Abstract
As Native women professors, counselors, and administrators within higher education, the four authors will focus on transformational change within oppressive environments, addressing institutionalized racism stemming from a colonial history of education. The authors will discuss identified barriers including operating in an oppressive work environment which can sometimes render us invisible and silent for self-preservation, threats to our positions from taking a stand against racial or cultural inequity, and resisting assimilation strategies created by structural racism. It is important to share experiences with working in systematically oppressive environments and the covert ways in which Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) are transformational change agents, leaders against racial and cultural oppression.
TopIntroduction
We have always been very resilient—but our resilience doesn’t mean that our lives are ever easy. - Benaway, Seven Quotes About Resiliency from Black and Indigenous, Queer, Trans, Women
Note. Gwen Benaway identifies as a “trans girl of Anishnaabe and Métis descent.”
As Native women professors, counselors, and administrators within higher education, the prior quote about resiliency and our lives being anything but easy, rings true. Transformational change within oppressive environments and addressing institutionalized racism inherent within the colonized system of education is never easy, but it is needed and necessary for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) student success.
The four Native women professionals writing this chapter have identified several barriers to transformational change in higher education. Barriers identified include (a) operating in a hostile, oppressive work environment which can sometimes render BIPOC professors, counselors, and administrators invisible and silent for self-preservation or challenge these professionals to resist, further taxing their mental health; (b) assimilation strategies to prevent transformational change; and (c) threats to positions and livelihood from taking a stand against racial or cultural inequity. The authors have offered their professional experiences throughout the chapter. It is important to share experiences from working in systematically oppressive environments and the ways in which BIPOC are transformational change agents/leaders against racial and cultural oppression. The recent emergence of defining Black and Indigenous representation is called into focus through the acronym BIPOC rather than POC which indicates non-white individuals. Therefore centering Black and Indigenous voices is a politic the authors are asserting in this chapter.
The authors discuss efforts to resist assimilationist strategies historically driven to crush creativity and halt transformational change and propose a transformational change agent equation. The transformational change agent equation is based on the needs of transformational leaders being met, minus barriers inherent within higher education, plus Native American reziliency (Belcourt-Dittloff, 2006), and strategies to combat the barriers inherent with the colonized system, resulting in transformational change to the institution.
TopMet Needs – Barriers + Rezilience + Strategies = Transformational Change
The foundational framework of this chapter centers on the areas of the transformational change agent equation which include: met needs (self-care), a description of some of the significant barriers to change, discussion of Native “reziliency” (Belcourt-Dittloff, 2006), and highlighting strategies for change. Each section will address the transformational change agent equation and will be described in further detail. For the authors to share their professional experiences and narratives in the sections identified, the history of racism within the educational system must be examined in the proceeding section.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Transformational Change Agent Equation: An equation developed to identify and connect specific variables including met needs of the Native professional, barriers, Native Reziliency, strategy, and change.
Reziliency: A specific type of resiliency Native people possess related to specific types of oppressions experienced by Native people (e.g., boarding schools; stolen colonized land base; reservations; forced removal).
Transformational Leadership: A leader who can motivate with a high degree of emotional intelligence and can inspire change that transforms previously held organizational culture normatives.
Structural Racism: Exists in all areas of education and it is based in oppressive settler colonialism, and pervasive in policies and practices. Structural and systemic racism is inherent in the very framework of educational institutions, making it difficult for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) to lead.
Structural Violence: Violence inherent in colonized systems, like education; used to threaten BIPOC into subordination or inaction to prevent transformational change. The Native American experience within American education has largely been one of assimilation, violence, and oppression.
Affective Relationships: Refers to interpersonal relationships that fulfill personal needs for emotional interactions with specific people in our lives including family, community, tribe, and colleagues; these relationships include the need for giving and receiving emotional support, attention, and supportive nurturing behavior.
Boarding Schools: Enacted as part of United States government assimilationist policies in the late 1800’s; was the outright kidnapping of Native American children from their families to assimilate and indoctrinate them into ‘white’ society, resulting in intergenerational traumatic experience. The boarding school experience was an instrument of colonization that has long lasting negative impacts on Native American society, culture, families, and overall wellness today.
BIPOC: The recent emergence of defining Black and Indigenous representation is called into focus through the acronym BIPOC rather than POC (People Of Color) which indicates non-white individuals. Therefore, centering Black and Indigenous voices is a politic the authors are asserting in this chapter.