Power & Privilege Committe

Brightworks aspires to be a place where students and staff of all racial, ethnic, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds feel seen, empowered and celebrated.

The Power & Privilege committee is predominantly BIPoC-led and consists of families, students, staff, and leadership. Our team has used the last two years to diagnose, reflect and determine how we can transform Brightworks’ legacy of being a historically and predominantly white institution (PWI) to becoming one that is more diverse, equitable and inclusive. 

We use the name Power and Privilege (P&P) for our team as opposed to the more commonly used Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) as a way to acknowledge that meaningful change doesn’t happen without first examining and dismantling the structures of power and privilege that stand in the way of that change.

So far this year, Power & Privilege is working on scaffolding more curricular support for our Collaborator team and strategically supporting numerous professional development areas throughout our school. P&P is also responsible for LatinX Heritage Month, Lunar New Year, and Black Life & Culture Celebrations, as well as much more.  With your help, we are steering BWX towards an inspired social justice-aligned future.

P&P Committee’s Mission

We believe in fostering a positive sense of personal identity, as well as respect for the differences between us. Additionally, understanding America’s history and the implications of racial bias and discrimination, particularly anti-Black racism, are basic cultural competencies that our students need to navigate the world and become agents of positive change.

We know that to create a community of learning where everyone has an equitable sense of belonging and agency, we need to continue to rise up and actively work to root out and dismantle the racism and white supremacy that permeates all levels of our society, from government, education, and medical institutions, to our own homes, and our school. At this juncture, we acknowledge that Brightworks still has a significant way to go to move from our aspiration to reality.

Background

The distinction between DEI and Power and Privilege is strongly influenced by the work of Dr. Darlene Hall with whom we workshopped last year. In the Spring of 2021, DEI coordinators (Megan and Sergio) drafted several surveys to capture the comfort, understanding and overall acceptance of Social Justice initiatives by the SF Brightworks communities. After synthesizing the responses of the surveys & gathering data firsthand from the BWX community, several themes emerged that are indicative and reflective of the overall commitment and understanding to the work of making BWX a more diverse, equitable and inclusive school.

As a response to such themes, the Power & Privilege Committee has drafted a strategic plan reflecting the voices of the BWX community (Staff, Faculty, Leadership, Families, and Students).

Our Strategic Goals at-a-glance

A Note on Language

“Words and their multiple uses reflect the tremendous diversity that characterizes our society. Indeed, universally agreed upon language on issues relating to racism is nonexistent. We discovered that even the most frequently used words in any discussion on race can easily cause confusion, which leads to controversy and hostility. It is essential to achieve some degree of shared understanding, particularly when using the most common terms. In this way, the quality of dialogue and discourse on race can be enhanced. 

Language can be used deliberately to engage and support community anti-racism coalitions and initiatives, or to inflame and divide them. Discussing definitions can engage and support coalitions. However, it is important for groups to decide the extent to which they must have consensus and where it is okay for people to disagree. It is also helpful to keep in mind that the words people use to discuss power, privilege, racism and oppression hold different meanings for different people.”

Racial Equity Tools Glossary, MP Associates, Center for Assessment and Policy Development, and World Trust Educational Services, July 2022. You can download a PDF version of this glossary here.