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Final Take Home Test

Kim Marin

Seneca College

SSW 102 Anti-Oppressive Practice

Phillip Jang

December 7, 2021
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Final Take Home Test

1. Using the wheel of oppression (discussed in the beginning of the semester), list your social

location/identity for each section. (5 marks)

• Person of colour

• Non-aboriginal

• Heterosexual

• Youth

• Able-bodied

• Educated

• No professional position

• English-speaking

• Citizen

• Woman

2. Explain in your own words "Anti-Oppressive Practice". What does it set out to do? Why is it

important for SSW's to adopt this framework? (2 Marks)

The goal of anti-oppressive social work is to counteract every injustice allowed by

society. Shedding more light on topics considered "hard to talk about" in our course

helps us understand and analyze these issues. By having enough knowledge about it,

we will apply an anti-oppressive practice when dealing with our clients. It regulates any

potentially repressive practices in social services and aids in inclusively delivering

welfare services.

3. If you have not listened to it yet, listen to the interview with Feminista Jones. Do you agree

with her beliefs on the term "ally"? Why or why not? Why does she feel the term "co-

conspirator" is more appropriate? What steps (tangible actions) can you take to feel more
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comfortable with using the term "co-conspirator" when describing your support for another

community you look to work with? (3 marks)

I agree with what Feminista Jones had to say about using the term "ally" and changing it

to the more appropriate "co-conspirator." No matter what or how much we offer to

oppressed communities we're not part of, we will never have the same experiences as

them, and we will never be in their shoes. To be called a co-conspirator is fitting

because, as Feminisita Jones says, we're collaborating with them to bring down

oppressive systems. It will always be their fight, and we are just there to support them

and offer our time and presence to the best of our abilities, not because we are good

people but because we are human and every human deserves equal rights.

I think the first step in transitioning from an ally to a co-conspirator is actively engaging in

important topics that may be uncomfortable to people. It sometimes gets hard to confront

a loved one or a friend, but open discussion and dialogue is the first step in proactively

dismantling oppression.

4. Review the "Colour of Poverty" fact sheets in Week 10. What is "systemic racism" and why

do we need to understand it in our work as SSW's? Using fact sheets 3-10, pick 4

categories and find a local organization that provides programing/services that look to

support people with these issues. Do not use the examples on the fact sheets. Provide the

agency name, brief description of the program/service and how it relates to the issue and

organization's contact info. (10 marks)

Systemic discrimination is defined as patterns of behaviour, policies, or practices

embedded in an organization's structures that produce or perpetuate disadvantage for

people of colour (Ontario Human Rights Commission, n.d.).

• FACT SHEET 3: RACIALIZED POVERTY IN EDUCATION & LEARNING

National Congress of Black Women Foundation

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“For over 35 years, The National Congress of Black Women Foundation (NCBWF)

has been an instrumental link in connecting people Black community members that

include but is not limited to people from Africa, the Caribbean, Canada and America.

The organization continues to promote and facilitate activities and programs that

foster the advancement, recognition, health and education of Black women and their

families.”

https://ncbwf.org/

• FACT SHEET 5: RACIALIZED POVERTY IN EMPLOYMENT

Uprising agency is a Black-owned Canadian recruitment agency created to provide

equal opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour in the Canadian

workplace.

https://uprisingagency.ca/

• FACT SHEET 6: RACIALIZED POVERTY IN INCOME & SOCIAL ASSISTANCE

Black Legal Action Centre delivers legal aid services to low and no income Black

Ontarians. “We work to combat individual and systemic anti-Black racism by:

providing legal representation, summary legal advice and brief services to individual

clients, engaging in test case litigation, law reform and community development to

improve the laws that affect low income people, and giving public legal information

sessions to members of the public and other community agencies.”

https://www.blacklegalactioncentre.ca/

• FACT SHEET 7: RACIALIZED POVERTY IN JUSTICE & POLICING

The Native Youth Sexual Health Network (NYSHN) is an organization by and for

Indigenous youth that works across issues of sexual and reproductive health, rights

and justice throughout the United States and Canada. Through their work, they

recognize self-determination over our bodies is connected to how young Indigenous

women, girls, LGBTTQQIA*, Two-Spirit, and gender non-conforming youth are/are

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not affected by all forms of gender based violence. Reclaiming sexuality on our own

terms is critical in ending sexual violence.”

https://www.nativeyouthsexualhealth.com/
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References

Ontario Human Rights Commission. (n.d.). Racism and racial discrimination: Systemic

discrimination (fact sheet). http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/racism-and-racial-discrimination-

systemic-discrimination-fact-sheet