At Black Dance Change Makers, we recognize that education can often be weaponized against people of color, specifically Black people, so it's important for us to remember that we all have Day 1.
We're created this resource to share some of the people, names, terms, and ideas, that we have learned throughout our Change Maker journey. This glossary is a direct reflection of our mission of Educating our community.
In order to constantly teach, we must constantly learn.
As we start to define things in our community, we will share our definitions on this form.
As we grow, this glossary will grow.
As we change, this glossary will change
This resource can be used for new members who want to catch up on Change Maker lingo, more seasoned members who need a quick refresher, or anyone else who may need it.
In an effort to honor the legacies of those who have taught us, we have done our best to include credit for any terms or ideas where relevant.
“Accountability is a position by which one will be held in check or account for one’s decisions and actions…the acceptance of a role fits within a cultural, political, and social perspective that leads to the liberation of peoples of color from racism, oppression and cultural subordination. It requires a commitment to the vision of African Americans and other oppressed peoples to assume self-determination over those areas deemed by them to directly affect their lives.” (Definition from Undoing Racism Workshop by the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond.)
A relative social ranking based on income, financial resources, education status, and/or power. This is often associated with accessibility to resources such as money, professional network, and education. Our perceptions of class can be tied to food, language, material possessions, culture, work, culture, and many other things. - Amy Elaine Smith and Faith Jones-Jackson
A socially constructed experience that identifies negative connotations and exclusion by society (inadvertently or purposely). The social model definition promotes the notion that while functional limitations and impairments exist in a variety of ways, these are only considered disability if society fails to acknowledge and include people regardless of these differences. The social model also recognizes disability as a community and culture. - Amy Elaine Smith and Faith Jones-Jackson