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Plucked out of CultureToday, for the most part, our working

relationships are determined by a culture of individualism. Organizations and groups areviewed as collections of individuals, devoidof family, history, and culture. Historically

people were expected to leave behind ties toculture, place and heritage in order to enter the middle-class. This trade-off has beenresisted by those who have historically beenkept out. In response to discrimination peoplehave created cultures affirming their sense of themselves and their collective identity. Partof the strength of these cultures is that they

provide people with the capacity to reject thetrade-off. No longer willing to fit inindividuals from oppressed groups are

beginning to reshape working life.We each simultaneously embody

individual and cultural experience. For peopleimbedded in the middle-class, this is a difficultconcept to grasp precisely because their culture emphasizes individuality. Everybodystands alone, an individual plucked from any

cultural, social, and historical context. Inmulticultural settings, middle-classacculturated people express this attitude bywanting to be treated as the exception to thehistory and practice of their group. Menacknowledge sexism, but want to be seenindividually as fair, whites acknowledgeracism, but want to be trusted as an individualwho has moved beyond it. Few see that theability to be seen as an individual, withoutconnection to ones social group, is solely afunction of privilege.

In the larger society, a woman on the side

of the road in a broken down car is vulnerable,no matter what her professional status; anAfrican American teenager in a store isfollowed by a security guard, no matter whathis intent; or a person who uses a wheel chair is treated as though she cannot think for herself. When one is used to mistreatment,trust is never a given. In middle-class culture,

personal trust is a prerequisite for workingtogether; when shifting to a multiculturalatmosphere, expectations need to be adjusted.In diverse settings, trust is something to be

The Dynamics of TThe Dynamics of TThe Dynamics of TThe Dynamics of TThe Dynamics of T okokokokokenismenismenismenismenism by Margo Adair & Sharon Howell

of Tools for Changeearned by the choices and actions of everyday life.

Middle class people who genuinely wantothers to share their perspectives can never assume that this interest will be perceived or trusted. When people have years of experiencing being devalued within the larger society, a continual demonstration of beingtaken seriously is needed for them to bewilling to share their views and contributefully. Trust grows from shared work; it cannever be assumed across boundaries of race,class, gender, or... .

Efforts to shift to multicultural processesare often met with two related comments:Lets just treat everyone as a human beingand not get caught up in the things thatdivide us or Lets just treat everyone as anindividual. These comments, intended to

promote unity, create tokenism instead.Individuals with less social power are seen

by those from dominant groups as either representatives of their entire group or as theexceptional individual, not like the rest of them. People from oppressed groups arefrequently asked to characterize the viewpointof their entire groupas though everyone of the group thinks the same. Because peopledont know others from the marginalized group

they turn to the lone member and ask them.For example, a group of administrators ask the only African American in the office,What do your people think of the situationin Haiti? Or at a board meeting of a socialservice organization, turn to the one elder and ask How will old people feel about thisnew policy? Treating them as arepresentative of an entire marginalized groupreduces their presence to little more than astereotype. Their own individual experiences,skills, contributions and talents are lost behindthe mask of tokenism. If on the other hand,

they are treated as the exceptionalindividual of their group, the culture fromwhich they come and the oppression theyexperience daily are rendered invisible at

best, or viewed as exotic and disadvantaged,they are heroes who have managed to leaveit behind.

Individuals are embedded in their cultures. The sharp distinction betweenindividual identity and cultural integrity whichruns through middle-class life usually createsa kind of schizophrenia for members of

marginalized groups. Either they lose their individuality and become tokenrepresentatives of their entire culture, or theymaintain their individuality and suppress their sense of cultural identity. Yet for the most

part, people from marginalized groups gainidentity and pride from their group.Witnessing and being a part of making away out of no way, strength, courage andinnovation are experienced as deeplyentwined with their cultural identity. On theother hand, those from the middle-class have

been socialized to disassociate from anygroup identity and to view groups withsuspicion because they are the very thingthat stands in the way of advancement. For those from oppressed groups their collectiveidentity provides strength. For those of themiddle class it takes it away.

When members of oppressed groupshave to choose between individuality andgroup identity it is a no-win situation thatentrenches the monoculture. If a personchooses individuality it becomes extremelydifficult to maintain ties to their owncommunity. They look different but act thesame as the rest in the organization. If on theother hand, they choose to preserve their cultural identity, they find themselves both

isolated in the organization and facing perpetual resistance to their claiming of cultural identity. They eventually leave theorganization, leaving behind a monoculture.

