During the Black lives era (notes from a day lecture)

I attended a day long lecture held by Dr Brown. He has a doctrine in theology and born in Panama. He said that the first time he felt different was when he went to Costa Rica to study theology. He found that they spoke different. His roommate told him that people there found him greedy. In the 1950’s they offer you food and you take it. That’s how he experienced cultural differences. During the break out session what was discussed, was understanding coming from privilege. Ageism - now openings for minorities and others are losing. Prism of lenses - body shape and weight - cultural differences. Single groups - stigmatized. Toronto has mixed housing and therefore there are more opportunities for education. People look at height and physical attraction has a positive. CEO’s are extremely tall. There is discrimination at an unconscious level. Language : a big thing in Canada and the U.S. - it’s more about accents. In Canada the two dominant languages are English and French. In the States it is English and Spanish (I am going to include here that English is the universal language, not mentioned in the seminar). Dr Brown’s definition of culture is a way of seeing and making sense of the world in a community context. He talked about people refusing to see ethnicity in themselves. He spoke of a son’s dad, Irish in descent who was ostracized because he married a black woman. The father never spoke about his family. He over compensated when he moved to a new country because he didn’t get it in his old country. How do people see me as different? How do I see others who are different from myself? When you look up at someone, you miss the downside. When you look down at someone, you miss the upside. Dr Brown indicated that just by showing with a client, you have power because of the therapeutic relationship. Be aware of that blind spot. He said that sometimes black people (did I mention that Dr Brown is a black man?) don’t want to show vulnerabilities. They want to appear perfect. Desire to appear perfect. People see them as defective. It is important for families to understand that it is true. How to advocate for the child’s need: sometimes parents do not know. You need to advocate in the system - organizations are there. Skin colour - Canadians tend to be of the notion of no slavery - not so. There was slavery in Canada. Dr Brown also spoke of scientific racism, the spread of bogus theories of supposed black inferiority in an attempt to rationalize slavery and centuries of social and economic domination and plunder. Racialized by complexion - appearance and public perception (1894 Supreme Court decision: Don’t look black, but still black: Plessy v. Fergusson). 1950’s Population Act declared that all South Africans be classified into one of three races - white, native, (black African or coloured) neither white, nor “native”. Lighter hue and straighter hair - greater privilege. He spoke of generalizations even regarding the police. He spoke of the definition of Ontario Human rights Commission - Criminal profiling - defers from racial profiling which relies on actual behaviour or on information about suspect. Racial is based in stereotypical assumptions. He spoke of a man who was lynched for looking at a woman. They threw his body in a river. The mother showed her son’s body to the world which caused a civil movement. Dr Brown said that white people march in black lives matter because of shame (I may not agree with this. I find it too general. Would like to see research). Black lives matter has begun a conversation if not anything else. Protests were led primarily by whites and went global. He spoke of Multicultural Churches in Canada. White man rules. When a church is considered black, white people leave. This happens whenever there is a 30% representation of a particular group. This disrupts the system. Essential diversity - I may be losing power in what I am used to. I may be the last person standing. He spoke of the Catholic Church has a shift in the priesthood. The Church is replicating society when it shifts. Now the key leader - European American goes to the extreme to find balance. It’s about power and not power with but power over. Powers in Canada are still safe - white male. Dr Brown said that he lived in Maryland, U.S. with a population at the time of 150,000. He never saw the diversity there as he sees here in Toronto. For reverse to exist, the culture needs to reverse. He said that Blacks don’t stay in therapy. He suggested building a therapeutic alliances. He said that Black people are loud because they are angry - not so. He talked about Canadian politeness. He said to look at Canada as posh. Express views of some people. Some people feel need to be polite. He suggested helping the understanding of mixed race. There is a struggle with identification trying to identify to the mother and or father and identity issues all around. Dr Brown said that colour is seen. He suggested taking the time to hear the fall out. He said that in one study therapists intended to intercept female clients over men. Dr Brown spoke of a list of Cultural humility when listening: 1. Listening with empathy. 2. Stand with patients in pain - no fix. 3. Neither look up or down on them. 4. Listen to self talk (opinions, judgements) 5. Examine your fears, prejudice and unquestioned assumptions - comfort level with vulnerable and disempowered groups. Blacks may look down or away as a sign of respect. Even looking a parent in the eye is defiance. From slavery days - whipped. How they see themselves is very important. What can we do to change the system or challenge the system? I found Dr Brown’s lecture very interesting and thanked him. I have waited to write this, because his lecture led to much upset among the black people in the audience to a point where they were turning their backs to him. I don’t agree with this type of disrespect even within cultures. A guest, is a guest. You don’t have to agree with a speaker. You can question and disagree but to display such anger is inappropriate in my opinion. I had never seen this before. This was during a webinar because of the pandemic. I wondered if this was a live audience what would have happened? I don’t necessarily agree with everything I heard, however, I can take away with me. It may manifest with with anyone I encounter. We need to remember how we are reflective of everything we have been exposed to and genetics as well as the environment. I normally have an equal amount of men and women I see at one point or another. I see people from many cultures, religions etc…I have insight about cultures and religions but I need to hear it from the client’s perspective as well. That is more important. There may be more than one reason why a person will not look you in the eye. I have found that more white people than others have not looked me in they eye. What does that mean? I do think we need to be careful to generalize because there is differences within cultures and religions but also the individual. If we assume that a person will be a certain way because of culture, skin colour or religion, than we are missing the main objective - the individual. What do you think?