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Introducing: Unsilence
Jan. 11th, 2019 02:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fthmodsThe rhetoric of the Trump administration has been filled with “words that wound” (1), hate and the demonisation of various ethnic, cultural and racial groups(2) as well as the LGBTQIA+ community(3)(4), among others. The actions and beliefs of fascism and violent bigots are being encouraged while refugees are turned away(5) and those who combat injustice are struck down with accusations of fake news and funding cuts.(6)(7)(8)
The language of compassion, community and vulnerability has been erased from presidential messages, and in an environment that encourages assaultive language and skews opinions on minority groups(9), it is vital that the upcoming generations embrace an attitude of empathy, inclusion and understanding.
Unsilence targets the education of young people, filling a critical gap in civics education through storytelling, the arts, and game design, working with educators at all levels and creating online educational material. Unsilence aims to give voices to hidden injustices and marginalised experiences in order to spark dialogue, support critical thinking, build empathy, and inspire healing and social change through informed action by guiding youth to challenge stigmas and engage in thoughtful conversation.(10)
Unsilence grew out of the PhD research of learning scientist Danny M. Cohen, whose study of educators at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center led to his creation of educator training programs focused on human rights content. The establishment of groundbreaking learning experiences and a theoretical framework of Unsilencing led to the founding of Unsilence in 2014. (10)
Thus far, Unsilence programmes have reached more than 10,000 individuals across 10 US states in more than 100 communities. They have trained over 2,500 educators to help schools and communities unsilence marginalised historical and contemporary narratives and instigate difficult conversations about persecution, discrimination and trauma. (11) 95% of Unsilence workshop participants report that they are now more comfortable engaging in difficult conversations about injustice. Unsilence collaborates with schools, museums, youth centers, communities of faith and institutions. Based in Chicago, the organisation has local, national and international reach, extending to Poland, Israel and Germany. (10)
Citations:
[1] Matsuda, Mari J., et al. "Introduction." Words That Wound: Critical Race Theory, Assaultive Speech, And The First Amendment, Westview P, 1993, Internet Archive. archive.org/details/wordsthatwoundcr00mats.
[2] O'Connor, Lydia, and Daniel Marans. “Here Are 13 Examples Of Donald Trump Being Racist.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 2 Jan. 2018, www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-racist-examples_us_56d47177e4b03260bf777e83.
[3] “LGBTQ Community Would Be 'Hard Hit' by Trump's 2018 Budget.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 29 May 2017, www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/lgbtq-community-would-be-hard-hit-trump-s-2018-budget-n765141.
[4] “D.C. Circuit Court Sides with Trump on Trans Military Ban.” Georgia Voice - Gay & LGBT Atlanta News, 6 Jan. 2019, thegavoice.com/news/d-c-circuit-court-sides-with-trump-on-trans-military-ban.
[5] Ackerman, Spencer. “Trump Ready to Turn Away Another 20,000 Refugees.” The Daily Beast, The Daily Beast Company, 5 July 2018, www.thedailybeast.com/trump-ready-to-turn-away-another-20000-refugees?ref=scroll.
[6] Giroux, Henry. “Donald Trump's Fascist Politics and the Language of Disappearance.” Truthdig: Expert Reporting, Current News, Provocative Columnists, 19 Nov. 2018, www.truthdig.com/articles/trumps-rhetoric-is-meant-to-destroy-thought-and-democracy/.
[7] Abramson, Alana. “Trump Administration Cuts Funding for Programs Helping ACA.” Time, Time, 11 July 2018, time.com/5335462/trump-administration-cuts-26-million-in-funds-for-organizations-that-help-people-sign-up-for-obamacare/.
[8] “What Trump Cut in His Agency Budgets.” The Washington Post, WP Company, www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-presidential-budget-2018-proposal/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.13a4acb79596.
[9] Ingraham, Christopher. “Trump's 'Offensive and Prejudicial Rhetoric' Skews How White People View Minorities, Research Finds.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 31 Oct. 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/10/31/trumps-offensive-prejudicial-rhetoric-skews-how-white-people-view-minorities-research-finds/?utm_term=.28da1da509de.
