Today, we navigated an essential and deeply impactful conversation—what it means to truly make room for marginalized voices beyond performative gestures. This is about creating tangible change, not just extending invitations for the sake of appearances. I shared personal experiences and examples of how tokenization perpetuates harm, while structural inclusion and genuine power sharing uplift those most impacted by systemic inequities.
This discussion was powerful, grounded in truth, and a reminder that centering marginalized voices is essential to collective liberation. We discussed the importance of creating spaces where marginalized individuals feel heard, valued, and empowered without being tokenized. It’s not about giving people permission to speak—it’s about dismantling the systems that silence them and passing the mic in meaningful ways.
We also discussed my sidequest Black History Month Through the Lens of Liberation and how we do not need to make comparisons to Nazi Germany when we have enough racialized violence and genocides here in the United States.
Despite the chaos of life (including Frozen sing-alongs and morning hot flashes), we came together to focus on the work that matters. Let’s dive into what we covered and how you can put these lessons into practice.
Three Takeaways:
Representation Without Tokenization
Creating Structures for Inclusion, Not Just Invitations
Stepping Back to Make Space
