Ms. Maya, this is another electric piece of writing, and so, so resonant. This part in particularly hit right at home for me: "...The parts that have been exiled in an intangible fog of shame, fear, guilt and rage which looms over the organization, yet seems to have a mysterious way of disappearing when someone tries to name or grasp it." This was certainly the case one of the nonprofits I worked for which dealt with the maternal health issue obstetric fistula. For a while I was the only person of color and only male at a place where we served all women of color. This shadow was very real and showed up in a multitude of ways! That you've given voice to it here is so validating. I wasn't crazy! Ha! We must connect soon! ❤️
Steven! Thank you so much - I always love hearing from you and really appreciate the time and energy you pour into your lovely comments. Reading about your experience, I can already imagine the fog that was hanging over the organization and how difficult it must have been to even bring it up because it was probably very unsafe to do so and could possibly have resulted in negative consequences for you, rather than the other way around. It's a very unhealthy power model, particularly from a race perspective but also gender too. I'm sorry you had to experience this. And yes - we absolutely must, it's long overdue!
Ms. Maya, this is another electric piece of writing, and so, so resonant. This part in particularly hit right at home for me: "...The parts that have been exiled in an intangible fog of shame, fear, guilt and rage which looms over the organization, yet seems to have a mysterious way of disappearing when someone tries to name or grasp it." This was certainly the case one of the nonprofits I worked for which dealt with the maternal health issue obstetric fistula. For a while I was the only person of color and only male at a place where we served all women of color. This shadow was very real and showed up in a multitude of ways! That you've given voice to it here is so validating. I wasn't crazy! Ha! We must connect soon! ❤️
Steven! Thank you so much - I always love hearing from you and really appreciate the time and energy you pour into your lovely comments. Reading about your experience, I can already imagine the fog that was hanging over the organization and how difficult it must have been to even bring it up because it was probably very unsafe to do so and could possibly have resulted in negative consequences for you, rather than the other way around. It's a very unhealthy power model, particularly from a race perspective but also gender too. I'm sorry you had to experience this. And yes - we absolutely must, it's long overdue!