Liberation Through Systems Change

Anti-racist and anti-oppressive systems change within organizations and community spaces requires a revisioning and shifting of neo-liberal scripts of conducting racial audits, internal surveys, recommendation reports that often tell the story or provide the data of oppression and harm that many individuals within organizations have been saying prior to hiring someone like me to support systems change. 

 As an equity and liberation consultant my desire is to ensure that systems change includes building an ecosystem within organization that allows for self sustaining practices and culture shifts within the fabric.  My goal is to create solutions with organizations that are unique rather than taking cookie cutter approaches. 

For over ten years I have learned that the best approach for systems change within organizations includes an individualized approach to the needs of the organization.

One size models and best practices fall short at times because each ecosystem within an organization is so unique.

You may be wondering, what my approach is to working within organizations, groups, and collectives that are seeking to create the conditions of equitable change!

The methodology and teaching that supports my framework as an anti-racist consultant include incorporating principles found in South African philosophy  UBUNTU-  which offers a paradigm for  existing in harmony and peace. Ubuntu is a philosophy that invites us to think about our collectivity in the world. In application to systems change, Ubuntu offers principles that invite decolonial transformative visioning for anti-racist, anti-oppressive, healing centered engaged that is foundational  

Below are some key tenets of UBUNTU as a philosophical practice

In addition to centering the practice of UBUNTU, I also invite the following practices within accompaniments 

• Access, equity, anti-oppression, decolonial approach

• Flexibility: I value adaptability, responding to changing needs, and have found this flexibility to set me apart from others

• Curiosity: this keeps me and my work open, whimsical and ensures that I approach challenges not as obstacles, but as opportunities to innovate and be creative.

If you are interested in working together, here are some questions to consider. I want you to answer the following questions 

1. What are the working conditions of equity deserving groups in your organization? Have you sought feedback  in ethical *non-exploitative* ways?

2. Are key decision makers within the organization, collective or group on board with seeking accompaniment around racial justice and equity from an outside consultant?

3. What resistance do you anticipate when embarking on this journey?

4. What are you willing to risk in order to gain sustainable change within your organization/ collective?

 Coaching & Trainings

Trainings Development and Workshops

I have offered a number of trainings on oppression, equity, inclusion centred in principles of economic, racial, gender, reproductive, restorative & healing justice. Trainings are catered to organizational needs.

Training methodology is informed by adult learning principles and the following core values

• Access, equity, anti-oppression, decolonial approach

• Flexibility: I value adaptability, responding to changing needs, and have found this flexibility to set me apart from others

• Curiosity: this keeps me and my work open, whimsical and ensures that I approach challenges not as obstacles, but as opportunities to innovate and be creative.

 Organizational Assessments and Policy

Let’s learn and grow together

Are you interested in creating the conditions where folks within your organization can thrive?

Are you interested in centring practices of anti-oppression that take into account historical and contemporary forms of harm?

Equity, diversity and inclusion have become buzzwords that hold little weight unless organizations and individuals within those organizations are willing to embark on a journey that will require long-term commitments to change. Systems change work is possible but requires organizations to slow down and try different processes that may differ from the culture that exists, i.e. breaking the status quo.

The work is not going to be easy, but it's going to be worth it, so let connect and see how I can support you, below you will find the services that I offer;

Organizational Assessments and Policy SUpports

An organizational assessment is a consulting strategy that Yamikani has developed for groups that are ready to embark on a path of focused work to align their policies, practices, and culture with their social justice vision and values. It includes an anti-oppression audit of the organization, a report with written recommendations and implementation strategies, and facilitated sessions for education and strategizing to move forward.

When conducting organizational assessments and audits, I have a team of consultants that I work with around evaluation, coaching , executive leadership supports and more.

The timeframe for effective audits/ Assessments generally run anywhere from four months to one year.

 Gender-Based Violence

Our anti-violence movement must be intersectional!

That’s a common sentiment when it comes to talking about sexual violence and consent culture. As mentioned in my story, I have for the last 11 years I have strived to build a society where consent culture in the norm. I didn’t do it alone of course, I have worked with many amazing radical feminists within the anti-sexual violence movement. Over the years  I have trained over 25,000 people and worked with over 100 organizations on the subjects of consent,sexual violence and bystander intervention. 

Here is a list of organizations that I have recently worked with in the last 6 months:

• LGBT Youthline 

• University of Toronto

• Humber College

• Bricks and Glitter 

• USNOW Hamilton

• Kwartha Sexual Assault Centre 

• Sexual Assault Centre Hamilton Area (SACHA)

• Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women 

• Learning VAW Network

The entry point of my work is INTERSECTIONAL and POLITICAL by nature. 

I have chosen to center the voices of Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color in my work. When I get called on to give presentations or speaks, I will often center those voices in the conversation, activities and theory that I present. So to sum it up here are the subjects that I can speak to:

• Building Consent Culture in the Workplace

• Sexual Violence and Intersectionality

• Immigrant and Refugee Women's Experiences

• LGBTQ Experiences & Sexual Violence

• Bystander Intervention

• Thinking Beyond Mainstream Responses to Sexual Violence

• Healing Centred Engagement and Gender Based Violence Practices

• Anti-Black Racism and Sexual Violence

• Pleasure and Consent

• Transformative Justice and Healing

Wanna see me in action? Check out these webinars that I hosted with VAW Learning Network

Roots and Resistance Webinar, May 2018 - VAW Learning Network

Roots and Resilience Webinar, May 2019 - VAW Learning Network

Testimonials

Past Orgs & Testimonials

The organizations that I have worked with…