Nov. 4, 2014
Escape From Slavery by Francis Bok book read discussion notes
Community member; Dean; PT Business; Counselor; facilitator
Analyze section – ideas of things organizations/people who work to help refugees
could do to ease the transition more
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Direct mentoring around such basic things such as how to use the food in the
cupboards; how to apply the guidelines provided to adjusting to the unfamiliar
facilities and expectations
Evaluate
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Ch 19 written more as a term paper by Bok? Written more heavily by Tevnan?
Tone/writing style changes some
227 – initially sees that the causes are that the Northern Islamists wanted the
southern natural resources and cheap human labor
Commenced on self-education about the war in Sudan (228-229); wanted to draw
parallels between situation in Khartoum and larger global politics (e.g. Taliban in
Afghanistan)
230 points out that it is a problem of Sudanese enslaving and killing other Sudanese
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233 modern stage of Sudan was the creation of British imperialism
For centuries the two peoples kept their distance; Arab tribes raided people in the
south
What elements can help inform us in relation to other examples?
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Reminds us that this is not an isolated story of one incident
Isis fundamentalism – virulent, unshakeable certainty that takes no other view into
consideration
Gives insight into how slave-maker mind objectifies/dehumanizes enslaved
Connection between consumer goods, market forces and child-labor, slave labor
Cognitive dissonance between narrative of equality and freedom and the fact that
much in the market (our clothes manufacturing) promotes unfair labor practices
Would it have been possible for a female child or an older male child to have been
on this path out of slavery? Or someone with less physical beauty and/or
charismatic personality?
Reflect:
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Reminder that you just don’t know people’s stories until you ask
Helps to make familiar the aspects of people that seem strange to one’s own
understanding (e.g., tribal scarification)
Understand that not everyone is willing/able to share their experiences (traumatic,
culturally specific, etc.)
Increase our knowledge and awareness of what’s going on in the world
Help us think about ways in which we are blind to our own culture, be more
intentional about making transparent about what constitutes our way of doing
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things/what our culture looks like; invite to understand and /or
participate…without presuming our way is best/better
Intentionally overcome own introversion to actively be open and initiate warm
connection – be warm, even if it feels awkward
Make clearer what the array of choices are, rather than assume that one’s own way
isn’t desirable; present without forcing; be inviting
Held to understand that there can be conflicts (historical, cultural, political) between
students from the same country
Help us think about how to hold in the balance our own values (e.g. nondiscrimination) and experiences of our students (e.g., one student’s desire not to be
seated by another student due to historically grounded fear)
Bring in readings about peoples from the same places that students in the class are
from; use pieces with a personal voice to enable engaging connection
DAC Book Read Discussion
Date: Thursday, November 13, 2014
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Participants: Jill Bower, Elizabeth Goulet (Facilitator), Lucas Reber, Jayne StromStrebe, Kelly Hsu, Chelsea Good, Peggy Sharp, Rodolfo Franco, Betty Williams
Note taker: Kelly Hsu
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Our students are expected to behave a certain way, which put them in a box. We
tend to make assumption of their culture.
We should provide services; such as, housing assistance to homeless people, or
disadvantage students.
After sharing a brief story of the experience in outreach in tribal colleges, the
students felt threatened to come to the big city; which drawl a conclusion that we
should not assume everyone needs help.
We should do more outreach in Kitzap County, Olympia, or Olympic College…etc.
However, we should first build positive relationship, and gain trust from these
colleges.
Instead of insisting to provide help to a student, we should be working alongside
with them.
Reflection:
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Employee climate survey: People felt un-safe in this college. What can we do to be
an advocate for one and another?
The college should provide diversity classes and mandate employees to participate.
LDI and DIF should merge together.
DAC Book Read discussions are a great building community opportunity for
employees to connect with one and another.
We should get more students participation in DAC Book read.
Escape from Slavery Book Read Discussion 11/20/14
Analysis
Analysis of the why’s of slavery include the historical institutional practice that benefited people in
the North, within the Muslim culture. Francis points out that it is not all Muslims, as several Muslim
Arabs helped him. He shows well in the research he put together how the structures in place have
encouraged racism and seeing his people as not fully human to justify the slavery and abuse of his
people. The practices used in Sudan he describes are very similar to the US experience of slavery in
which economic gain for a few was maintained by racism – creating a system that views some people
based on skin color as lesser than themselves was also used.
Sometimes people are trapped by expectations of success to be stuck in jobs, having mortgages, in
which they feel they don’t have the option of making choices. In our purchasing in the commercial
world, we may be contributing to slavery, such as children working in sweat shops, or in diamond
mines, gathering chocolate/cocoa nuts.
There are many people in situations that they may be trapped in, and fearful, such as domestic
violence situations, mail order brides, sexual slaves, undocumented immigrants forced into unpaid
work to repay the trip to a new country. People often get used to their oppression, there is comfort in
the familiar, and to change the situation can be very overwhelming and scary.
Recommendations