Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is now considered an essential pillar of many organizations, especially for non-profit organizations with mandates related to social good. Yet, many organizations find themselves struggling to achieve lasting, meaningful change.
Traditional EDI strategies often overlook systemic roots of oppression, focusing primarily on diversity metrics and branding exercises. Addressing representation without addressing systemic barriers to inclusion can lead to tokenism or performative allyship, where diversity is visible but superficial. EDI statements and commitments can be powerful tools, but failing to live up to these promises can leave employees feeling disillusioned and communities losing trust in your organization.
How an Anti-Oppressive Framework Can Help
Anti-oppression is a framework designed to identify and dismantle the systemic barriers that disadvantage specific groups. Anti-oppression tackles the root causes of exclusion and harm, such as racism, sexism, ableism, and transphobia. Integrating an anti-oppression framework into equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives makes the work far more effective. Here’s how and why:
- Accountability
Even when individuals and organizations have the best intentions, mistakes can be made and harm can take place. An essential part of building trust and reducing harm is creating an organizational culture where people feel that they are able to raise concerns without reprisal, report harmful incidents, and identify barriers. Creating a safe(r) space can involve setting participation guidelines for tough discussions and ensuring staff and management have training on how to respond when someone discloses that harm occurred.
- Taking Action at all Levels
To be effective, actions must include taking deliberate steps to dismantle forms of oppression which manifest at individual, interpersonal, institutional, and ideological levels. For example, at the interpersonal level, one’s conscious or unconscious biases against the Black community can result in anti-Black microaggressions, stereotypes, and even overt harassment. At the institutional level, ableist practices can result in the construction of physical and digital spaces that are inaccessible to those with disabilities. Training, anti-discrimination programs, and commitment from leaders can ensure everyone is treated with respect and dignity, that an organization will take action when mistreatment occurs, and that accessibility is not an afterthought. Equity-based decision-making support tools can help ensure equity, accessibility, and racial justice are considered in every aspect of an organization’s operations.
- Centering the Margins
An anti-oppression approach requires centering the needs of marginalized communities. It is not enough to simply include diverse individuals; organizations can engage in active listening, power sharing, and centering the voices of those most marginalized. In all EDI strategies, it is important to actively name the communities that are most impacted by forms of oppression in our society, and the anti-oppressive approaches that will be used as tools for change. Incorporating initiatives that are guided by disability justice, gender justice, 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion, feminism, racial equity tools, and dismantling anti-Black racism can radically transform EDI work at your non-profit.
- Intersectionality
A term first coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, an intersectional approach requires understanding that individuals can experience overlapping forms of oppression. For example, Muslim women may be confronted with experience gendered Islamophobia, such as discriminatory policies and legislation which exclude/ban religious head coverings. Therefore, an anti-oppressive approach requires that all initiatives and projects incorporate an intersectional lens. If a non-profit creates programming for Black youth, has the program development considered that some of those youth may also be queer and disabled?
- Solidarity
By centering marginalized voices, organizations not only strengthen internal relationships but also foster trust and accountability with the communities they serve. Relationship building must be reciprocal. Those leading resistance work within their communities often have limited resources and face some of the most precarious situations. Non-profits should be mindful to spend time asking community leaders how they can support and amplify their initiatives, rather than merely consulting when it serves a non-profit organization’s current projects.Building trust requires long-term, caring engagement and showing up when it matters most.
Another example of solidarity work is to demonstrate that you are listening by using the language that marginalized communities identify as the most respectful, inclusive, and anti-oppressive. An example of this is for settler-led organizations to never say “our Indigenous community,” as Indigenous leaders have identified that this wording harmfully implies that they are ‘owned’ by non-Indigenous institutions.
Moving Beyond Inclusion Efforts to Transformational Change
“While being inclusive is a valuable aim, we actually need to go further…Inclusive thinking can soften our ambition, encouraging us to be a bit kinder, a bit more welcoming. But it’s not going to dismantle centuries-old oppressive systems. We have to challenge them directly.” — Ettie Bailey, Want to be more inclusive? You need anti-oppressive content.
The result of adding an anti-oppressive approach to your EDI strategy can be a meaningful removal of harmful barriers and an increase of equitable and empowering policies, practices, and services. Becoming an anti-oppressive organization can deepen your relationships and build trust with both employees and communities. This not only better positions your non-profit to engage in meaningful and impactful equity work—it is the right thing to do. All organizations—especially those with a social good mandate—have an opportunity and a responsibility to create a more socially just world.
Take Action
Integrating an anti-oppression framework into your EDI strategy demonstrates a genuine commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. Challenging systemic oppression is complex, long-term, and difficult work. If you or your organization are looking for support in understanding and applying an anti-oppressive approach, I invite you to check out Anti-Oppression Consulting’s upcoming Anti-Oppression Workshop Series. to gain practical tools and strategies to drive lasting change in your organization.
