Building community is challenging at the best of times, even when centering marginalized voices and creating equitable and just spaces isn’t an explicit priority. However, strengthening equity and justice in community is the key to sustainable and actionable change.
Within workspaces: communities must be built, and to build a strong and lasting community, the different ways in which individuals within the group are affected by systemic oppression must be accounted for, discussed, and addressed through institutional practices. Establishing ongoing dialogues about inequity, and shifting communication methods to increase accountability and understanding contributes greatly to community building within organizations. UNLRN PRJCT emphasizes that folks within your workspace exist fully outside of it, and to comprehensively support a diverse workforce and clientele, an understanding of how to support the amplification of marginalized voices in your broader communities is key.
Outside workspaces: learning to build community sustainably in your individual life, with equity and justice at the forefront of your consideration, take time and guidance. This is where One-on-One with Ro sessions can be instrumental.