PODCAST DISCUSSION: "IF RACISM WAS A VIRUS" THE SIX STAGES FRAMEWORK

Description

An opportunity to discuss the long awaited podcast "If Racism was a Virus." Listen to the Podcast on Spotify Now. Come and discuss.

Podcast: If Racism Was a Virus....Lessons from the Pandemic

 Here it is the long awaited podcast! Available on Spotify.

 Podcast Episode 1: Understanding How Racism is like a Virus

 Each episode will feature Dr. Shungu H. M’gadzah, Psychologist and Antiracism Expert and Raphael D. Aboyeji, biologist. 

 The podcast is produced by Gari Gono, producer of No Brown in Town.

 https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shungu-hilda-mgadzah/episodes/If-Racism-was-a-Virus----Lessons-from-the-COVID-19-Pandemic--The-Six-Stages-Diversity-Framework-by-Dr-Shungu-H--Mgadzah-e255jq1

 This podcast explores the concept If Racism was a virus and is based on an article by Dr Shungu H. M’gadzah.

It reflects and links to the key principles of Dr Shungu’s book Understanding and Dealing with Everyday Racism- The Six Stages Framework.

 In this episode Dr Shungu, Gari and Raphael consider the following:

 * Introducing the concept of the racism virus as outlined in Dr Shungu’s article

* Explore what viruses are and how this links to The Six Stages Framework

* The analogy has greater utility when we focus on human biases and discriminations

* Understanding biases and prejudices and how racist views are spread.

* Expand on the analogy of racism as a virus and how it can spread silently throughout communities

* Epidemic vs pandemic vs endemic and the means of transmission of viruses

* Asymptomatic racism, low key racist language and why we should worry about this.

* What causes the racism baseline to vary? And what are the dangers if the baseline lowers? (Six Stages and biological baseline)

* Consider what we learnt from the COVID 19 virus, diseases of the brain vs the mind 

* What antigens are and how these markers can fit into the analogy 

* The Six Stages Framework as a psychological tool for mapping the development of the racism virus and antigens- its signs and symptoms

Follow the speakers on Linkedin

Dr Shungu M’gadzah, ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shunguhildamgadzah/⁠

Gari Gon, ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/garikaigono/⁠

WHAT IS THE SIX STAGES FRAMEWORK?

“The Six Stages Framework is an action-based positive tool that will speak to many people and provide the language many people feel that they don't have to speak about their own biases and racism. “What is special about the Six Stages Framework, is that it is a positive, action-based, non-judgemental tool that is essential to addressing sensitive topics.“ Aishling Dempsey, MSc Clinical Health Psychology student/ Honorary Psychology Assistant, Inclusion Psychologists Ltd.

In supporting individuals and organisations to understand and challenge racism it is important to explore and to be able to identify some of the beliefs, values and behaviours individuals and organisations engage in as they struggle to reformulate their views and challenge their own prejudices.

The stages are designed to support individuals and organisations to identify where they are in terms of their awareness of understanding and responding to racism. It is important that as a society we appreciate that we all at different stages in our journey towards understanding and dealing with racism and promoting a more equitable society which does not discriminate according to one’s race, colour and/or appearance.

Dr Shungu’s websites

⁠www.inclusionpsychologists.com⁠ 

⁠https://www.sixstagesframework.com⁠

 Book Dr Shungu's Services Online

⁠https://www.inclusionpsychologists.com/book-online⁠

 THE PREJUDICE RACISM SPECTRUM BLOG

⁠https://www.inclusionpsychologists.com/post/the-prejudice-racism-spectrum-3⁠

Dr Shungu’s Eventbrite Collection

⁠https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/the-six-stages-framework-bridges-of-empathy-467339⁠

Dr Shungu's Publications and Most Popular Blogs 

Check out Dr Shungu’s book: Understanding and Dealing with Everyday Racism: The Six Stages Framework

⁠https://www.amazon.co.uk/Understanding-Dealing-Everyday-Racism-Framework/dp/1909675318/ref=sr_1_1?crid=39WHGGR1EATW7&keywords=m+gadzah&qid=1649080039&sprefix=M%27gadzah%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-1⁠

THE PREJUDICE RACISM SPECTRUM BLOG

⁠https://www.inclusionpsychologists.com/post/the-prejudice-racism-spectrum-3⁠

If racism was a virus …

⁠https://www.inclusionpsychologists.com/post/if-racism-was-a-virus⁠

Links for the Six Stages Framework podcasts and videos: Spotify

Spotify

⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/3wchvGsekFQhoVflgj3bWE?si=46ee896cad264a53⁠

 Anchor

⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/dashboard/home⁠

 Youtube

⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFVPJVq95WXqPPtkorv4w2A⁠

Social media profiles

 Follow Dr Shungu on twitter

⁠https://twitter.com/DrShunguM⁠

⁠https://twitter.com/Inclusionpsychs⁠

⁠https://twitter.com/6StagesFramewk⁠

Linkedin profile

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shunguhildamgadzah/⁠

Linkedin Groups: 

Psychologists on Equality and Diversity Forum

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12368370/⁠

 Instagram

⁠https://www.instagram.com/dr_shungu_m⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/inclusion_psychologists/⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/six_stages_framework/⁠ 

 Facebook

⁠https://www.facebook.com/inclusionpsychs⁠

Facebook Groups

⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/587984752153313/⁠

 Imagebyrawpixel.com 

 #gender #racism #racismspectrum #identity #disabilty #sixstagesframework #work #psychology #ableism #misogyny #colourism #trans #homophobia #LGBTQIA #DEI #personaldevelopment #transgender #transgenderawareness #discriminations #humanlikeu #migrants #pandemic #biologists #covid19 #asymptomaticracists #podcast #psychologists #research

 CHECK OUT BOOK ON AMAZON-LINK BELOW

Click here to see details of my book!

