin this inquiry, we recognize the immense scope of this subject and feel our own
inadequacies. Social justice. Equity. These are big issues with many complex layers and the weight of
these layers seems to be palpable as the time for our first meeting nears. Yet, with these concerns, we
also recognize the significance of these issues and are thankful to be able to engage together in
thinking more deeply with Sensoy and DiAngelo’s (2017) timely book.
We come together as a newly-formulated group, not all familiar with one another and coming from
different life experiences and stages of life; the common link being that most of us are connected to the
field of early childhood. In order to create some common ground we begin by reading the first two
chapters of Is Everyone Really Equal? (Sensoy and DiAngelo, 2017). This helps us gain a foundation
and a familiarity with the key concepts of social justice. The questions that guide us initially are: what
does it look like to promote equity in our relationships with those who are different?, how can we “live
well together”? (Ministry of Education, 2019, p. 12), and how can we be advocates for change?

Through the process of meeting weekly and thinking deeply with these issues of social justice we notice
how we are becoming more attuned to these issues playing out. It is obvious that everyone is engaging
with a critical mindset, not taking for granted what we have been taught or culturalized to see. Generative
conversations develop as we see several key themes emerging: Uncovering What is Hidden and Missing,
Becoming Aware, Grappling with Tensions, The Power of Language, The Complexity of Culture, The Roles
of Women, Finding Hope, and Putting Our Learning into Action.
One of the first problems we notice as we engage with these issues of social injustice is that much is
hidden or missing. For example, children’s voices are missing and there are gaps in what we have learned
about history. We also see that many issues of social justice are hidden under the surface, making this
work more complex and needing a more critical engagement.
This leads us to consider our awareness, what we are aware of and where we have gaps. We consider
deeply where we are coming from and what perspectives inform our ways of thinking and acting. We also
look around us to become more aware of what is happening in our current contexts.
In the midst of doing this work, we meet many tensions. The complexities of this work reveal to us that
there is no easy answer. While we want to try to “fix” the problems, as we dig in deeper we realize the
importance of dwelling with the tension and not skipping out on the effort that is required to do this work.
Another important aspect that we encounter is the power of language. As we get into this book we see that
we have some confusion around what the terms mean and we work together to gain clarity. We also
recognize the importance of how we use language. This comes up particularly in how we speak with
children and the impact that our words can have. We are reminded that emphasizing the positive rather
than the negative is really important.

The consideration of culture also plays a big part in our conversations as we come from different cultures and
approach these issues in different ways. We see that culture has many aspects and cannot be easily
understood. Yet, it also plays a big part in social justice issues and so we work to know more.
We also spend much time talking about social justice issues pertaining to women. This comes as no surprise
since our group is composed of all women. Facing the social injustice that women endure is a heavy topic, yet as
we continue to share our ideas we also find hope.
Hope is another key theme throughout our inquiry. While there is much that discourages us, we also find reasons
to be hopeful as we see change happening. Specifically, we find hope as we see how children are being
proactive and changes are happening in the educational system.
Throughout this project we are also aware of the importance of putting into action what we are learning. While we
struggle with confrontation and facing our biases, we also have the desire to act and realize how crucial this is.
We have also realized that we must be the drivers of the change we want to see. So we press on with the
conviction that we can move towards a more hopeful and just future.
Even though we discuss each of these themes individually in this booklet, throughout our inquiry we saw them
coming and going, overlapping, intersecting and revealing many new connections for us. Over this time together,
we have all enriched our understanding of the deeply rooted causes of inequity. There was not a straight line
from beginning to end to neatly mark our learning, but much like roots of a tree it went in many directions.
Snapshots of this learning are presented in the following booklet. We invite you to think deeply with us as we
share some markings of this journey.

We begin this journey by adopting a critical
theory lens, as described by Sensoy and
DiAngelo (2017), to approach issues of
social injustice. These issues include
inequities such as racism, sexism, and
ableism. Engaging with critical theory
involves a deeper consideration of issues in
their context (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2017).
The context of any given issue is especially
important as critical theory also considers
knowledge to be socially constructed rather
than objective (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2017).
The idea that knowledge is socially
constructed affirms that knowledge is not an
object to be obtained, but rather created in
relationship with others (Freire, 2005;
Dahlberg, Moss, & Pence, 2013).
Photo credit: Marianna

Uncovering What is Hidden and Missing
“Because we are socialized to think of ourselves as
individuals, especially in our dominant groups, it is often
difficult to understand why it is useful to think about people
in terms of their social groups. However, when we think in
terms of groups, we can begin to see patterns of structural
injustice, recognize that key perspectives are missing, and
know to pursue those missing perspectives” (Sensoy &
DiAngelo, 2017, p. 201).

Throughout our journey we discover that there are many hidden and missing aspects, one of which are
children’s voices. As early childhood educators the loss of children’s voices in education concerns us.
Education is not a neutral endeavour, but a political one, and thus if educators do not act in ways that
come against social injustice they will play a part in continuing the cycle of inequity (Amos, 2011;
Bissonnette, 2016; Price-Dennis & Souto-Manning, 2011; Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2014, 2017; Solic &
Riley, 2019; Souto-Manning, 2011, 2017; Souto-Manning & Winn, 2019).
Lina speaks to how this can play out in early childhood settings with how we view children and the
management of their misbehaviour. For example, Lina shares that she is always mystified how
educators seem to only understand the physical connotations of the word “capable” in reference to
children. She explains that it is problematic to have a preset concept of capable in our minds as often
this denotes merely physical tasks and checklists that children can perform and limits our thinking.
In her role as a Supported Childcare Consultant, she has the opportunity to visit many different
programs and notes that she has seen educators preoccupied with control and driven by fear in the
classroom. Yet she expresses that rather than trying to manage misbehaviour, there is a need to
address the why behind it. In fact, children are communicating through their misbehaviour and
therefore as educators we need to be attentive to what the children are communicating to us rather
than quickly deeming them as problems. This speaks to the need for a radical shift in education away
from the traditional focus on categorizing and classifying, largely dominated by Eurocentric practices
with minoritized children being viewed as problems to be fixed (Battiste, 2013; Freire, 2005; SoutoManning et al., 2018).

Lina problematizes this further and says when we are so worried about how the classroom appears to other
adults, we miss so much. “Where are these children’s voices?” She questions why we have these
beautiful spaces? Why do they have to be so neat? Who are they beautiful for? Instead she urges that our
energy and focus can be used to create spaces that invite opportunities for children. She envisions these
spaces as more democratic and reciprocal:
“Where children can really be children, where they can really
express themselves, where they can really show what they
are capable of doing”

In fact, in order for children’s voices to be heard, education requires an entire restructuring away from a
traditional hierarchical structure to one that is more symmetrical, where educators are not placed above
children, but rather in an equal relationship with them (Freire, 2005; Skarpenes & Saeverot, 2018). Educators
can work toward creating a more socially relevant curriculum by focussing on the power of connection and
relationships (Kuby, 2012) and the transformative impact these changes can ultimately have (Freire, 2005;
Moss, 2019).
Another aspect of inviting children’s voices into the classroom is fostering a sense of belonging as all children
need to be represented (Souto-Manning et al., 2018). Representation means that their identity is reflected in the
classroom. In fact, while children need to be seen in stories, in art, in toys, and essentially in all aspects of their
world, minoritized children are still lacking representation. The importance of educators questioning the hidden
curriculum and what stories are held in their classroom and materials should become part of an intentional
repertoire of practice (Souto-Manning et al., 2018). Along with this intentionality comes a commitment to foster
deeper thinking into the curriculum so that all children have opportunities to engage in cultural and social issues
and begin to understand issues of fairness as well as justice (Bennet et al., 2017; Dyer, 2020; Kelly-Ware,
2019).

