Reflection Common Assignment

  3 page paper

In class, we talk about different assumptions and strategies of community organizing and self- reflective practice. We also discuss how all of us have many identity dimensions (relating to gender, race, class, sexuality, class, religion, language, citizenship, body size, etc.) that affect how we experience power, privilege, and oppression in our organizing groups and in various social settings. In this reflection paper, you should critically reflect upon how your own positionalities/social locations in relationship to your role as a group participant & a community organizer. Remember to use and appropriately cite ideas and concepts from our readings to support and illustrate your points. Both scope and depth in use of concepts is important. You should also discuss your experience of group work this semester and what you have learned about yourself as organizer through developing your campaign this semester. Finally, you should discuss how you think we can build movements and organizations for “the long haul” and what you see as your role in doing this. 

● As a self-reflective organizer, identify your positionalities/social locations where you are in relation to power, privilege and oppression, and your knowledge and awareness of each social location and towards critical consciousness and praxis in general.

● How do you think your positionality/social locations and approaches influences your interest areas and assumptions about your community organizing framework (theoretical analysis/theory of change) and the social movements & histories you might use.

● How might they impact your decisions about strategies/tactics you might use as an organizer?

● In your group, what roles were taken by whom? Were roles distributed equitably? How was this addressed?

● How did your group process go?

● What worked well among the group? What did not work well? Did conflicts come up? If so, how were they addressed? What did you and the group learn over time?

● What were your strengths being in this group? Challenges? Joys?

● How have or might your positionalities/social locations impacted your interactions/relationships with others in the group?

● Imagine that you are now a community organizer on the campaign you developed. What strengths & challenges do you anticipate in terms of your own skills while working on this campaign?

● Critically reflect upon your own intersectional positionalities/social locations in relationship to your role as a community organizer on this campaign

● What do you need to be mindful of moving forward? What did you learn about organizing this semester that will help you on this campaign?

●How would you now describe your own theory of change?

● Provide examples throughout.

● How do you believe we build movements and organizations that can transform our communities “in the long haul”?

● What do you see as your role in building transformative movements and organizations?