Resources for Accountability, Reconciliation, and
Anti-Oppression
Isn’t this supposed to be a therapy website?
Yep. And therapy is political.
I can’t work with people to unpack and find resolution to trauma without acknowledging that ongoing and concurrent forms of oppression and harm exist and have a very real impact on people. I find it nearly impossible to not recognize the connection between systemic oppression and marginalization and personal suffering, so here is a page with information on stuff you can do to learn, links to politicians and government websites so you can advocate, suggestions for resources or ongoing learning if you – like me – want to try to be part of making spaces safer for all people.
It's okay if this page isn’t where you are at or what you need at the moment, I know it can be a lot. But for those of you here who have the space, the energy, the resources – maybe you’ll find something here that speaks to you, affirms you, or challenges you.
As a cis-gendered white descendant of colonizers, I know the process of unlearning internalized racism, white supremacy, ableism, classism, and heteronormativity is going to be life-long. Anti-oppressive work isn’t something that will necessarily come naturally to everyone, and thank goodness there are so many well rooted resources and opportunities for learning! The majority of the labour of providing quality resources for learning have been done by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) individuals, many of whom have ties to the LGBTQIA+ community. We have the wealth of literature and resources we do because of the labour of these groups of people, because of these communities who have survived in the face of centuries of oppression.
Accountability & Reconciliation
You may be thinking, Oof! Where do I even start?
Well, if you are a Canadian or living in Canada, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action is a great place to start. You don’t have to memorize this, but reading it and knowing where you can find it is a good reminder that there are small ways we can advocate for those in our lives and communities on a regular basis. It is also integral to acknowledge that the genocide of indigenous peoples and first nations is something that happened historically and is also an ongoing systematic process in our culture and country.
My Grandmother’s Hands by Resma Menakem
Undrowned by Alexis Pauling Gumbs
How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
Read This to Get Smarter by Blair Imani
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Anti-Oppressive Work
There are numerous books out there written by BIPOC individuals that touch on the topics of anti-oppression, reconciliation, and advocacy for all marginalized people. Here’s a list of some of the books that I have read or know of that provide informative and heart-felt guides to understanding these topics better.
21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph
Wayi Wah! Indigenous Pedagogies by Jo Chrona
A National Crime by John S. Milloy
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelous
Killing Rage: Ending Racism by Bell Hooks
The Body Is Not An Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor
A Renaissance of Our Own by Rachel E. Cargle
Can Everyone Please Calm Down by Mae Martin
See a book you love that isn’t mentioned here? Email me! I’m always looking to broaden my resources and knowledge.
Advocacy
Contacting your representatives and local government
Here is a link to find your local Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) and write to them about issues that you feel need attention.
Write to the Premiere of BC, David Eby, and demand he and the NDP work with municipal and federal structures of power to start to accomplish the calls to action as laid out in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
As well, you can continue to write to your respective MLAs regarding the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the complicity of the Canadian government and continue to demand a ceasefire and a divestment from any dealings or holdings relating to the genocide.
Resources
Land
Find out who’s unceded land you live, work, and rest on through Native Land.
What does unceded mean? Unceded means that the land was not ever legally ceded, or given to the government (in our case, the Crown) in a legal process. It basically means the land that we live on in British Columbia (and many other parts of Canada) are stolen, and there are no treaties protecting the land or the indigenous peoples who have territorial and ancestral rights to the land.
Learning the names of who’s land you live, work, rest, and play on is a first step in de-colonizing our understanding of how we interact with the spaces we occupy.
Solidarity with Gaza
There is a wonderful app called Boycat which allows you to scan barcodes on products or search by product name to see if the company (or parent company) has a role in funding the ongoing genocide in Gaza. While boycotting companies and products might not seem like it does anything, there have been some major negative impacts on companies that directly and indirectly financially contribute to funding the war on the Palestinian people.
This app is available for iPhone and Android users.