Having a commitment to foster deeper thinking into the curriculum also extends to the set up of the
classroom environment.
Along these lines, Jenny shares that she wonders why in keeping with a more Reggio philosophy,
some early learning centres are removing their kitchen play. She says this is a place where children
share culture especially with food and also a place where diversity can be represented.
Ilam adds that there seems to be too much emphasis in ECE on “deep meaning and purpose,” as
defined by the educator’s point of view. She has noticed that new children will often go to the house
corner as they feel familiar and comfortable there.
We are wondering what is driving the ECE field in the pursuit of “deep meaning and purpose”? Perhaps
there is a great concern to be regarded as professionals that is influencing our decision making.
Unfortunately, if this is our focus children’s voices will be silenced.

This compels us to engage in a
“pedagogy of listening” (Dahlberg
& Moss, 2005, p. 97), so as to
hear and respond to children’s
ways of thinking in an attentive
and reflective way. Rather than
following recent trends, we feel it
is important to act with
pedagogical intention so that we
do not unilaterally make
decisions for the wrong reasons.
Photo credit: Marianna

In an effort to be inclusive of children’s voices, Lina offers a suggestion to reach out to the children in our own lives,
asking them to represent their own ideas of social justice in a medium of their choice. We take up her suggestion
and throughout this booklet have intentionally included the voice of several children as they consider what is fair
and what is not fair.

Image credit: Ema

Above is an example brought to us by Lina’s daughter Ema, 10. She shows us the above drawing and comments
that “Everybody should be accepted for who they are.”

Another hidden area is introduced to us by activist Leroy Moore (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2017). Intrigued by his
work, we find an audio file created by Moore entitled, “Black Disabled History 101” (Moore, 2020, February
5) to share with the group. Afterwards many of us recognize how much of what he shares is unknown to us.
It reminds us how many missing voices there are and how subjective history is by portraying certain voices
over others. This leaves us to wonder about those voices we do not hear.

On a more positive note,
Zoe shares that on
TikTok she has seen
several people who are
working to share these
histories. This is a
significant point because
we recognize that
although these
invisibilities exist there
are currently many more
platforms available on
social media to address
them.

Ilam connects this
lack of representation
to intersectionality.
She comments that
there are “layers of
invisibility” and that in
this case the
intersectionality of
race and disability
serve to further
marginalize.

([leroy-moore], n.d.)

This leads us to think about the legacy we have as educators in being inclusive of all the voices and
ensuring they are shared so future generations are more aware than we are.

As we strive to uncover what is hidden we
discover that appearances can be deceptive. At
first glance, what we perceive on the surface
can be misleading. For example, Sun shares
with us a drawing that she has labeled
“mainstream conscious level of social justice.”
At first Sun just shows us the top part of the
picture, which is a house. As Sun explains, the
house looks like a solid structure. However, as
she shows us the bottom part we can see that
this house does not have a solid foundation.
The bottom part of the picture shows that the
building blocks of “equality,” “equity,” “no
discrimination,” “social justice,” and “equal
treatment” are not connected and unstable,
illustrating the need for us to look below the
surface as we critically engage with issues of
social justice. Sun’s perception connects to
Sensoy and DiAngelo (2017) when they explain
that there is a dominant discourse “that society
overall is fair, and that all we need to overcome
injustice is to be nice and treat everyone the
same” (p. 2). This is part of what complicates
the work of social justice, pushing us to take a
more critical stance in order to uncover
inequities.

Image credit: Sun

Jenny brings up another example of how appearances do not tell the whole
story. In her local context, parents all want to bring their children to the “new,
shiny school” over the local community school. We wonder, why do we connect
the idea of a new school to a better school? As Jenny points out these images
are deceiving as the local community school is in fact full of heart and a sense of
belonging. She notes the long standing dedication of the principal and other staff
and we can see how it is really the individual people that make a difference not
the image of how the school looks.
The problem with making assumptions based on appearances is brought up
again by Lina’s eldest daughter, Eliana, 15. She created the picture on the
following page, representing a girl from a wealthier background who is unhappy,
beside a boy with a lower socioeconomic status who is happy. She goes on to
explain that, “You can have a lot of money and you don’t necessarily know you
are going to be happy. If you have people you love and you have a place where
you belong, you can be happy regardless of your income.”
These examples show us how much more important a sense of belonging is to
one’s happiness rather than what is just a facade.

Image credit: Eliana

Becoming Aware
“Awareness of ourselves as socialized members of a
number of intersecting groups within a particular culture in
a particular time and place (social location or positionality)
will increase our critical social justice literacy. We need to
see the general patterns of our socialization and be aware
of ourselves in shifting contexts. In other words, we need
to step back and become aware of ourselves shifting gears
and examine the assumptions underlying these shifts and
the behaviors they set in motion” (Sensoy & DiAngelo,
2017, p. 57).

The more we gather together in this book study, the more we see our own awareness growing.
For example, with respect to sexism, Lan mentions, “It’s so common that we forget about it, we actually just
accepted that is how it is.” This hits us to the core, leaving us to wonder how much we are aware of what is
actually happening, and how much we just accept because “that is how it is.”

Later on, Jenny adds that “as a White person you can get by without learning about so much of this” and there is
a need to work at being aware. This challenges us to continually seek out awareness and not allow our past
blindness to stand in our way because as Gloria Anzaldúa (as cited in Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2017) says,
“Awareness of our situation must come before inner changes, which in turn come before changes in society.”
With awareness we also see ourselves becoming more attuned to issues of social justice. This brings about
further connections to our personal lives.
One such example is brought to our attention by Jenny. As she shares the land she’s currently joining from, we
realize our oversight, failing to acknowledge the land we are on. Another example comes from Zoe, who in her
role facilitating a group time, worries about cultural appropriation. Wendy sees the impact her current work with
Indigenous peoples has on her awareness and positionality as she is more attuned to news articles that address
the disparities these peoples face. Some others express their own insecurities with respect to communicating
with these intense issues.
We recognize the importance of vocalizing our social justice learning to help us make sense of the world around
us. As we seek to lead this group in discussion, bringing chapters and quotes as provocations, we see such
thoughtful engagement and reflection from our participants. It is hard to say what exactly provokes their
responses, but we continue to co-construct our learning and understanding as we engage in our own collective
and individual journeys.

Jenny vocalizes part of her own journey of self-awareness below:
“This journey of self discovery and reflection, of becoming aware of my positionality and
privilege, began long ago. Nurturing an ongoing understanding of critical social justice issues
came to the forefront of my mind in September when I registered for the Working with Children
in Inclusive Group Settings course at Capilano. Katrina and Marianna’s Grad Seminar became
an extension of the learning from that course. The book club they created became a place of
deeper learning; a safe place to relook at and discuss the ideas in Özlem Sensoy and Robin
DiAngelo’s book Is Everyone Really Equal? I needed this place. I needed somewhere I could
further explore these complex ideas. The book club gave me the opportunity to listen openly to
other’s stories with them. This is unique to other opportunities for listening on youtube or even a
more formal storytelling. The book club also gave an opportunity to respond with empathy, to
practice proper vocabulary, and to be actively aware more of the person I am and the person I
want to be in our society.”

Jenny’s reflection speaks to the importance of being
more self-aware and one key part of this is our
positionality. Positionality includes the position one
holds in society based on various identification points
such as race, gender, class, and the like (Sensoy &
DiAngelo, 2017). This is significant because one’s
positionality affects how one views and interacts with
the world (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2017).
Being aware of our privilege is another important part of
self-awareness. In society, certain groups have more
privilege due to their position, making it easier for them
to navigate life (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2017).
Realizing that being aware of our positionality and
privilege is an important part of the work of social
justice (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2017), we invite the
participants to think more deeply about these aspects
by engaging with what is called a “Power Flower”
(Facilitator's Toolbox: Power Flower, n.d.). This flower
includes several categories that one might belong to,
with positions of power on the outside petals.

(Facilitator's Toolbox: Power Flower, n.d.)

One of the first comments noted about this flower is its
limitations. For example, it seems to be missing several
categories, such as middle class, middle age, family
status, and the like. Furthermore, as Ilam points out,
these categories are divided into binaries, while people
do not fit into such nice, neat little boxes.

