5.1 Mindfulness as a Liberatory Practice: Anti-Racism work in Action

Jasjit Sangha, Educational Developer, Anti-racist Pedagogy, Center for Teaching and Learning, UTSC, Diana Pearson, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator, EDIO, University of Toronto Scarborough

In Hope Circuits Ridell (2024) states: “As members of the academy, we are hard-wired for hope – to teach it, to share it, and to imagine a better future” (17). However, the actual process of creating hope can be fraught, especially for anti-racist educators who are striving to change the teaching culture of post-secondary institutions and address historical injustice. Doing anti-racist work often requires contending with one’s own experiences of racial, and other forms of, trauma which may manifest as internalized oppression (Berila, 2016). As Wong (2004) outlines, when examining societal injustice “we are also brought to touch our deep-seated vulnerability — shame, guilt, fear, despair, and wound — in being part of and caught by these systemic relations" (para 28). In this context, how can we address systemic injustice and feel hope? Engaging in mindfulness as a liberatory practice offers educators doing anti-racism work a path forward through prioritizing caring for themselves alongside working diligently to foster greater equity and inclusion on campus.  Mindfulness experienced through this anti-oppressive lens can help educators to reconnect with their bodies, strengthen their presence, build their capacity to feel difficult emotions and cultivate community as an antidote to feeling burnt out. Developing these “inner skills” in turn will have a direct impact on their work inside or outside the classroom (Choudhury, 2015).  In this interactive workshop participants will experience mindfulness as a liberatory process through mindful movement, breathing practices, deep listening, reflective journalling and discussions about how it relates to their work.