Genocide/Colonialism
Heteropatriarchy and the Three Pillars of White Supremacy
- Annihilate cultural groups so that non-native groups can colonize and claim resources
- Example
Rethinking Women of Color Organizing
WS 330U Women of Color in the U.S.
Charity Cheney
Alexandra Shall
Terresa Johnson
Organizing Among Women of Color and the "Oppression Olympics"
Slavery/Capitalism
Three Pillars of White Supremacy, Continued
- Political organizing among WOC groups is at times dysfunctional and ineffectual as a result of political and societal factors
- Participants are distracted by who experiences more oppression
- The Three Pillars of White Supremacy
- Explains the multiple oppressions and privileges existent within groups of color as a result of these Pillars
- Both victims and complicit participants
- Based upon an understanding of slavery and racial hierarchy
- System of commodification promoting capitalism
- Example
- Prison Industrial Complex
Orientalism/War
The Three Pillars of White Supremacy
- The attributing of foreign and the naming of inferior and superior
- Justification for war
- Example
- Racial profiling of Arab-Americans
- Offers an explanation as to why not all groups of color experience white supremacy in the same way
- Composed of
- Slavery/Capitalism
- Genocide/Colonialism
- Orientalism/War
Shortcomings of WOC Organizing
Heteropatricarchy and the Family
- The Black/White binary
- US-Centricism
- White, patriarchal, middle class, nuclear
- Heteronormativity
- Serves political agenda
Discussion Questions
- Three examples are provided that are representative of the Three Pillars. What other examples do you see in present society or historically?
- Using your knowledge of the Three Pillars, heteropatriarchy, and the role of families, how do you envision WOC organizing changing?
Image Theater
Exercise One
Interactive Activity
using Theater of the Oppressed
Why Theater of the Oppressed and Image Theater?
- Group or groups stand in a circle facing outwards. The moderator chooses a word or concept. At the count of three, the group members face the circle inwards and assume a frozen image representative of what the individual's interpretation of the word is.
Image Theater
Image Theater
Exercise Two
- A form of oppression is agreed upon by the group or groups as a whole
- Create "real image" as a group followed by discussion
- Create "ideal image" followed by discussion
- Begin with real image to transition to ideal image
Image Theater
Exercise Three
Conclusions and Questions?
- Form groups of three
- Two group members freeze in the action of shaking hands
- One group member replaces another in a new pose continuing or changing the story line
References
Incite! Women of Color Against Violence. (2006). Color of violence: The Incite! anthology. Cambridge, Mass: South End Press.
MacDonald, S., & Rachel, D. (2000). Augusto Boal's forum theater for teachers: Notes from a workshop at Athens Conference 2000. Organizing for Power, Organizing for Change. Retrieved October 24, 2012, from http://organizingforpower.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/games-theater-of-oppressed.pdf