Thus, due to the limitations found with the flower, a couple of our participants
choose to express their positionality in other ways. Lina, being inspired by the
frames that Sensoy and DiAngelo (2017) bring up in chapter three, chooses to
express her positionality with a set of glasses.

Image credit: Lina

Sun, on the other hand, uses the image of a tree to convey how she sees her positionality. The bottom of
her tree also includes the word “human” written into the roots and trunk to express that “we’re all
humans...then we grow up” and branch out in various ways. Wendy echoes this common kinship as she
expresses how much her own positionality was similar to Sun’s.

Image credit: Sun

Aside from becoming aware of social justice issues on a micro level, we turn our attention
to what is happening around us by inviting everyone to share a current news article
pertaining to these issues. Our intention is to see what sorts of articles might be circulating
at this time. We are curious about what common threads may be shown.
As the participants share their articles, we see that there is not a shortage when it comes
to examples of social injustice as no two participants bring the same article. We also note
that more than half of the articles have an element of racism attached to it. We wonder
why this particular injustice is so prevalent in current news. We think that this may be
because many of us have been deeply affected by all the racial upheaval that has marked
this past year of our lives with all the rioting related to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Some of the articles also included aspects of classism, sexism, heterosexism, nationalism,
colonialism, and religious oppression. However, we note that ableism is not one that is
mentioned and we wonder why this may be. Is it more invisible? Are instances of ableism
underreported?
As many of us appear to be more able-bodied, perhaps issues of ableism are not on our
radar. Rather we take for granted the ease of movement we so readily experience in our
daily lives and have a hard time to fathom otherwise. Yet now as we take the time to
consider these inequities, we become more aware and see our responsibility to act.

Ahousaht couple seeks apologies
after facing racism at restaurant
Ongoing violence against Black people sparks conversation in Halifax

Social Injustice Headlines
Got an idea for the Richard McBride school
renaming? You’ll have a chance to share it soon
The B.C. government apologizes for systemic racism towards
Indigenous people in B. C’s health-care system
Coming out Under the Gun: Exploring the Psychological Dimensions of
Seeking Refugee Status for LGBT Claimants in Canada
How ‘Everyday Sexism’ went from small site to global phenomenon
Created using https://www.presentationmagazine.com

While it is disheartening to see so
much injustice in the headlines,
through our time together, we are
also made aware of organizations
that are actively working to bring
about change.
(Women Transforming Cities, n.d.)

(LOVE British Columbia,, n.d.)

Groups that we had not heard
about before, such as LoveBC
(https://loveorganization.ca/bc)
and Woman Transforming Cities
(https://www.womentransformingci
ties.org), have been brought to our
attention. We discuss these
groups with our participants and
discover that none of them are
familiar with them either. Ilam
aptly points out that there are
many groups doing good work out
there, right in our neighbourhood,
and questions why it is that we do
not hear more about them.

We further ask the group to think about
whether they have noticed any difference in
their life as a result of addressing social justice
issues. Through this conversation we notice
how there appear to be many converging
influences that have brought about a greater
awareness and change in the lives of our
participants.
Many of the participants note how the events
from the previous year, such as the pandemic
and the Black Lives Matter movement, have
greatly impacted their awareness. In response
to this heightened awareness they also see
their responsibility to take action in their
specific settings. For example, Susan brings up
how they have been talking about these issues
with children in the centre where she is
working.
Jenny talks about having tough conversations
with her neighbour and also mentions how the
little things we do can have a big impact. One
small change that Jenny says she has been
implementing is intentionally changing
pronouns in songs and stories to “they” and
“she” to better represent female voices.

(Kostecki-Shaw, 2015) Photo credit: Ilam

Thinking further about awareness and intentionality, Ilam
questions the lack of representation of the dominant Asian
culture in many of our centres. From her own personal
experience as an immigrant she says, “I know what it is like
to be a kid and no one is like you” and shares that she has
found only one book representing her culture, “Same Same,
But Different” (Kostecki-Shaw, 2015). She also says her own
circles do not include Asian people so “their voices are silent
to me” and recognizes that she needs to go looking for these
stories and share them.

Another way that we see intentionality in action is by seeking out the perspectives of children in our lives.
Jenny has a conversation with her nieces ages 9, 14 and 6 about what is fair and what is not fair and shares
the transcript with us :
Jessie (age 9): “If someone has two cupcakes and they give another person one, that’s fair.
If it’s not fair, then you get to share three cupcakes and one person gets two and the other gets only gets
one. There’s no fair reason for that.
It’s fair if someone goes to your house and you have new toy and they let you play with it. It’s not fair if you
get a toy and you don’t let your friend play with it.
If someone is playing a game and you include them, that’s fair, but if you don’t that’s not fair.
And, also, when there’s someone new, let them play in your game, that’s fair.
And, if you get a new puppy and you let your friends pet it, that’s fair, but if you don’t, that’s not fair.
If you find something cool and you let someone see it, that’s fair, but if you don’t let them, that’s not fair.
Being nice is fair, being mean is not fair.
There’s so many examples!”
Jenny: “Why do you think people are unfair?”
Jessie: “Well, because they’re a bit selfish. They don’t think about other people, they only think about
themselves. When you think about being fair, you’re thinking about the other person and making them
happy.”

Rowan (14 years): “I guess, not sure….I think there are plenty of things that are unfair, a lot of it unfair,
so it’s hard to think of things that are fair for everyone. I can think of sexism and racism and it’s easy to
think of things in a simple scenario, but big things it’s tougher.”
Violet (age 6): “If someone makes four cookies and they bring them to the park and three more of their
friends are there and they don’t let anyone else have cookies, that’s really not fair.
Um, if someone got two puppies and they gave the other one to their friend. That would be fair too.”

In response to what these three say, Ilam notes that “it is so black and white for them” and Jenny
comments how it seems to be about opposites, “the haves and have nots,” and that it is about the need
to “share and be nice.”
Zoe also shares with us what her children have to say about what it means to be fair. Her two-year-old
responds that “fair means 8789.” Then when asking her four-year-old to think about what is fair, he
says, “I can’t do all this stuff, it’s unfair!”
We realize from hearing these accounts how important it is to share and invite children to think about
what is fair and what is not. We feel that this is crucial to help establish a solid foundation for
understanding social justice issues at an early age and build social justice literacy (Sensoy & DiAngelo,
2017).

The theme of awareness
surfaces yet again as Jenny
talks about how for a long time
she was unaware that there
was still racism in Canada.
She comments that she “lived
in a world where [she] did not
see.” Now, as this has been
brought to her attention, Jenny
speaks about being more
intentional. She mentions her
own journey into thinking more
critically by doing a self-check
when she is unsure about
certain words she is using. For
instance, at one point in the
meeting she heard the
expression “gong show.” She
was unsure of the connotation
so she researched it further.
Jenny recognizes that “it’s
about doing the work” to inform
one’s self about the
appropriateness of words or
expressions.

In response to this Ilam brings in
the socialization piece, talking
about how in society we have been
“raised to sort of believe these
things.” She further makes a
connection to Sensoy and
DiAngelo (2017) when commenting
on how the idea of multiculturalism
in Canada has blinded us to the
reality of racism.
Throughout our time together we
see that while each of us is at
different points in our journey, we
have all chosen to be here and are
all working towards change. Sun
summarizes this well when she
states these are “stepping stones
to move forward [to an] equitable
society.” This may involve being
uncomfortable, yet we recognize
that being aware is simply not
enough. We need to act and
confront the contradictions and
tensions.
Photo credit: Marianna

Grappling with Tensions
“Grappling requires engagement with
intellectual humility, curiosity, and generosity;
grappling is not dependent on agreement. The
goal of education is to expand one’s
knowledge base and critical thinking skills,
rather than protect our preexisting opinions”
(Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2017, p. 33).

