In my upcoming book, Whole System Transformation: (When You Mean to Radically Change
the System, Including You!), I explore the essential "Capacities" needed for leading
transformative processes: Seeing, Naming, Analyzing, and De-structuring. After three decades
of supporting and training individuals in healing, justice-making, community building, and
organizing for liberation, I have found that one of the most vital capacities—seeing—is
frequently underdeveloped.
Collective liberation requires tapping into a potential that has not yet manifested, and it requires
de-structuring current systems of oppression. Both sides of our work, visioning and de-
structuring, require that we see clearly. When we intend transformation, whether on the
personal, familial, community, or organizational levels, we must learn to see, and then, see
within seeing.
But what are we attempting to see? As we work to dismantle what bell hooks referred to as
"dominator culture," it is important to cultivate the ability to recognize patterns of oppression. We
strengthen the potential of taking meaningful action by identifying these recurring behaviors,
policies, and procedures that hinder equity and justice—whether in ourselves, our collectives, or
our organization. It takes practice.
A PRACTICE: Start off by watching and discussing a teaching video or reading that
describes systemic oppression on interpersonal, internalized, and institutional levels. Designate
a period of time to commit to this practice ongoing (I suggest 6 – 12 months).
At every meeting (Staff meeting, Board meeting, design team meeting, etc.) assign one
person (or two if a larger group) to act as Power Process Observer. Their job is to simply
record and report out patterns related to power (class, race, sexuality, gender…others
specific to your particular situations) that they saw during the meeting. This process will
take a strong commitment. [The report-out should take place at the close of the meeting
– maybe a 15-minute agenda item.]
Not everyone sees patterns as easily as others so encourage people to take turns –
starting with more experienced power observers. Expect resistance – mainly in the form
of defensiveness. This practice is about building muscles: eyes (ability to see what is
happening), voice (ability to name what is happening), and heart (ability to stay
engaged and connected even in the midst of acknowledging what may be painful). All of
it is essential!
The practice will require facing fear, defensiveness, sadness, and possible withdrawal. Invite
people to notice how they feel in listening to the feedback. Acknowledging how feelings move
through the body taps additional wisdom and is itself, a liberatory act. Separation from body
knowing is a primary tool of white supremacy.
Celebrate as people begin to voice more directly and with greater ease the patterns that are
occurring right now, in this room/right now, in this organization. Radical truth-telling cultivates a
community ready to move to the next level: seeing and naming specific components of systemic
oppression—i.e. Where and how is anti-Blackness showing up in our organization?
Strengthening our capacity to see is as necessary as ever in our current environment where the
guardians of the status quo are rapidly reinforcing misinformation tactics and legally prohibiting
truthful curricula. It’s on, folks! Embrace “wokeness.” Walk this liberation journey committed to
practice collective seeing.
Niyonu D. Spann has a BA degree in Voice Performance from Oberlin Conservatory of Music, a
MS degree in Human Resources Management (Organizational Development) from the
American University/National Training Laboratories and is pursuing a PhD in Transformational
Studies from the California Institute of Integral Studies. In addition to her own consulting
business, Niyonu Spann & Associates, Niyonu co-founded CEIO (Co-creating Effective and
Inclusive Organizations) in New Haven, CT. She founded Beyond Diversity 101™ (BD101), a
five-day triannual workshop, which has seen hundreds of participants over the last twenty-four
years. Niyonu also performs as a solo artist (two albums, most recently Spirit Fuel, 2021).
Her music can be found @nuyoniproductions. New projects under development include
the Academy for Peace and Liberation Education and the 4 Circles Beyond Liberation Teaching
Residency, the first a high school to deliver peace-centered, liberatory education, and the
second a program to support teachers to build, establish, and sustain liberatory pedagogy
throughout the United States.
Niyonu’s current offering is BD101™ Whole System Transformation – The Series. It begins in
March 2025 with a cohort that meets together four times in 2025. WST provides mental,
spiritual and somatic models and practices along with opportunities to apply methods and
practices; to consciously hold and guide transformative processes. Stay tuned for Niyonu's
upcoming book: Whole System Transformation: (When You Mean to Radically Change the
System, Including You!