Starting a Local Group, Inclusion


The March Carnival of Aros is intersectionality and inclusivity. 

I'm starting up a local Ace and Aro group. I've been meaning to do it for a while, and I'm getting the ball rolling again. Now is a great time to think about inclusivity. This post focuses on race, but the concepts can be applied to general inclusion of marginalized groups. 

The Situation

  • I'm white
  • I'm starting a local ace and aro group
  • I live in a city highly ranked for segregation. *cue the sad confetti*
  • There is an assumption that asexuality/aromanticism/queerness is a "white thing"**
  • Online spaces, queer spaces, and online queer spaces are often white-centric**
**I don't recall specifically where I learned the last two points, or what evidence they had, but I believe these points to be true

I'm not inventing the Wheel

I'm not in this alone. I don't have to figure out how to be inclusive by sitting around with my thoughts. 

The White Supremacy Culture Characteristics is a fantastic framework to help yourself see unhelpful patterns like "quantity over quality" and "fear of open conflict". 

Cinnamon posted a list of "actionable things that an organization or individual activist can do to further racial equity in their own work" for the invisible activism Carnival of Aces. 

Aces NYC holds open Racial Equity Meetings and shares meeting notes. From their notes, it looks like their current focus is fine-tuning options for reporting racism and how the leaders react. [Aces NYC has a recurring Aro meeting by the way.]

Happify (a gamified happiness freemium app I've been playing with) posted the article "How to Be an Ally to the AAPI Community Amid the Rise of Anti-Asian Attacks" which has concrete suggestions from a variaty of psychology experts. Suggestions include bystander invervention training and exposing yourself to the culture because "exposure has been shown to be the most effective intervention in reducing discrimination."

Point A isn't the Answer

At an anti-racism conference, someone had a great metaphor. [Sorry for the vagueness, but I don't want to give a hint where I live, and I heard this second hand about a session I wasn't at.]

White people (I'm white) trying to be anti-racist can fall into the trap of "There are no/few POC in this space. We need to bring POC from Point B where they are to Point A where we are." However a more constructive approach would be "What about this space led to there being no/few POC? Could we go to Point B? Could we create a Point C?"

To turn this metaphor into a concrete example (and branching out into more marginalized groups).

  • Where can I promote the group online and in the real world to break out of white-centric information bubbles? Who can help me? (Local organizations, online POC groups)
  • How can I show that POC (and other intersections) are welcome and their concerns would be heard? (include anti-discrimination in the rules, provide several and anonymous ways of contacting me with concerns)
  • What online and in person spaces and times are accessible? (survey members - consider transportation, mobility, work schedule, internet access, familiarity with specific online spaces, sensory concerns, ability to comfortably interact with different styles of online space [forum, chat room, video call, email chain])

Conclusion

Do the thing. Listen. Ask for help. Keep trying.

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