While we move forward with our increased awareness, we encounter tensions along the way. Lina
encapsulates some of these tensions by crafting a poem using words from our discussion as well as
Sensoy and DiAngelo’s (2017) book.

GRAPPLING RESISTANCE
Grappling, Coping, Sinking, Projected…
Everyone…Everything… Everywhere.
Stitched into fabric so perfected
Suddenly tossed into the thin air.

Sand easily fits and falls through open textbooks

Wonder and beauty combined in everybody’s equity.
Blinded by windy and selfish thoughts in notebooks
Destroyed ideas and knowledge disguised with Integrity…

Perspectives and Values Cutted here, Chopped there…
The clock struck midnight with an informative pang
Engagement, Humility, Opinions, Curiosity may differ
Critical Thinking skillfully arrives with a Bang!!!
·

One of the tensions that arises is around the roles of the oppressor and the oppressed. Our thoughts
whirl around as we work to clarify our understandings of these roles.
In frustration Wendy questions, “Why is it always the oppressed though that have to be the ones to
educate the ones who are dominant?” This reminds us of what Jenny spoke to previously when she
noted that “the responsibility to learn and change is on the oppressor, however, not the victim.” We
see a connection to what Sensoy and DiAngelo (2017) say regarding the dominant group needing to
step in to disrupt oppression.
Ilam presents another perspective by explaining that those in the dominant position have it good and
so there is no reason to change. This resonates with what Freire (2005) says, “only power that springs
from the weakness of the oppressed will be sufficiently strong to free both” (p. 44).
With these different perspectives we are left dwelling in some confusion. We have a desire to find
clarity in these issues, to know what the role of the oppressed and oppressor is, to have some clearcut answers. We wonder why? What is it that we feel so compelled to discover? Why do our minds
seek refuge in an end to the contradictions and the tensions that are surfacing? What is about our own
personal histories that are shaping our views?

With these lingering questions in mind we bring this topic back to our participants to get their input.
Jenny explains that her understanding of the responsibility of the oppressor comes from her experience with a
friend, commenting that “being an ally is not about asking all the questions… you need to do your own
research.”
Ilam adds to this by noting the importance of the oppressed having more representation in positions of power.
She sees that both the oppressed and the oppressor have responsibility to take up, yet ultimately, because of
the systematic oppression that is present, the oppressors must give way for change to occur.
Lina connects to the quote from Freire (2005), mentioning that from her understanding of Freire’s work, he
places much emphasis on “re-examining yourself.” She further elaborates that “it’s not about fixing something,
it’s about re-examining what’s already in place and bring[ing] a new perspective into that.”

With these additional thoughts we see again how much
more complex the relationship between oppressed and
oppressor is. We also are challenged to seek out and take
up our responsibilities so as to be a part of the change we
want to see. Freire (2005) reminds us that, “To surmount
the situation of oppression, people must first critically
recognize its causes, so that through transforming action
they can create a new situation, one which makes possible
the pursuit of a fuller humanity”( p.47). With this in mind we
see that when doing the work of social justice our action
could be better directed by focussing on the particular
context before us rather than on the roles individuals play.

Photo credit: Marianna

Silences

Uncomfortable silences mark our journey as we work through these tensions. The unveiling of these issues brings
about frustration as the complexity of it all overwhelms. This leads to moments of silence that engulf us as we
grapple with the heaviness.

We wonder what to do
with these silent
moments? Is this a sign
that we should
respectfully pause and
wait? Or should we try to
get at the heart of where
the silence comes from?
We feel uncomfortable
with these moments of
silence and our
uncertainty of what to do
in these moments
intensifies the
uncomfortableness.
Photo credit: Marianna

We invite our participants to share what they feel about the silences we have been encountering during our
meetings. We are intrigued to learn that silence embodies a multiplicity of meaning.
Lina begins the conversation as she comments that silence allows for active listening and is a “powerful tool.”
Ilam furthers this thought by commenting that “silence is a blessing” and she sees how the dominant group
tries to keep us distracted with all the noise.
Then, Zoe connects silence to an umpire analogy showing how often our responses are so intertwined with
social perceptions. She explains that “the more sure the umpire is, the longer it will take to make the decision,
but the more sure he wants to seem the faster he will answer.”
Jenny also explains that in having White privilege, we feel we have the right to be heard. She explains it is a
struggle to know when to speak so as not to dominate and allow other voices.
Sun also explains to us after everyone has left that she missed her opportunity to share, but that she believes
“silence could mean lots of things.”
Listening to the many different interpretations of silence we realize how many different ways there are to view
silence. While we had found it uncomfortable, most of the feedback we receive indicates that it is not
perceived as a negative. Rather, silence is seen as an opening.

The Power of Language
“Language is not a neutral transmitter of a universal,
objective, or fixed reality. Rather, language is the way
we construct reality, the framework we use to give
meaning to our experiences and perceptions within a
given society” (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2017, p. 70).

Working through the uncomfortable silences helps
us to recognize how crucial it is to be mindful of the
language we use. We see that with respect to
social justice, there needs to be a shift in the
common terminology utilized. Lina shares that in
her own role as a Supported Childcare Consultant
they intentionally omit “special needs” from all their
forms and rather focus on the strengths of the child
over the deficits. She further adds the importance
of including the voice of both the child as well as the
families. She also explains that they choose to pay
attention to the language they use so that families
can celebrate their child with language that is clear,
simple and positive. However, Lina also
acknowledges that not everyone is receptive to
these changes and we recognize how difficult the
journey can be to ultimately enact necessary
changes. There seems to be a push and pull force
that can take hold as we try to make change, we
meet resistance from what is known and familiar
and so we have to persist.
The power of language is so impactful that we hear
over and over again the importance of moving away
from labels and seeing the human face behind
these labels. Here is a glimmer of hope as some of
this change has a ripple effect on other
organizations. It becomes clear that while initiating
this change takes courage, it can also have the
capacity to build bridges and connect to other
positive realms for a child, their family, and
community.

Photo credit: Ilam

Another consideration with respect to language is to speak positively rather than
negatively. Lina speaks to this when she explains that we can show appreciation and
gratitude even though we may disagree. While recognizing that it is difficult to do, Lina
likes to step away from a situation to take time to think and see the positives. She
elaborates that as humans we have to resist our desire to fix and rather explore the
possibilities. Lina continues by noting that children can feel this negative energy so we
really need to pay attention to our language, especially the use of the word “no.”
Zoe adds, “we are training [children] to enter the society of no.” She goes on to share the
startling statistic that toddlers hear “no” 400 times a day, which inevitably affects their
self-esteem. Then she further elaborates that she has seen that in some cases people
think that “children are not humans simply because they are children.”
We are witnessing once again the power of language and how much deliberation is
needed in order to convey the intended meaning of our words. Clearly, taking the time to
pause and reflect is an invaluable skill. Sensoy and DiAngelo (2017) explain that, “in a
pluralistic society that claims to uphold the ideals of equality, speech must be chosen in
ways that are cognizant of the context” (p.193). As educators, we want to be more
mindful of our contexts and aware of the impact of our language. Our words can carry
great weight in the mind of a child and we may never know what the effects may be.

Another aspect of language that grabs our attention
is how we interpret and use words. This comes up
as we think about our interpretation of equity.

As indicated from the cloud, the word “fair” is the most
popular. However, as the participants explain the
reasoning behind their words, we realize that this may
be misleading. For example, Wendy explains that the
first word that comes to her mind is “despair”, yet she
chooses to write “fair”. She later goes on to clarify that
the word despair comes from a place of darkness,
because as Wendy says, “our day to day is the
complete opposite of where we want to be with equity.
Is equity even possible? It’s like a pipe dream.”
Wendy is not the only one to filter her thoughts
regarding equity. Sun also explains that the first word
that comes to her mind is “ideal”. However, she
chooses to write down “dream”. Sun notes that the
reason she chooses “dream” is because it has both a
positive and negative connotation. On the one hand,
she sees the positive side of a dream as something
that you are striving for, but on the negative it can be
perceived as being “just a dream.”

