Diversity in heArts: Privilege Ch.7

We are

Lauraro e m Ro

the youth of the world

NOTES FROM LAURA ROMERO

To me, the meaning and synonym of “Privilege” is “Advantage”. Advantage that one person has over another person without considering if this person deserves it or not. These are advantages that come from birth. We never chose them.

Some privilege is decided by the people around us, and how they choose to treat us. Today I can say that I am privileged because I was born in Spain during the 80’s.

That is such a different reality than being born in Syria two years ago.Privilege or advantage is having a roof to sleep under, being able to eat when you are hungry and being warm when it’s cold outside. Privilege or advantage is having someone to talk to when you are having a rough time, it doesn’t matter what you are going through, as long as there is a helping hand willing to support you and defend you. Privilege or advantage is not being alone or feeling alone. Privilege or advantage is not being afraid of going home and being able to walk the

streets of your city without feeling threatened or scared.

Privilege or advantage is being free, free to choose where to live, where to work and who to be with.

We are the privileged, the youth of the world. We have tiny problems in capitalist societies. We complain about our cellphones, our clothes or our jobs. We should stop for a second and observe carefully who we are and what we have, while we thank life for the amount of privilege we have. It’s commonly thought that our own personal problems are the most important ones, but reality is far from that. If we want less social difference between all the people in the world, we have to start by really considering the importance of our own issues. Looking at the big picture, instead of looking at ourselves, and do something for those who really need some help. Small changes can make a big difference.

- Laura Romero

Pablo Lรณpez - Colombia

DID YOU KNOW? 1

India’s caste system is amongst the world’s oldest social systems. The system bestows many privileges on the upper castes while sanctioning repression of the lower castes. [1]

2

The globe’s richest 1% own half the world’s wealth.[2]

3

To be «underprivileged» means that one is not enjoying the same standards of living or rights as the majority of the people in a society.[3]

4

70% of the world’s working age population account for just 2,7 % of global wealth.[4]

[1]

BBC. (2017). What is India’s caste system? Retrieved from: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia- india-35650616

[2]

The Guardian. (2017). Richest 1% own half of the world’s wealth, study finds.

Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2017/nov/14/worlds-richest- wealth-credit- suisse

5 6

In 2013, only 8 percent of children’s books were written by, or about, people of colour.[5]

In the US, black unemployment is significantly higher than white unemployment, regardless of educational attainment.[6]

7

«Social class» is when we make a division of a society based on social and economic status.[7]

8

Worldwide, almost 750 million women and girls alive today were married before their 18 th birthday.[8]

[3]

Oxford Dictionary. (2018). Underprivileged. Retrieved from: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/underprivileged

[4]

The Guardian. (2017). Richest 1% own half of the world’s wealth, study finds. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2017/nov/14/worlds-richest- wealth-credit- suisse

[5]

National Public Radio. (2014). #WeNeedDiverseBooks Campaign Comes To Inaugural BookCon.Retrieved from: https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswit ch/2014/06/02/318098926/-weneeddiversebooks- campaign-comes-to-inaugural -bookcon?utm_term=artsculture&utm_content=buffer784af&utm_ medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[6] [7] [8]

Wilson, V. (2015). Black unemployment is significantly higher than white unemployment regardless of educational attainment. Retrieved from: https://www.epi.org/publication/black-unemployment- educational-attainment/ Oxford Dictionary. (2018). Social class. Retrieved from: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/social_class UN Women. (2017). Facts and figures: Ending violence against women.

Retrieved from: http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violenceagainst-women/facts- and-figures

Are you aware of your own privilege?

Time, Group size & Age: (10 participants, 1- 1 ½ hrs, 16+ year-olds)

MATERIALS: Tape, a closed and quiet room. Blindfolds for each of the participants.

DO: o The facilitator lines up the floor in the room with the tape (one line equalizes one step). The participants will all be on the same line in the middle. When a question is asked, it needs to be clear whether the participant will go back or forth, for instance: “If your parents are divorced, take a step back” or “If you have a place for books in your house, take a step forward.

Before the questions begin, the facilitator tells the participants to make one line, while holding hands.

o The facilitator puts blindfolds on all the participants, to make it easier for the participants to answer the questions individually and not be affected by the other participants. o The facilitator starts by saying that in this race of life, some people tend to have an advantage – while it tends to be more challenging for others.

o The facilitator tells the group that she/he/they will present different statements to the participants, and the participants

You can compliment the activity by watching our video < how aware are you of your privilege? >

will take one step forward or one step back for each statement according to how they relate to the statement. It is okay to let go of the hand of the person next to you if you move too far apart.

We have made a list of possible statements that can be used – these statements are primarily made for a group aged 16+. The activity can be used with a younger group as well, but then the statements should be revised. The statements are related to different kinds of privilege.

Possible statements: - If you can kiss your partner in public without fear of feeling ashamed or getting weird looks, take a step forward.

- If you have been diagnosed with a physical or mental disability, take a step back.

- If you never have been embarrassed about the clothes you wore to school, take a step forward.

- If you have ever had to work to support you own activities because your parents could not give you money, take a step back.

-If you’ve felt uncomfortable about inviting your friends to your house, take a step back.

- If you can see a doctor whenever you need one, take a step forward.

- If you walk in the streets without fear of sexual harassment, take a step forward.

- If you have had to get a loan for your education, take a step back.

- If you have a place for books in your house, take a step forward.

- If you don’t have to worry about money in the end of the month, take a step forward.

- If you parents are divorced, take a step back.

- If you know more than one language, take a step forward.

- If you know how to read and write, take a step forward - If you have ever travelled to another country, take a step forward.

- If you can marry the person you love, take a step forward.

- If you have every felt hunger, take a step back.

- If you can afford not to take public transportation, take a step forward.

- If you can rely on your parents if you have financial issues, take a step forward.

- If your parents don’t have a higher education, take a stepback.

- If you can go out to eat when you want, take a step forward.

- if you can afford to go to which school you want, take a step forward

When all the statements are presented, ask all the participants to take off their blindfolds and take a look at their own (relative) privilege.

Debrief: o How did it feel at the end of the activity, when you saw where you ended up on the latter? o Did the result surprise you? Why? o Were there any questions you thought were difficult to answer and why? o How did feel to let go of the person next to you (or to stay linked together)? o How do you think your privilege affects you in your daily life?

o Is privilege something you think about, or talk about with your friends and family? o How do you think being privileged or underprivileged affects people’s lives?

o Have you ever felt that your social

status has affected you having or not having possibilities in life? o Do you have friends, or do you know someone, that you consider more or less privileged than you?

o Do you think we tend to mix with people with the same social status as our own?

Why? o How do you think differences in privilege affects society locally? Globally? o How can we better understand our privilege? o What can we do to make people more aware of their privilege and how this affects society?

Tips for facilitators: o Make the people feel safe and comfortable in this space. It is a very personal activity, so it is important that participants feel like they are in a safe space.

María José Loria – Costa Rica

PRIVILEGE INTERACTION

Draw the upper part of the scale leaning towards the side that represents how you spend most of your money (or your familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s)

NEEDS

WANTS

The more the scale leans towards the Wants, the more privileged you might be.

But then again, what are those things that you really need?