In December (2008), I attended the Social Justice Training Institute (SJTI) in Tucson, Arizona. The five-day intensive “laboratory experience” is a time for diversity educators, practitioners, and trainers to focus on “self” learning and development to increase their multicultural competencies as social justice educators. A skill taught during the institute, to increase one’s ability to notice patterns of treatment and experiences of both dominant (e.g., White People) and subordinated (e.g., People of Color) groups, was PANNING:
PAN = Pay
Attention
Now
As the trainers explained this simple, yet stimulating concept, they reminded us PANNING is about being intentional in your observations and being conscious of your feelings about these recognized behaviors and patterns. A person who develops the skill of PANNING is able to do two things well:
1) QUESTION with authentic curiosity/wonder: Is this an isolated incident or a possible pattern of experience? For example, “Why have I seen two White families “breeze” through security at the airport and two Families of Color (especially if they’re perceived to be ‘Middle Eastern’ or have ‘Middle Eastern’ names) be questioned and/or searched?”
2) AVOID making (snap) judgments or creating a “story” of what you see and experience. For example, “Oh she must be the ‘guy’ in the relationship because she’s wearing a tie with her jeans and her ‘girlfriend’/’partner’ is wearing a skirt and dress top.”
While I believe we, as humans, are inquisitive creatures who are socialized to judge and stereotype, I also believe by learning and practicing the skill of PANNING one can improve and/or manage perceptions of those we know well (i.e., colleagues/friends) and those we name as “strangers.” PANNING requires you to “pay attention now” to the specific details and only the facts about what you feel, hear, and see, etc.
The part of your post that stood out to me the most was when you said that we are “socialized to judge and stereotype.” It is totally true! It’s becoming impossible to escape what “they” are making us become (if that makes sense to you.) I feel like even if we pay attention to the things that we see, hear and feel we are still missing so much of the big picture and that is what leads us to judge and categorize people negatively. And it is true that we need to AVOID making snap judgments because it is awful, but we all do it and people do it to us too.
ReplyDeleteHey Eleanor Rigby:
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. You know, it's a struggle sometimes and a constant conscious and committed practice to managing those "snap judgements." For me, it became much more "real" this spring (2010) when I took a course w/Prof. Shawn Spano (COMM 241R). The course focused on diversity and facilitating dialogues around difference...just fascinating content! In the course, I met two students who I had "prejudged", if you will, their racial identity and then they ended up sharing something completely different w/the class. I used that moment as a "check" for myself (sort of a snap of the judgement rubber-band) b/c I "show up"/"present" as White, when in fact, I'm half Native. Now, have I experienced the world w/passing privilege, White privilege, etc.? Yes! Still, I recognize more now how it feels to have part of you dismissed, misunderstood, and judged. Tough lesson to learn, but certainly a valuble one for the life-toolkit!
(:gunnerisfunner
I love that you referenced the seminar that you attended. The ideas that were presented make complete sense. The airport example really hit home with me. I traveled on the day of the big Heathrow incident. Not only was security crazy but I could tell the security people were judging all of the passengers. Most if not all of the Middle Eastern looking passengers were pulled aside for additional security measures. It's too bad that things like that happen.
ReplyDeleteI make a conscious effort to not make snap judgments but unfortunately sometimes that is hard. I hope that with a conscious effort to try not to judge people, I will have a more open mind and meet some really interesting people.