WHAT IS INTERSECTIONALITY?
Last year the Education committee organized three engaging events that introduced topics that are relevant to the St Louis community. The Power of the Arts, Resettling of Refugees in St Louis and Housing Inequity.
Look for save the dates for this coming year’s education events, that are informative and always present a new perspective on the community in which we live.
Here are some further thoughts about the Housing Inequity presentation. Often the topics of discussion are a jumping off point for deeper thought and discussion.
In his March 8th SOS Education presentation: “Housing Inequities 101”, Beyond Housing’s Executive Director Chris Krehymeyer said Housing wasn’t an issue by itself. People who seek adequate or better housing have related issues of (inadequate) resources for health, education, jobs, economic development and infrastructure. All issues are tied together. This is how he defined intersectionality.
Beyond Housing can’t “fix” housing problems just by addressing home loan availability, financing solutions, building new housing etc. They need to address:
- “Doctor deserts”,
- good schools,
- college funding,
- enough living wage jobs,
- food insecurity,
- mental health issues and more.
Related but not obvious issues include the need to plant trees, provide family engagement liaisons, address the deteriorating buildings and empty lots and much more.
The Oxford English dictionary defines Intersectionality as: “the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage”. Intersectionality is the acknowledgement that everyone has their own unique experiences of discrimination and oppression and we must consider everything and anything that can marginalize people – gender, race, class, sexual orientation, physical ability, etc.
How does this relate to SOS and what we support and fund?
As funders it is prudent to keep all of the definitions of what intersectionality is in mind as we try to discern what the greatest needs in our community are and how we can help support those who are addressing them.