Created using Word Cloud
Generator in Google Drive

Reflecting on this activity, we wonder at the reasons
behind the choice to filter the first word that comes to
mind. Is it more common to filter our thoughts when we
are dealing with complex issues? Are we afraid of
being judged? Are we afraid of the darker side of
these issues and how we interpret and internalize
these events?

As we continue to talk about equity, Wendy mentions that she is unclear about the difference in meaning
between equity and equality. We also notice that some of the participants use these terms interchangeably. This
seems to point to the widespread ambiguity around the understanding of social justice that Sensoy and DiAngelo
(2017) indicate is a present reality. In the midst of discussing the differences between these terms, Marianna
remembers that Jenny has a drawing comparing the terms inequality, equality, equity, and justice and invites her
to share it with us.

Her illustrations give
us a way to visualize
one way of seeing
the differences, while
at the same time we
recognize, as Jenny
says, “there will
always be issues with
any diagram that
anybody ever
makes.” Thus, we will
continue to grapple
with what these terms
mean and look like in
our everyday
situations.
Image credit: Jenny

As we consider our use of language our attention turns to the relevance of the word multiculturalism. Sensoy and
DiAngelo (2017) observe that multiculturalism has been a significant part of policy implemented in Canada since
the 1970s, yet they also note that while it is meant to “promote the idea that all groups are positioned equally in
Canadian society…[it leaves] structural inequality unaddressed” (p. 123). With this in mind, we invite our
participants to think with the first few minutes of “The M Word” (Krishna, 2007), a documentary that considers the
relevance of multiculturalism in Canada from several points of view.
In response Ilam notes, “I don’t really hear that word these days… it has been replaced with diversity.”
Additionally, she comments that the idea of multiculturalism seems to portray the fact that there are many
cultures here in Canada, but is “not an acceptance of difference.”
Lan also says that she does not hear the term used much anymore.
She thinks that maybe it is a word more commonly used with new
immigrants and it is not necessarily as well understood by others.
Sun shares that her understanding of the word multiculturalism is
“respecting and embracing all the different cultures,” but also notes that
in reality it does not always work as intended.
Jenny comments that she thinks we should use the word
multiculturalism more and “make sure people know what it means.”
With the sharing of these points of views we see that multiculturalism
does seem to have a place in Canada, but we also want to ensure that
it is not used simply as rhetoric. If it is only a term used in policy, but
not implemented in ways that address inequality it is as Wendy says,
“putting lipstick on pig essentially.”

Photo credit: Katrina

With such varied
understandings of words, we
are intrigued to know how our
participants are making sense
of the concepts, so we invite
them to create a mind map.
We compile all the words from
these mind maps into a word
cloud.
As we reflect on the words
represented here we are
drawn to the word “towards.” It
seems to speak to the
relational piece of this work, as
well as the movement involved
in doing social justice work,
with it being a continual,
changing process.

Created using Wordclouds.com

We also see how some words,
such as people and culture,
are more prominent, showing
how we have collectively
placed a greater importance
on these words.

The Complexity of Culture
“Culture refers to the characteristics of everyday
life of a group of people located in a time and
place. Some of these characteristics are visible
and easily identified by the members of the
culture, but many (indeed most) of them are
below the surface of everyday awareness”
(Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2017, p. 36).

Since culture has had such a prominent
place in our discussions, we invite our
participants to fill out this Cultural
Competence Self-Assessment and see
what they notice.

Lina sees a connection between
number 7 and 19 on the assessment.
She states we should not assume we
know where people are coming from.
Rather, we should recognize that their
experiences will impact how they
engage with and trust us.
She further notes that in her work with
children often the educators tend to
label children without considering how
their background may have impacted
their behaviour. Lina remarks on the
injustice in this and of not trying to see
the situation from the child’s
perspective. As she explains, when we
do this it can often lead to the very
behaviours that we have been trying to
avoid.
(B. Applewhite, personal communication, January 15, 2021)

Also in reference to the Cultural Competence Self-Assessment,
Sun brings up that because she is living in South Korea, which she
describes as “mono-ethnicity and mono-culture,” she has to “rely on
[her] imagination and [...] previous experiences in foreign
countries.”
Lan recognizes that “being in Canada is different than being in a
more homogenous country.” She gives an example of when she
saw a tall blonde White woman for the first time and says, “I
couldn’t help but stare at her.” In comparison, after living here for
so many years she says today she would not even give the
encounter a second look.
Ilam recalls being at a gas station in Port Moody with two blonde
children staring at her and she thinks to herself maybe they have
never seen a brown person because “many people don’t actually
interact with people of different cultures and different races.”
This ties into what Sensoy and DiAngelo (2017) tell us when they
talk about how even in a country where there are many different
cultures and races, we still live very segregated lives. They go on to
note that these segregated communities did not happen by
accident, but rather that “all-White neighborhoods are the end
result of centuries of racist policies, practices, and attitudes that
have systematically denied peoples of Color entrance into White
neighborhoods” (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2017, p. 139).
Photo credit: Katrina

As we continue to think about culture, Jenny notes how difficult change can be due to our cultural background,
saying “a lot of what we were taught when we were little, we hold really close.”

We are also once again reminded of all that is below the surface as Marianna shares an incident from her
workplace of a parent complaining that she could not find a book in English to read to her child, but instead found
many books in other languages. In response to this Susan comments, “I think culture plays a part [as well as]
how we are raised.” In this story the fact that this individual did not recognize her own racist views until much
later speaks to us about how entrenched and valid our own thoughts can be in our minds. We wonder, what lens
was this parent looking from?
Jenny adds another story from her own experience that speaks to the hiddenness of culture. While at work, she
shut the door in order to ensure the children’s safety, but leaving it unlocked, thinking that the parents could enter
when they arrived. However, she noted that the parents did not just enter, but rather knocked on the door. Jenny
explains that she did not understand this until someone mentioned to her that there was a cultural difference.
These parents came from a culture where it would be disrespectful to simply enter the classroom. Jenny notes
that this was a big learning moment for her, to recognize how small and subtle cultural differences can be.
These two stories not only highlighted for us the complexities of culture, but also the incredible value of stories.
We see how stories give a living aspect to issues of social justice and help us to see how these issues can play
out in real life. Jenny also shares with us how meaningful stories have been in her continuing work towards
equity. She notes how much she has treasured stories, both the ones she has experienced and heard, as a part
of her learning process.

While we are seeking to learn more about culture, we also recognize how much room we
have for growth. One example of this comes forth as our own lack of cultural awareness is
brought to view when we miss out on a voice, namely Sun’s. In talking with Sun, she
mentions how she struggles to know when to speak up, and she sees how this struggle is
amplified due to her cultural upbringing, which taught her to be silent and listen to the
teacher.
For our own part, before the meeting we had discussed how perhaps given that these
subjects can be so intense and potentially trigger people, we would not call out our
participants to engage. Instead, we thought we would allow the conversation to flow
naturally.

After hearing from Sun, we recognize how our own respective cultural lenses impact our
way of thinking and blind us to how other cultures might interact. This inspires us to be
proactive in checking out our assumptions. Sensoy and DiAngelo (2017) note that “the
majority of culture is below the surface” (p. 37). Thus, we see the need to go below the
surface of our assumptions, expanding our own cultural awareness by digging deeper and
inviting a plurality of difference.
We thank Sun for bringing this to our attention and wonder how many more similar
interactions we experience in our daily lives that remain below the surface.

When we share our oversight with the group, we are struck by how generative the discussion becomes:

Sun shares her struggles to
communicate especially at finding
the right moment. She equated this
experience with trying to fit in to a
foreign country. She explains that
she was often told by people in the
dominant group the old proverb,
“When in Rome, do as the Romans
do.” Sun further adds she “wonders
if there will ever be the right amount
of mutual effort for people from
different backgrounds to understand
one another.” We can recognize the
complexity that culture presents as
Sensoy and DiAngelo (2017) explain
that all of us “are immersed from
birth in the deep water of our culture”
(p.36) and need the help of others to
navigate and understand the varying
depths and intricacies that culture
signifies.