WHAT ARE THE SIX STAGES?

Description of the Six Stages of Understanding and Dealing with Racism (+ axis)

The Six Stages Framework is a psychological tool that is designed to assess where individual people or organisations are in their journey towards understanding and dealing with the complexities of individual and systemic racism, whether that is conscious or unconscious, overt or covert: direct or indirect

Stage +1: Unaware, silence and denial

This stage is characterised by having a lack of awareness of racial equity and diversity issues, often presenting as ignorance or being oblivious or ethnocentric. It is characterised by silence or denial of such issues, perhaps by keeping one’s head down, hoping a whole conversation will end, or finding ways to divert from a particular topic to other subjects that seem safer.

Stage +2: Dismissive and avoidant

People at this stage are aware of issues of race, however they are often dismissive of these issues and often believe that racial inequity and social injustice is not such a big issue. There is denial (and avoidance) that racial and social injustice is an issue, and an opinion that there are far more important inequalities and injustices in the world. This is what they tell themselves and others. The denial and discomfort that arises results in avoidance/resistance/anger and shifting attention to other issues that feel more manageable and tolerable.

They are more comfortable talking about gender issues and disability and will always point to other inequalities rather than racism.

At stage +2 people are avoidant of facing race issues; this distinguishes them from the person at stage +1 who is oblivious and ignorant.

Stage +3: Becoming aware of issues of race

At this stage, people are becoming aware of differences and of racism. They begin to question their original stance at Stages +1 and +2. They recognise that there is inequity and racism, but do not understand why, or what they can do about it. They express discomfort about talking about racial differences and racism and feel overwhelmed by the issues. They often express a sense of helplessness, guilt and even shame, and they just want to make everything be okay for everyone.

Stage +4: Open to learning

People at this stage are open to learning and having meaningful conversations about race, including challenging perceptions and biases. They are genuinely willing to listen, learn and re-educate themselves, and may seek out literature on the experiences and testimonials of black people and other ethnic minority groups. They reflect and readily engage in conversations about social, racial injustice and racism and will explore (and own) any unconscious bias they have,

Stage +5: Ability to see the bigger picture

This stage features an ability to reflect and genuinely engage in conversations and with the issues of social/racial injustice and racism, whereby people start to see the bigger picture around race. They are able to explore and own their unconscious bias, white privilege or other positions of power informed by the reading and education gained in Stage +4. They are keen to explore their role as an ally and how they can make a difference.

Stage +6: Leadership qualities

People at this stage are able to take on leadership roles in promoting racial equity, inclusion and social justice. They may join together with others to challenge social injustice and racism, possibly through community engagement, or through a desire to work with others towards a greater cause with the understanding that there is more that unites us than separates us. They understand that racism is about power and systems and focus their energies on supporting change in this area. They will speak up when necessary and challenge racism or perceptions of racism when others are afraid to. They are clear about allyship and their role.

What are your first thoughts about these stages? (e.g. have you seen these stages occurring in others? Are they accurate?) The model is not linear but fluid and dynamic.

Where do you think you are on this stages/ journey?

SUMMARY OF THE SIX STAGES of Understanding and Dealing with Racism (+ve and -ve axis) are as follows:

 Stage – 6: Extremists/leadership

Strong racist views and work to champion them to others and recruit others to join them.

Stage – 5: Entrenched views and behaviours

Exhibit strong racist views and enjoy sharing them with others.

Stage – 4: Anger and blaming of ethnic minorities

Likely to attack and reject the views of those who are different. Extreme ways of thinking and behaving.

Stage – 3: Attacking and rejecting

Resenting time spent on race, display of outrage whilst projecting one’s own racism onto others

Stage – 2: Dismissive and avoidant

Dismissive of issues of race, pretending that racial and social injustice do not exist

Stage – 1: Unaware, silence and denial

Lack of awareness, Ignorance, oblivious, silence and denial

Stage + 1: Unaware, silence and denial

Lack of awareness, Ignorance, oblivious, silence and denial

Stage + 2: Dismissive and avoidant

Dismissive of issues of race, pretending that racial and social injustice do not exist

Stage + 3: Becoming aware of issues of race

Becoming more aware of differences and racism, and questioning. Recognise inequity and racism but do not understand why or what they can do about it.

Stage + 4: Open to learning

Open to learning and having meaningful conversations- challenging one’s perceptions

Stage + 5: Ability to see the bigger picture

Ability to reflect and genuinely engage. Starting to see the bigger picture around race- paradigm shift

Stage + 6: Leadership qualities

Ability to take on a leadership role in promoting racial equity and social justice. Joining with others for the greater good and for the sake of Humanity.

MY WEBSITES

©Inclusion Psychologists Limited

The Six Stages Framework website

Listen to Episode 1 of If Racism Was a Virus

 https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shungu-hilda-mgadzah/episodes/If-Racism-was-a-Virus----Lessons-from-the-COVID-19-Pandemic--The-Six-Stages-Diversity-Framework-by-Dr-Shungu-H--Mgadzah-e255jq1