[10] “WHAT WE DO.” UNSILENCE, www.unsilence.org/what-we-do.html.
[11] “OUR FRAMEWORK”. UNSILENCE, https://www.unsilence.org/framework.html
The language of compassion, community and vulnerability has been erased from presidential messages, and in an environment that encourages assaultive language and skews opinions on minority groups(9), it is vital that the upcoming generations embrace an attitude of empathy, inclusion and understanding.
Unsilence targets the education of young people, filling a critical gap in civics education through storytelling, the arts, and game design, working with educators at all levels and creating online educational material. Unsilence aims to give voices to hidden injustices and marginalised experiences in order to spark dialogue, support critical thinking, build empathy, and inspire healing and social change through informed action by guiding youth to challenge stigmas and engage in thoughtful conversation.(10)
Unsilence grew out of the PhD research of learning scientist Danny M. Cohen, whose study of educators at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center led to his creation of educator training programs focused on human rights content. The establishment of groundbreaking learning experiences and a theoretical framework of Unsilencing led to the founding of Unsilence in 2014. (10)
Thus far, Unsilence programmes have reached more than 10,000 individuals across 10 US states in more than 100 communities. They have trained over 2,500 educators to help schools and communities unsilence marginalised historical and contemporary narratives and instigate difficult conversations about persecution, discrimination and trauma. (11) 95% of Unsilence workshop participants report that they are now more comfortable engaging in difficult conversations about injustice. Unsilence collaborates with schools, museums, youth centers, communities of faith and institutions. Based in Chicago, the organisation has local, national and international reach, extending to Poland, Israel and Germany. (10)
Citations:
[1] Matsuda, Mari J., et al. "Introduction." Words That Wound: Critical Race Theory, Assaultive Speech, And The First Amendment, Westview P, 1993, Internet Archive. archive.org/details/wordsthatwoundcr00mats.
[2] O'Connor, Lydia, and Daniel Marans. “Here Are 13 Examples Of Donald Trump Being Racist.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 2 Jan. 2018, www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-racist-examples_us_56d47177e4b03260bf777e83.
[3] “LGBTQ Community Would Be 'Hard Hit' by Trump's 2018 Budget.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 29 May 2017, www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/lgbtq-community-would-be-hard-hit-trump-s-2018-budget-n765141.
[4] “D.C. Circuit Court Sides with Trump on Trans Military Ban.” Georgia Voice - Gay & LGBT Atlanta News, 6 Jan. 2019, thegavoice.com/news/d-c-circuit-court-sides-with-trump-on-trans-military-ban.
[5] Ackerman, Spencer. “Trump Ready to Turn Away Another 20,000 Refugees.” The Daily Beast, The Daily Beast Company, 5 July 2018, www.thedailybeast.com/trump-ready-to-turn-away-another-20000-refugees?ref=scroll.
[6] Giroux, Henry. “Donald Trump's Fascist Politics and the Language of Disappearance.” Truthdig: Expert Reporting, Current News, Provocative Columnists, 19 Nov. 2018, www.truthdig.com/articles/trumps-rhetoric-is-meant-to-destroy-thought-and-democracy/.
[7] Abramson, Alana. “Trump Administration Cuts Funding for Programs Helping ACA.” Time, Time, 11 July 2018, time.com/5335462/trump-administration-cuts-26-million-in-funds-for-organizations-that-help-people-sign-up-for-obamacare/.
[8] “What Trump Cut in His Agency Budgets.” The Washington Post, WP Company, www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-presidential-budget-2018-proposal/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.13a4acb79596.
[9] Ingraham, Christopher. “Trump's 'Offensive and Prejudicial Rhetoric' Skews How White People View Minorities, Research Finds.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 31 Oct. 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/10/31/trumps-offensive-prejudicial-rhetoric-skews-how-white-people-view-minorities-research-finds/?utm_term=.28da1da509de.
[10] “WHAT WE DO.” UNSILENCE, www.unsilence.org/what-we-do.html.
[11] “OUR FRAMEWORK”. UNSILENCE, https://www.unsilence.org/framework.html
