Accountability Statement
In all my work - including workshops, trainings, 1-1 sessions, and consultations with organisations and individuals - I commit to create spaces which are respectful and welcoming, and which honour diverse lived experiences, insights, perspectives and ways of being in the world.
I strive to work with integrity, clarity, and empathy to walk alongside and support others with gentleness and patience, so that they feel empowered to find their own ways of showing up in the world which interrupt oppression.
I encourage participants in my sessions to show up in the spirit of allyship and collaboration with care, solidarity and respect for others, and with the aim of progressing together in the often complex sense-making journey to dismantling racism. I commit to applying the same standards to myself, and I will gently call in or out any inappropriate behaviours including micro- and macro-aggressions. When conflict arises, I commit to approaching it with integrity, openness and patience, being mindful that our - white folks’ - attitude to conflict can teach us a lot about the ways racism operates, as it makes the members of the dominant group fearful of open conflict in relation to race, and unwilling to embrace discomfort.
I commit to transparency and accountability, and I encourage and will respond to feedback. I commit to ownership of my mistakes and blindspots, and will endeavour to seek repair if possible. I commit to ongoing learning, education, and training, and will continue to engage in dialogues and collaborations around issues related to anti-racism, social justice, equity, and anti-oppression. I respect confidentiality and fully adhere to GDPR legislation.
Work on anti-racism, racism and race has a potential to be charged and difficult at times, provoking strong emotions and responses. I recognise that we each have distinct life stories, and what feels neutral or welcoming for one person could be experienced as triggering by somebody else. I will do my best to create welcoming, kind, and at the same time honest and open conditions for my clients to recognise whether they feel challenged - which can be a positive outcome - or unsafe. In conversations about racism, white folks may feel exposed to risk, challenged, and sometimes overwhelmed with thoughts, emotions and sensations - but we are highly unlikely to be in danger. This work involves building our capacities within our bodies to feel grounded and calm when we feel challenged, and to respond with integrity and courage.
I encourage my clients and colleagues with whom I work to hold me accountable. I am grateful for and will respond to feedback on any aspect of my work.