During the month of March 2021, Denise Ross joined us on the Tipsy Unicorn podcast to share her perspectives on oppression and liberation. She is an Advisory Committee Member for Women in Behavior Analysis (WIBA), and the Chair of UW Systems Institute for Urban Education at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. Her research focuses on language and literacy interventions for children with and without disabilities, particularly those in urban schools.
Perspectives on Oppression and Liberation:
- She witnessed disparities within her own family
- This developed in her a deep drive to protect future generations
- She believes racism is a combination of behaviors and attitude, and that it can, and should, be measured by the actual impact of our behavior through external feedback
- Nobody should try to take on the world
- Every one should find a mentor who can help them learn and grow
- When celebrating a woman or person of color as the “first” or “only” one in a position or organization, also address the system that only lets a few marginalized people through
- She encourages people to find their niche and work it - and to bring a friend!
- She believes that at the end of the day it’s all about compassion and perspective-taking
- She reminds us that we all have experienced oppression which means we all need liberation
Tip for Emerging Activists:
- Take care of yourself
- Understand that everyone is impacted by racism
- Stick with it!
