Hello: So Open Space was initially developed by a white man after spending time in West Africa and observing community processes, and is now practiced by First Nations people like me who repeatedly get a sense of "bringing it on home" from the Open Spaces that we do. I know of at least four other First Nations OS practitioners in south western BC, and I'm about to train another 40. We have used OST with communities, organizations, government, First Nations and corporations. We have had all kinds of people participate.
Sometimes it's about breaking down barriers, sometimes it's about putting up guards. Mostly it's about problem solving, working with Spirit and doing great things. I have never been in an Open Space where it was only white people in the circle, so I don't know what that would be like. On the other hand, I sometimes have a hard time telling who's white and who isn't, which would give me a heart attack if I cared. My own pale countenance is confusing enough to me... I absolutely, truly and deeply believe that OS is not a racist construct, or even one which aligns itself with the institutional stuructures of racism and oppression (where is my Althusser???). It works with structures that are natural, systemic, equitable, diffuse, inclusive, circular, non hierarchical, consensual, and generally difficult to dominate, control or stifle with an agenda, implicit or otherwise. Believe me, I've seen it tried. I suppose one could open space for the Aryan Nations, just as easily as I open it for First Nations, but that doesn't implicate the process. i appreciate your inquiry, Nancie. I don't mean to sound filppant, and you might be new to the list. I have been inundating my poor cyber correspondants for months now about the way OS is being used with Aboriginal groups here in British Columbia, during the course of which other folks have chimed in with similar experiences with Salish, Cree, Inuit groups and others. All it means is this is how I am using OS, and as a bisexual Ojibway/Irish/Manx person of colour (although a very light colour), I can assure you that somehow I'm making a living at it. I also do a whole bunch of other stuff, which I share with people on other mailing lists. I don't think that OS is a movement, and so I don't think that it can fall prey to the kinds of things you mention that happened to the feminist movement. It's just not a movement...our little list is just a community of practitioners with too much time on their hands (!), and out of the 10 or 15 people I know personally who do Open Space, I'm the only one on the list. Anyway, keep thinking this stuff through, and I'll continue to share with you (as I promised to you off list) the stories of my journey with the Aboriginal youth I'm about to emabrk on. And I'm curious to hear what you learn... Chris PS To Bert: There is A LOT of racism here in British Columbia directed at First Nations people and communities. You would probably be surprised just how much given how Canada loves to portray itself as a country of peace, tolerance and diversity (which it also is). Anyway, we deal with it, and although it can be frustrating, it doesn't hold us back for long. CJC biver wrote: > Hi folks! > > I'm new to Open Space and have been exploring it as a way to build > university-community relationships. This has given me the opportunity and the > necessity to take a serious look at racism and the way it is affecting us - > in terms > of who has power, how service systems ultimately breed dependency, > debilitating > affects of the criminal justice system, just to name a few things. I'm also > new to > understanding the construct of institutionalized racism in the US. So I've > been > thinking about the role Open Space does/could play in all of this. I can see > how > open space can provide a way out of our racist constructs in that - it breaks > down > power. Anyone willing to take personal responsibility can have power. But > where > I'm wondering about the limitations includes that many of the groups that we > collectively work with are doing open space within their own boxes - that is, > Public > health is still public health talking about how they can do health to poor > communities rather than inviting those directly affected to participate in > the open > space. This is clearly a limitation.... not sure what to do with it and what > it > means for open space collectively... > > I'm also wondering if there are any people of color out there in open space > land > benefitting from the monetary fruits and labor of open space. And if not, > why not? > As this has been my year to begin to become more politically and socially > aware, I > can't help but notice that in the United States the environmental movement, > the > spirituality/new age movement, the sustainability movement, and community > service > movement include mostly white people. Is the Open Space movement the same > way? > This book that I'm reading called Undoing Racism says that until we "undo > racism" > that everything else that we do will be for the benefit of white people. > That was > obviously true with the women's movement - we should have called it the white > women's movement. I am also noticing the community service movement includes > a > majority of white people - incidently doing service mostly for people of > color. Is > the Open Space movement capable of taking us out of the boxes that we're > doing open > space in - you know what I'm saying?? Can Open Space move the movement beyond > racism as well as the limiting organizations/business we're working with? > > I would be very receptive to some dialogue about this. Open Space and Racism > seem > to be the focal points of my research that I'm wrapping up and can't help but > question things.... And it seems like an important thing to question... > > Nancie T. Biver > National Service Fellow > America's Promise and Higher Education > [email protected] > www.tulane.edu/~amerprom > 504-862-8000 x1538 > New Orleans, LA > > "There are those who see the world as it is and ask, Why? And there are > those who > see the world as it could be and ask, Why not?" -George Bernard Shaw -- CHRIS CORRIGAN 108-1035 Pacific Street Vancouver BC V6E 4G7 Phone: 604.683.3080 Fax: 604.683.3036 (GO LEAFS GO!)