Jenny goes on to express her
gratitude towards those that have
corrected her in the past. This leads
to Lina’s recognition and
gratefulness of vulnerability and
how necessary she believes it is to
expose oneself in order to forge
ahead with courage and openness.

In response to this sharing, Wendy
voices that she will choose to be
more silent and “honour the voices I
want to hear more than my own.”

Photo credit: Ilam

Ilam adds to this by stating, “culture is at the heart of everything we say and
do and plays such a pivotal role in our work with families.”

Reflecting on how much
conversation was generated by this
point, we can see how inequities
are further revealed in the process
itself. Through open communication
about our process, we gain deeper
insights into these issues and how
we might respond to them in the
future.

Marianna’s daughter Lorena, 8, brings in another voice with her interpretation of fair as
“every colour in the rainbow.”

Image credit: Lorena

As we reflect on this interpretation we consider how each of these colours are beautiful in their own
right, however they must all be together to be a rainbow, to have this collective identity. It reminds us
again of the power of diverse cultures coming together.

The Roles of Women
“Today, women have the right to vote and a multitude
of other rights afforded to them by law, and many
women in the United States and Canada would argue
that women’s oppression is a thing of the past.
However, sexism is a cogent example of how
oppression adapts over time and how the cultural
“water” is difficult to see while we are swimming in it”
(Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2017, p. 103).

From examining our culture we have seen many differences, but as we turn toward sexism we find common
ground in our womanhood. This topic comes up as we engage with chapter 7 in Sensoy and DiAngelo’s
(2017) book, which addresses sexism and in the process unsettles many of us. We find that this topic hits
close to home and leads to much dialogue. Some of our participants connect with the double standards and
dualities they face as women. For example, Sun recognizes how she has been immersed in these roles: on
the one hand supporting feminism, yet on another being biased under the influence of patriarchy.
Geeta, in reference to the startling statistics in the book, uses the
word “scary” to explain that sexism “exists in every society” and
sheds light on how we falsely assume that because we live in a
progessive country, we think it does not happen here. We wonder
why this is. Why do we think we are exempt? Perhaps it has to do
with only seeing individual cases, while not being exposed to the
dynamics presented by group patterns. As Sensoy and DiAngelo
(2017) note, “the way that dominant culture focuses on individuals
obscures group-level patterns” which in turn makes it “harder to see
everyday and ongoing sexism” (p. 106).
Lan also mentions “sex sells” and that “is how society is.” Ilam
responds to this by noting that we can make a choice, that “we don’t
have to use sex to sell. It has no longevity.”
On the other hand, Sensoy and DiAngelo (2017) also challenge us to
consider how much of a choice there really is. With structural
oppression integrated into society, going against cultural norms can
be costly. This shows us how complex and conflicting these issues
are. There is no easy solution and the freedom of choice really
seems more of an illusion.
Photo credit: Katrina

As we continue to think about sexism we see how personal
this issue is to each of us. While all of the chapters have
elements that make us uncomfortable, this chapter in
particular seems to provoke a more intense response since
we can all relate in one way or another. Words of distress
surface as we share our responses.
Ilam mentions how she can relate to these issues
personally, as she sees how she is expected to fulfill certain
traditional gender roles. She explains that it is “hard to fight
against.”
Zoe also chimes in as she refers to “an invisible mental
workload” that is a part of the expectations put on women to
fulfill these roles.
Wendy, on the other hand, remarks that in general she has
not felt this oppression. Rather, she notes that in her
privileged position she has not had to think about it much.
Yet, as she read this chapter she was again confronted by
the reality of oppression and it angered her deeply.

Created using WordArt.com

In the midst of our conversation the topic turns
to socialized gender norms.
Zoe mentions that she saw a video in which a
man was expressing jealousy over not having
what he considered to be womanly traits, such
as being “kind”, “gentle”, and “soft.”
In reply, Ilam notes how crazy that is as the
traits described are “human traits.”
This reminds us of an advertisement that was
brought to our attention by Wendy, as
displayed here. As can be seen, this
advertisement illustrates some traits that have
been stereotypically associated with women.
Through this we see the powerful role that
socialization has in defining gender
stereotypes (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2017) and
wonder at how we might combat these
stereotypes in practice.

[“We made Virginia Slims especially for women” Virginia Slims Ad]. (n.d.)

The importance of being proactive in combating stereotypes surfaces as we talk about living our lives in a
patriarchal world.
Lan shares a personal scenario about a female friend who holds a PhD and is a CEO of a tech company
and yet does not experience the same respect as a man in this same role. For example, her friend has
found some business associates unwilling to do business with her because she is a woman. This clearly
demonstrates the difference between rank and status as Sensoy and DiAngelo (2017) define it. While
she holds the powerful status of a CEO, yet because of her rank as a woman she is not given the respect
she is due.
Likewise, we discuss how women in the entertainment industry struggle with the pressure to conform to
stereotypical images of women. As Lan explains, it seems like a conundrum. On the one hand, should
one go along with society’s standards in order to become famous and then have a platform to affect
change? Or should one refuse to comply, but in the process perhaps lose the platform you could have to
speak out against these issues? In response, Ilam uses a counter example with Billie Eilish whose image
is all about standing against sexism and body shaming. This causes us to wonder, what is it about Billie
Eilish or about the times we are living in now that make it possible for her to push against societal
expectations.
Sun also shares a comment by Emma Watson in a speech at the UN expressing her own rights and
choice around how to use her own body. Clearly, these women can use their fame and status as
platforms to make powerful statements and bring more awareness to the deep rooted issues of sexism in
society. As Sun so wisely states, “it takes time to change what people are thinking about sexism.”

As a way to engage with sexism around us, we ask our participants to share an image of a woman from
popular culture. From the images that are shared, a variety of words are used to describe the women in
them, illustrated below. This prompts us to think of the classic woman illusion and how we can look at one
image and see something different depending on our perception.

([Diane], n.d.)

We then compile all of the images that were shared into a collage to show our participants,
inviting them to think about what words come to mind with all the images together.

(ANI, n.d.; Gross, n.d.; JStone/Shutterstock, n.d.; K. Hoskin, personal communication, January 28, 2021; Mazur, 2020; Mitsui, Wilson, Wyld,
Raham, Nelms, & Cowan, n.d.; [Queen Elizabeth the Second], n.d.; Scott, n.d.; [“You’ve come a long way, baby” Virginia Slims Ad], n.d.)

Reflecting on these collected images, the new words that emerge (shown below with capitalization)
are overwhelmingly hopeful. This portrays to us the strength of women coming together.

([Diane], n.d.)

Finding Hope
“[The work of social justice] is unquestionably very
challenging but can also be personally rewarding as we gain
insight, expand our perspectives, deepen our cross-group
relationships, align what we believe and say with what we do,
and increase our personal and political integrity” (Sensoy &
DiAngelo, 2017, p. 185-186, emphasis in original).

(thehomeedit, 2021, January 20)

Connecting to our thoughts around women, Ilam fittingly shows a photo that speaks to
the strength of women in positions of influence coming together. She says that seeing
these women gives her hope because, “I think in order for us to move forward and
address injustices it’s going to take women to be a part of that process.”
Susan adds to this by commenting that she always sees rainbows as hopeful because
they represent diversity and inclusion.
The recognition here is that women are drivers of change. Seeing them collectively,
their actions and voices are strengthened as we are reminded of the importance of
diversity coming together. This gives us reason for hope.

Photo credit: Elizabeth

Thinking with the theme of hope we are reminded of Elizabeth’s,10, interpretation of fair. As she says, “A lot of
things in life are equal but not fair. Fair but not equal. It is very difficult to achieve both at the same time.” She
further explains that her teacher gave many concrete examples demonstrating the difference between equal and
fair. Lan also shares that she finds hope in what is being presented to children as she explains how her son’s
class has been going through the book “Wonder” (Palacio, 2014) as a part of the curriculum. We are encouraged
by these examples of giving children these different entry points to formulate their own ideas of social justice.

