Section 6: Grounding Agreements for Principled Communities of Struggle and Practice

The sources of harm outlined above do not have to derail our efforts to make change. Given our assumptions about the conditions we are organizing in and the common causes of tension, what are some things to keep in mind as we try to build human-centered non-punitive accountability practices? How can we evaluate our accountability practices? What are our common goals? The grounding agreements described below can and should anchor our efforts to build principled communities of struggle.

Presume and Build Shared Purpose

We are coming together with a shared purpose to dismantle systems of oppression and build liberatory systems of accountability, therefore we can presume we are in this together, though we may differ in how to achieve our purpose. We commit to building a shared understanding of this common purpose.

Acknowledge and Value Our Differences

Being in it together does not mean we have a shared experience of power, privilege or the systems we are trying to dismantle. We honor the experience of people closest to the issue we are trying to address and value their leadership. We acknowledge that people with privilege and power can also make meaningful contributions to change and invite their participation.

Unlearn and Learn Together

We acknowledge that, regardless of our relationship to the issue we are trying to address, we are all learning to unlearn internalized dominance and internalized oppression. Unlearning and learning can trigger physical, emotional and spiritual discomfort and pain. For those of us who are targeted by systems of oppression there is risk in changing one’s behavior and we may have been punished before.

Most of us have had limited opportunities to practice accountability in the context of dismantling systems of oppression. We can all have compassion for ourselves and each other in not knowing how to transform conflict. We are all practicing in real time and will make mistakes. We can and should learn from those mistakes as we go. We recognize that the act of coming together to dismantle systems will require us to disrupt comfortability, question respectability politics and attune ourselves to the negative impacts of white-normative culture in our groups.

We also want to make clear that people who have been targets of systemic oppression should not be expected to take on the role of teaching or guiding people with privilege and power to unlearn internalized superiority. However, people with power and privilege can and should support each other’s healing and unlearning. Similarly, in our groups, it can often be helpful to prioritize time and space for people who have been targets of systemic oppression to come together to support one another’s healing and unlearning.

Make Space for Difficult Conversations

We acknowledge the inevitability of mistakes, misunderstandings, contradictions, critiques and conflicting ideas in groups. At times these moments of tension leave group members feeling uncomfortable, anxious, or may even be experienced as harm. Within the context of principled communities of care and struggle, we believe that many of these tensions hold the possibility of transformation. As such, we are committed to cultivating our capacity to tolerate discomfort and work through tensions. Where possible, we turn to the members of our group that have demonstrated skills related to physical and emotional self regulation, interpersonal communication and conflict negotiation to help us navigate these moments of tension.

Set Clear Group Guidelines for Participation

We acknowledge the reality that some people will use abusive behaviors intended to exert power and control over individuals in the group. If allowed to occur without intervention, these behaviors can threaten the physical, psychological and/or spiritual safety of group members. To minimize the potential for harm, we take the time and care to name specific behaviors that are against the group’s guidelines and detail the consequences associated with those behaviors. Also determine who, specifically, the group is accountable to - one another, a specific neighborhood, town, city or region, a particular constituency?

We can also think about this in a more positive framing - setting clear guidelines and expectations around participation can support people’s efforts to plug in to your group in a meaningful way.

Practice Accountability that Builds Community and Honors Humanity

Systems of punishment have severed relationships, decimated our communities and perpetuated cycles of harm. In our principled community of care and struggle, we resist responses to harm that are designed to blame, shame, retaliate, isolate or punish. When we call attention to harm, we focus on behaviors. Our accountability practices shift power internally while nurturing healthy relationships and building community.

Guiding Principles Reflection Questions

How well do these guiding principles resonate with you?
What would you say you already subscribe to/practice/have in place?
What feels out of sync with your experience?
What feels challenging?