Overcoming TokenismTo overcome tokenism, we need to create

organizational cultures that enable everyoneto claim both their individual and their culturalintegrity. For this reason it is vital to have anumber of people from any particular group,or to build alliances with groups rooted indifferent communities. This makes it clear that everyone from the same group is not thesame. It also overcomes much of the isolationthat people from oppressed groups feel whenthey are in a minority position.

People need space and time to gather with others of their own group. When peoplefrom a minority group put forward their desireto meet separately, it is met with greatresistance by everyone else. Other peoplefeel left out, deprived of the opportunity toget to know those different from themselves.It also invariably brings up feelings that they

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must be doing something wrong, or peoplefrom the minority group would not need tomeet by themselves. Yet a caucus createsa context for mutual support for individualswho are likely to be alienated. It creates asafe place to be able to express thesensibilities rooted in their particular cultural experience. Here there is no need tochoose between remaining silent or carefully explaining things so as not to

provoke hostility or defensivenessonedoesnt have to choose between self andgroup identity. In a caucus setting, peopleshare the same cultural norms and anunspoken understanding of the day-to-day difficulties faced in the larger organization. They can let down their guard.Spontaneity emerges and with it innovativethinking that the whole organization gainsfrom. It provides a place in which theydont have to leave their identity at thedoor and try to fit in. Instead, their difference

becomes a source of strength and the particularity of their cultural experience isaffirmed and energized. This spills into theTo shift into organizational modes thatembrace multiple cultural experiences weneed to develop processes that enable usto share our wholeness. Our connectedness with one another isstrengthened when people share their stories which bring out differingsensibilities and engage openly andcompletely in creating common goals,

values and visions.

TTTTTransform Organizational Cultureransform Organizational Cultureransform Organizational Cultureransform Organizational Cultureransform Organizational Cultureso everyone contributes their best.

Tools for Change offers training, consulting, mediation and facili-tation services on justice issues and the bringing together of history,

heart, spirit, values, and vision. Wecreate a respectful atmosphere in which power, history and culture are openly addressed. When we share our storiesand full perspectives, we discover how to heal the schisms across the linesof race, gender, class, sexual orientation, age, and physical ability. Thisenables everyone to transform guilt, blame, and distrust into supportive andcreative relations, power dynamics and tokenism are replaced by an open,multicultural and democratic context.

Tools for Change helps organizations develop and implement innovative policies and practices that advance cooperation, creativity, trust , democracyand accountability. Our associates have are experienced in personal andcommunity empowerment, diversity issues, leadership development,mediation and facilitation.We are diverse in our skills, race, ethnic and class

backgrounds, sexual orientation, and physical abiliti es.

O RGANIZATIONS W E H AVE W ORKED WITH :

State Coalitions against DV: RI,CA,PA,OR & NYU.C. Rape Education ProgramsRural Women's ResourcesJesuit Volunteer CorpsNational Gay & Lesbian Task Force

California Assc.of AIDS AgenciesInterfaith Center for Racial JusticeSEIU, Local 535The Family Center Planned ParenthoodLesbian & Gay Coalition Against DV

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT WORKSHOPS OR CONSULTANCY SERVICES CONTACT:

Tools for Change2408 East Valley Street

Seattle, WA 981121-800-99-tools or 206 3292201email: info@toolsforchange.org

web site: www.toolsforchange.org

For a copy of Breaking Old Patterns, Weaving New Ties, send $9.50For a copy of The Subjective Side of Politics , send $8.50

For a copy of From Leadership to Empowerment , send $8.50

COPYRIGHT, 1997, Tools for Change

PAMPHLETS FROM Tools for Change :

Breaking Old PatternsWeaving New Ties

The Subjective Side of Poli tics

From Leadershipto Empowerment

READERS COMMENTS:

This makes visible the hidden barriers that blockour ability to work together effectively. Its full of concrete strategies for creating a context thatwelcomes everyone's contributions.

--Sister Guadalupe Guajardo A very important piece of work for both emergingand established organizations. Although it's good for individuals, it's best to study it collectively and use itfor training programs.

--Richard Moore

W E H ELP C REATE AN ATMOSPHERE THAT :

Evokes a spirit of generosityReclaims wholenessBuilds trustDraws out mutual supportWhere differences widen horizonsInspires integrity and respect

Fosters principled relationshipsEstablishes democratic processesPeople enjoy one another Is inovativeIs productiveIs visionary