Wendy also comments that she has hope because children growing up can have a multitude of perspectives
presented to them at an early age. To illustrate this, Wendy brings in two images from Sesame Street, one
highlighting their commitment to diversity and another highlighting the use of Indigenous language.

(Sesame Street, n.d.)

([Mohawk Sesame Street], n.d.)

Kari and Jenny add to this as they both mention that their daughters bring them hope because of their
proactive responses to social injustice.
We are intrigued by how much children are connected to our idea of hope. We are wondering about what
image of the child is being reflected in this connection to hope.

While reflecting on children as hope, our participants bring in further insights. Ilam
shares that she is amazed by her daughter’s perception of life especially around
injustices and inequalities in her school. Ilam continues with,

“I don’t feel hope because I believe children are a
magical cure to remedy all that ails society. My
hope lies more in the possibilities for change as
children are becoming exposed to multiple
perspectives from a very early age. Their worldview is more realistic and hopefully, this will lead
to more action towards addressing inequity and
injustice.”

Jenny also mentions she is curious about how her own daughters’ exposure to issues
of social justice education will play out for them as adults. There is a recognition of
change in education from our own childhoods to the present and we are wondering
what it will look like in the future.
Hearing from Ilam and Jenny reminds us that there is also a need to shift our image
of the child from innocence (Vintimilla, 2014) to one of agency and activism, which is
more aligned with social justice (Freire, 2005; Moss, 2019; Riordan et al., 2019).
Children are not isolated from the troubles of the world but rather must be regarded
as citizens fully engaged and capable to participate in the issues of our world.

Sun makes other connections to hope when she
notes that a “little, tiny brilliant idea really can
make a difference.” She then goes on to share
with us one such idea that gives her hope: a
South Korean woman who had an idea to help
children have the opportunity to go to school
rather than work, as well as providing electricity
for their families. This shows an example of
technology being used innovatively to displace
some of the inequities regarding basic needs in
the majority world.

(Arirang News, 2020, December 4)

(YOLK, 2020, November 3)

Sun also had another image that brought her
hope, the image of a sign language interpreter
standing right next to the speaker at a briefing in
South Korea. As Sun explains, usually the sign
language interpreter is in a little box at the edge
of the screen, but at this briefing they were
making the interpreter more prominent and easier
to see. This image shows a move towards equity
in that sign language is being recognized as its
own language in equal relation to spoken
language.

These examples of hope are generated as we ask the participants to think about what fills them
with hope. We had expected that this would be a very uplifting time, but as participants talk
about hope, we are surprised by how quickly the conversation turns to despair.
This is revealed as Kari begins by sharing how appalled she is about a recent news event
regarding a transgender girl who was bullied in Mission.
Lan also speaks to this incident, sharing that she has despaired over how much people seem to
use their phones to record events rather than stepping in to help.
When talking about examples of hope we have the expectation that hope will overflow and so
are taken aback to hear so much despair being mixed in. With reflection we realize that we are
falling into simplistic thinking that wants to categorize everything, putting our experiences into
neat little boxes of either hope or despair.
With hope so deeply intermingled with despair we see how immense these issues are. There is
no simple solution or magic formula that can lead us to a place of equity.

Illustrating this theme of hope being intermingled with despair, Lina uses words
that were spoken over the course of our discussion and beautifully encapsulates
our collective thinking.

Privileged Silence....
Slave to the label the privileged child
Personally discriminated
Mistakenly masked, by oppression piled
In a world by others dominated…
Silence, where are you?
Among pardon, hurry, smiles, perspectives
Hopes filled, shedding light into me, into YOU
Past, Future, entanglements and connectives

Instincts and caution slowing us down
The danger of the single story
Keeps following and floating around
Is silence hidden or housed in glory?
The more you see, the more you want to see…
The invisible becomes a SPECIAL need
Questions asked unsuppressed by YOU and ME
Labelling words in many ways indeed

Hope, and jumbled colonized languages
Images of Sesame Street so sweet and magically
Ingrained in our memories like bandages
Privileged, disturbed, photographically
Thoughts of Wonder in books and movies
Bullying floating in silence day in, day out…
Hopes and hearts filled with rubies
Privileged, Non-privileged they shout

Inclusion, diversity ingrained in WHITE
Stepping stones, waiting to be the changed
Stories about Somebody, Anybody, Nobody tonight
Illustrations in books always and carefully arranged
Silence where are you now?
Hopes of grappling hearts in a book club
Truth and Reconciliation is Today, is NOW
Practices of Listening, engraved 101 in a hub!

Putting Our Learning into Action
“We must understand our own positions within
these relations of unequal power. We must be
able to think critically about knowledge. And
most importantly, we must be able to act from
this understanding, in service of a more just
society” (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2017, p. 199,
emphasis in original).

With all of our reflection on these issues, we turn our attention to how all of this plays out in action. It is
apparent that we cannot enter into social justice superficially, as it takes deliberate and intentional work
on our part to affect change. What action should be taken will vary from place to place, and context to
context, but making a commitment to act against social injustice and for equity is a key component in
disrupting the unjust status quo (Blanchard et al., 2018; Boyd & Noblit, 2015; Solic & Riley, 2019; SoutoManning, 2011, 2017; Souto-Manning & Winn, 2019).
One example of how this unfolds in a particular context surfaces when Zoe invites feedback on her real
life situation. She is looking to host a book club to educate parents and children about inclusion and is
concerned about cultural appropriation. Although she feels she may be overstepping, she recognizes the
importance of somebody doing this work. Yet, as a White person, she wonders, “Is it inappropriate for
me to be that person?”
The response from all the participants is overwhelmingly supportive of Zoe as we all see this as a true to
life example of doing social justice.
Ilam powerfully makes the point that it is Zoe’s responsibility as a part of a dominant group to take on this
work. As she notes, marginalized groups cannot be expected to shoulder the whole responsibility for
getting these issues out there.

Geeta adds further to the conversation by bringing up a humorous story that illustrates our accountability
with issues of social justice. The story goes as follows:

(Who’s job is it anyways?, n.d.)

This story reminds us that we need to accept our own active role to engage with equity and not shirk away
from personal responsibility. Geeta sums this up by saying, “You have to be the change.”

One example of taking personal responsibility comes from Sun. She shares that as she goes about her everyday
life, she notices that her biases lay below the surface. She explains that her biases spring up in her life, illustrated
by the coil springing in her image below. This prompts Sun’s desire to work to “be aware of [her] unconscious
thoughts.”
Sun’s illustration
emphasizes the
importance confronting
our hidden biases.
Sensoy and DiAngelo
(2017) speak to this
when they talk about the
importance of being
aware of how our
socialization impacts the
way we live our lives. If
we remain blind to the
biases we possess we
may continue to act in
ways that promote social
injustice because the way
“we act in the world is
based on how perceive
the world” (Sensoy &
DiAngelo, 2017, p.196).
Image credit:Sun

In taking up personal responsibility, challenges continually arise. For example, the majority of us find
confrontation to be difficult and try to avoid it.
Zoe brings up that she finds it easier to confront those with whom she has a good relationship. She also notes
that having the appropriate vocabulary to engage in these kinds of discussions as well as confidence helps to
meaningfully counteract these forms of social injustice.
Jenny offers another point of view in that sometimes it is the people you are closest with that you might have
the most challenge to confront because they can be stuck in their ways and not receptive to hearing other
ideas.
Ilam points out that these conversations can be difficult because it is “hard to navigate reacting” due to the
emotion involved. She wants to be diplomatic rather than emotional in her response.
Wendy also touches on the difficulty of confrontation due to the emotions involved. She says, “I do call out
behaviours… I should do it more… but for my own mental health I cannot wallow in their darkness, their
bitterness, their hatred.”
Lina, on the other hand, has no problem with confrontation. She notes that “people need to be called out
because sometimes when you don’t know you assume.”
We see a common link in our desire to confront, but there are many reasons that stop us, including our own
readiness. While we are all at different points in our journey, we also recognize as we think with Sensoy and
DiAngelo (2017) that we have a responsibility to “align what we believe and say with what we do, and increase
our personal and political integrity” (p. 186, emphasis in original).

