Lessons on our internal decolonising journey so far
Lessons on our internal decolonising journey so far
I am writing this blog from a position of humility. At the Digital Freedom Fund (DFF) we certainly do not have all the answers, and most definitely have not arrived at where we want to be (bearing in mind that “arriving” is probably an oxymoron in this area – it is more accurate to say that it is a never-ending journey, given that we live in a society deeply rooted in colonial legacies).
We want to describe what we have done so far in the spirit of sharing our own lessons and particular process, that can perhaps inspire others to embark on their own decolonising journeys or reflect on the processes they are already undertaking.
In 2021, the former DFF director Nani Jansen Reventlow wrote more about this journey’s inception, and we commissioned external consultants to map out areas for improvement and provide recommendations for us to begin decolonising our grantmaking and internal organisational processes. As a re-granter, we want and need to transform our grantmaking and organisational processes to align with the goals of our external initiative to decolonise the digital rights field in Europe (a project DFF co-leads with EDRi), and better support all types of organisations that work to strengthen digital rights.
On the internal organisational side, the excellent expert consultants we worked with (Mizero Consulting)1We worked with Fabiola Mizero, Jon McPhedran Waitzer, and Uwayo Dushime spoke with the team and Board members, had access to our materials, and conducted interviews with relevant stakeholders. In early 2022 they delivered multi-step recommendations on the internal organisational practices.
At around the same time, we had a change in leadership. When I took over as director in January 2022, one of my first tasks was to approve a plan for a series of internal workshops on decolonising, which was one of the main recommendations from the Mizero consultants. Believing as deeply as I do in the importance of this work, we embarked on a programme of sessions run by them with outstanding expertise in this area, that included over 40 hours of sessions spread over 20 weeks for the team, plus 10 individual coaching sessions for me as director. In addition, we undertook two sessions on “white leadership” for the Directors of EDRi and DFF and had two sessions on decolonising for the DFF’s Board.
Why do I think this work is important? I was born and grew up in Colombia, and from an early age grappled with the devastating effects of (Spanish) colonialism on the indigenous, afro-descendant, and peasant communities; on the local cultures and history; on the environment; and on basically every structure of society.
Throughout my long career in human rights, I have fought for justice and dignity for all human beings. I cannot think of a better way to achieve real fairness for all than by dismantling the dominant structures that have for so long perpetuated the conditions for inequality to thrive, for injustice to endure, and for human rights abuses to flourish.
The purpose of the team sessions was to jointly explore what decolonising means in the workplace; support the facilitation and the creation of a BPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) and a white communities of practice; develop better feedback methods that consider racial and gender lens, as well as individual preferences; anti-oppression practices; decolonisation about our identities; and workload, capacity, and mental health.
The director’s coaching sessions explored biases and oppression within the workplace, what does decolonisation mean at work, and involved discussing a selection of anti-oppression and power dynamics materials. It also allowed me to reflect on the organisation’s structure and on the relationships with external stakeholders.
All these workshops were intense experiences and emotionally charged. Most of us found ourselves in quite uncomfortable positions from time to time. We understood, however, that it is impossible and counterproductive to stay within our comfort zones if we are to effectively deal with cultural issues and deep-rooted, systemic oppressions.
Our coaches were extremely supportive and helpful in upholding safe spaces to have open and frank conversations. Their rules for engagement helped us each time we came to these sessions.2Shared intentions for holding a brave space together:
– What’s shared here stays, what’s learned here leaves
– Speak from the “I”, or define the “we”
– Get (and stay!) curious about disagreement
– Honour intention, attend to impact (Ouch // Oops)
– We don’t have to be fully articulate all the time, partially-formed thoughts and feelings are still worth sharing!
Some of the results and outputs of these workshops included the following:
- Addressing fears surrounding mental health, and creating a mental health safety plan chart
- Discussing a “conflict table”, where each team member filled their own conflict styles, things to avoid, accommodate, compete, compromise, and collaborate, then shared it and discussed with others
- Addressing having a hard time, where each team member created a safety plan chart for themselves, then shared it and discussed it with others
- Working on feedback norms and preferences, where each team member wrote their preferences around receiving feedback and how to keep track of them, then shared it and discussed with others
- Integrating tools in our day-to-day work, such as the Women of Colour Journey in an Organization; an accountability framework; and understanding and using antidotes to a white supremacy work culture
When we concluded this stage of our internal process, we conducted a self-evaluation to examine what we had learned and wished to celebrate but also acknowledge the fears still experienced in this learning process, and the opportunities for growth. We also mapped where we were, where we are, and where we are moving towards. This exercise was crucial and aligns with our organisational values of being self-reflexive and committed to iterative learning. I understand that this is a process that necessitates prioritising humility, honouring the work that’s been done while emphasising how much further there is (and always will be) to go.
One clear outcome to which this internal journey contributed to already is informing our next four-year Strategic Plan (2022-2025): in it, we have made decolonising part of everything that we do, and informing everything that we do, from our top values all the way down to our activities. This work is also already informing internal reviews of our human resources practices, from our working guidelines, to our salary structure, to our leave time, to our childcare policies. Next steps will include setting concrete goals to measure progress, celebrate wins, and notice potential blocks – but without any expectation of reaching a final “decolonised” destination.
We look forward to continuing in our journey, and to sharing our lessons and experiences with the wider community. Equally, if you wish to share your lessons with us, please do not hesitate to reach out – we would love to hear from you!
