Do you have an awareness of the power you have and how it impacts you, your relationships, and your interactions with those with less power?
Intergroup Resources provides this definition of power:
"In its most basic sense, power is defined as the ability to accomplish something or act in a certain manner. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. considered power 'the ability to achieve a purpose. It is the strength required to bring able social, political, and economic change.' People with power have the opportunity to shape their lives and the larger world around them."
We all have identities that bring us power or marginalization. Those with marginalized identities are often expected to put in more labor, emotionally, physically, or mentally. For example, in many churches, men have more power, and women are expected to do the majority of labor in a multitude of ways. LGBTQ+ people are typically marginalized in organizations, schools, faith-based spaces, and even homes; hence LGBTQ+ youth have higher rates of homelessness and death by suicide.
Many of us envision liberation and work toward less marginalization in all spaces.
What spaces do you inhabit where certain groups of people don't have the power or agency to achieve their purpose? Which spaces are unwelcoming and not inclusive? Do you notice it? What can you do about it? How do you use your power intentionally or unconsciously?
If you'd like to read more about power, here are previous posts:
Fellow leaders and learners, I wish you courage and resilience for the journey.