Message from the President

"Just a Thought"

as the Founder and Director of Parent Union:: I am pretty CONCERNED of organizations who claim they are for all of us. When the body has not a single adviser, spokesperson or member who has been truly most impacted or of color.

These are groups who practice what I have coined "Professional Privilege" and really won't let those they claim they are advocating for at the table. Most times we have to add white privilege, gatekeeping as well as gentrification in the mix.

Most times these folks are white Parents/leaders or families of color who are already connected and doing well, not impacted. They do well in their schools advocating for their children anyway and usually have their demands met. Some have no children. Most are working on policy changes but are driven by data with no experience. Usually not on the ground doing the real time work.. Lots of times not people of color!!!

"This is a quote I made not so long ago on FB : In education there are so many groups, unions and others trying to push for change . A- good thing- but it feels like we are throwing the baby out with the bath water.

We are so busy putting our time in at the top level pushing for change, the bottom, who we claim we are representing does not get our time at all. While our backs are turned, the education system is getting away with murder in real time on the ground with our families. Come join us on the ground and see the real cases, not the data or reports, but real time abuses from the educational system." This is how we can build solidarity.

When you see people pushing back on any kind of re-configurations/pushed changes, you will not see us the most impacted along with them.

When will that change?
Sheila Warren
Portland Parent Union

Trickle down community engagement

http://nonprofitwithballs.com/2015/01/are-you-or-your-org-guilty-of-trickle-down-community-engagement/

Involving People Most Affected by the Problem (click on any word to go to site)

Social or community problems are problems that by their very definition concern a large number of people. Unfortunately, those who are socially and economically powerful, such as government officials, interest groups, or community leaders often define these problems--and their solutions. While everyone is indirectly affected by social problems, those who are directly experiencing the problem are often left out of the processes of identifying what the problem really is.

Why involve people affected by problems?
Let's say that you have a rock in your shoe. No one other than you can know exactly how that rock feels. Others may have read about rocks, seen rocks, or even had a similar experience with a pebble caught in a sandal. However, you are the expert on this particular situation because you are experiencing it.

The same concept applies to social and community problems. People who directly experience a problem have a much different outlook on their needs than does a politician who has only read about the problem in the newspaper or a helping professional who once wrote a college paper on the problem.

There are two important ways to involve people affected by a problem in helping to solve the problem. First, you can listen to them so that you have a better understanding of the causes of the problem, the barriers they have to managing or preventing the problem, and their ideas for solving the problem. Second, they can become involved through participation in the initiative or program that is being developed by helping empower them to tackle the problems they confront. It's always better for people to participate, but if those affected by the problem don't wish to, listening to them is a good way to start building rapport/a relationship with them.

Society is a web of relationships, requiring all parties to work together in order to create something that is good. But what makes society work even better are relationships that are positive, cooperative and respectful. In this way everyone works for the good of the whole and towards a common purpose. This demands effective relationships based on mutual understanding.