Marianna’s daughter Isabella, 10, creates a piece that illustrates to us this idea of being at different places
on this journey toward social justice.

Image credit: Isabella

This provokes us to think about where we are along this journey. Ilam beautifully illustrates her pathway
toward social justice in the following poem:
Flowing Threads
The flow is smooth, rough, bumpy,
at times dangerous even
bodies encounter many obstacles
on journeys forward and backwards
unwanted, unexpected, a resistance
fighting back, fighting against
letting go and pushing forward
cautiously, slowly
welcoming the glimmer
an essential part of living
of life
always in flight, in motion
rejuvenated, restored
with every bump
every torrent
enfolded into the fabric
the stitches threading anew
weaving possibility
renewal
life

Photo credit: Ilam

Jenny also shares with us where she is along her personal journey with social justice explaining how she
“wanted to choose a symbol out in the world that could be a reminder to do more of this work.”
She continues:
“It should be something I see often, in my home, workplace,
and community. I chose a feather. Feathers are seen
everywhere! They are incorporated in designs and artwork,
and have personal meanings to countless (and diverse)
people. Best of all, birds wear them in all shapes and sizes
with pride! They drop them out and about in the world, so I
see them both on their bodies and off. The Lenape story of
the Rainbow Crow is a favourite of mine. This story taught
me to see crows and their feathers as even more beautiful
(and interesting) than I already do. I have asked people from
various indigenous cultures if it would be “okay” to use
feathers for art purposes with children, and they told me
feathers are not representative of any clans, so feathers are
free to use for whatever reasons. However, I recognize there
are many cultures whose stories I have yet to hear who have
deep connections to certain birds. These birds and their
feathers are sacred ... In many Nations, feathers can be used
as a talking stick; they are passed around a gathering of
people and whomever is holding the feather is the person to
whom we should all be listening. Having listened to these
stories, feathers have become meaningful to me. Holding
certain feathers in your hands can be very empowering. For
these reasons, I think feathers will be a personal reminder to
me of the equity work that I am committed to engaging in for
the rest of my life.”
Photo credit: Jenny

While we spend some time reflecting on our personal journeys we also see the need to address issues of social
injustice on a larger scale. Susan presents an example of this with an image representing “how society thinks
about people.” As she explains, it is a hierarchy, with the White, male on top and people of colour and those with
disabilities at the bottom as they “are oftentimes disregarded by society.” She goes on to note that advocacy is
important and she feels “hopeful that society could change.”

Susan’s drawing
illustrates how
problematic it is to
not engage critically.
As Sensoy and
DiAngelo (2017) say,
“Dominant
discourses socialize
us into seeing our
positions in the
hierarchy as natural”
(p. 71). We are
reminded of the
need to engage with
these issues
critically if we want
to be advocates for
change.
Image credit: Susan

Sun shows how being an advocate for social justice issues can unfold by becoming more literate in critical
social justice. She explains how the word “default” stands out to her and is defined as “the thing that exists or
happens if you do not change it intentionally by performing an action” (Cambridge Dictionary, n.d.). Sun goes
on to share how this word is related to settings on a computer or music player. On a music player she found
that there is a setting called an equalizer that one can play around with and she relates this to our efforts at
addressing issues of social injustice. She shows us this illustration, in which critical social justice literacy is the
equalizer.
She notes that as we
engage with critical social
justice literacy we can
change the default of
inequity into a more
socially just society. This
ties into what Sensoy and
DiAngelo (2017) state,
the societal default is
oppression” (p. 203). Sun
goes on to share that,
“It’s not just about
rebutting with shallow
knowledge, [it’s about]
using informed
knowledge with deep
understanding.”

Image credit: Sun

Conclusion
“Developing critical social
justice literacy requires a
lifelong commitment to an
ongoing process” (Sensoy &
DiAngelo, 2017, p. 215).

As we draw near to the end, Wendy shares some
of her learning with us. She uses pink to show
what is more clear for her now and green to show
areas that are still unresolved.
Wendy explains that previously she has never
connected inequity to social justice and that she is
embarrassed by this. She also speaks to feeling
ashamed about this “lack of education and total
ignorance” and once again we are reminded of
the intense feelings that are involved when doing
this work. Her understanding of equity now is
shaped by the image she has of “people trying to
see over a fence” and needing different resources
to do so.
She also shares that she has never thought of
herself as marginalized and felt very
uncomfortable recognizing this. This helps her to
relate to how people of colour must feel on a
regular basis. She also has lingering questions
like whether even being an ally is enough if
people feel marginalized every day. Wendy
shares that this intentional time during the book
club “has opened her mind to issues that [she]
never gave a lot of thought to.”
Image credit: Wendy

Lina adds to Wendy’s sentiments through her gift of poetry, illustrating how we have struggled together with
these issues and explaining, “I don’t think we are leaving here as we arrived, with the same frame of mind…
we’ve grown as educators, as women, as citizens, as human beings.”

Social Justice….
As I sat at the edge of the Creek today
With many encounters Screaming to stay!
Memories, persistently Grappling
As Single Stories still are happening…
We have sat in uncomfortable silences
Dearly holding to…, Emptying…, Listening…
Are we there Yet? Where are we Going?
As social justice, Arrives in despair… Repositioning
New perspectives Flowing in a creek…
We look at the Time, we look at the Clock, we look in the mirror
We sit in agony wanting Time and the Children to Speak!!!
While the River of Life flows unknowingly nearer
Counter cultures Fight, Protesting strongly…
For equal civil rights… We've struggle to go to where we are
As we Walk along the Sidelines Safely alone and Far..
Wanting to get Immersed with life's journey Scars…
Fractions of the sun, Afraid, Begin to Lift away,
Into a pond of hesitation, wanting to Speak about Social Justice
Afraid, and wanting to Fall Asleep we struggle to Stay
Seeing Hope, and Entangled relationships … Learning to Give Away!
Photo credit: Lina

Reflecting upon this journey, two main themes appear: questions and hope.
First of all, we see that we still have many questions. As participants share their learning, they also share
lingering questions and spark more questions in other participants. Lan comments that, “It brings more
questions, now it seems like you need to look within yourself.” Sun notes, “This is the last session, but
there’s still lots of question.” She also comments that “it’s hard to embrace ambiguity. I still find myself trying
to find a certain answer.”
We see here a desire to have answers, to wrap things up neatly. However, Sensoy and DiAngelo (2017)
remind us not to be too hasty in coming to conclusions because “the desire to jump to the ‘end’ or to the
answers can be a way to avoid the hard work of self-reflection and reeducation that is required of us” (p.
197). So, we choose to stay with the questions and the struggles that they bring up.
The other main theme we see is hope. Throughout this last meeting we notice how the word hope
continually surfaces. Although we have all of these lingering questions, we still feel that we can move
forward with a sense of hope to address inequities in our communities.
Much of the sharing around hope also has had a close connection to children. We recognize that children
are citizens and that they are not sheltered from these issues, but rather that these issues are also an
everyday reality for them. This reminds us again of the importance of engaging with children in this work, to
represent their voices and share their thinking and encourage their activism.

([Sonya Renee Taylor Quote], n.d.)

We move forward with many questions still unanswered, yet with hope brimming
in our hearts. We move forward with the desire to continue engaging in this work,
to grapple, to struggle, to see progress. We recognize that this work involves a
lifetime commitment (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2017) and so we also move forward
with renewed commitment towards working alongside others to tear down
inequities and make something new, something better.

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