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Mar 22

Environmental Justice in RVA: Coal Ash or Community

By Jason Sawyer | COMMUNITY CHANGE , ECONOMIC JUSTICE , ENVIORNMENTAL JUSTICE , RESOURCES , SOCIAL JUSTICE

Listen Here: Community Against Coal- With Good Reason Jason Sawyer, Assistant Professor of Social Work at Norfolk State University and think.create.change co-founder talks to Sarah McConnell from “With Good Reason” about his work as a community organizer for the Neighborhood Resource Center of Greater Fulton. As a part of a community engagement and planning initiative […]

Jan 13

Mountain Top Removal, Coal Ash, Water, and Urban Neighborhoods in Virginia:

By Jason Sawyer | CLASSROOM TOOLS , COMMUNITY CHANGE , ENVIORNMENTAL JUSTICE , NEIGHBORHOODS , RACE , RESOURCES , SOCIAL JUSTICE

The Cycle of Energy, Waste, and Community Disinvestment A Three Part Series on the Complicated Relationship Between Local Organizing for Environmental Justice and Sustainability Pt. I: The Case of The East End Landfill In September of 2010, I accepted a position as a community organizer at an urban center in the far East End of […]

Jan 12

The Critical Difference Engagement Model:

By Jason Sawyer | CLASSROOM TOOLS , COMMUNITY CHANGE , COMMUNITY TOOLS , IDENTITY , NEIGHBORHOODS , RACE , RESOURCES

Using Community Engaged Model Development to Forge Alliances Across Difference in Community Organizing “when you get deeper, building alliances is also about dealing with the history of pain, rejection, disappointment, abuse, and oftentimes individuals that are in that room represent that to the other. And you don’t always know who represents what…” Introduction The […]

Dec 05

Just the “Good Ole’ Boys”: Moving Beyond the Dukes of Hazard’s Racism of Innocent Ignorance

By Jason Sawyer | COMMUNITY CHANGE , IDENTITY , RACE

A three part series on the meaning of the confederate flag from a semi-conscious white ally born and raised in the ex-confederate south Pt. III- Intent vs. Impact: Life Long Learning and Unlearning This is the third piece in a series on identity, media, and the history of the confederate flag. The first focused on […]

Nov 16

Just the “Good Ole’ Boys”: Moving Beyond the Dukes of Hazard’s Racism of Innocent Ignorance

By Jason Sawyer | COMMUNITY CHANGE , IDENTITY , RACE , SOCIAL JUSTICE

A three part series on the meaning of the confederate flag from a semi-conscious white ally born and raised in the ex-confederate south Pt. II- The Cornerstone, the Flag, and the Heritage Myth In my last post, I discussed the ubiquitous branding, reframing, and consistent shaping of public memory perpetuated by media images, and […]

Sep 21

Just the “Good Ole’ Boys”: Moving Beyond the Dukes of Hazard’s Racism of Innocent Ignorance

By Jason Sawyer | CORPORATE MEDIA , IDENTITY , RACE , SOCIAL JUSTICE

A three part series on the meaning of the confederate flag from a semi-conscious white ally born and raised in the ex-confederate south. Pt. I: Childhood, Image Based Knowledge, and My Media-Shaped History Childhood, a time of innocence, learning, socialization, growth, and awakening is also a time of great distraction. As a young child […]

Aug 20

Entering Silently, Listening to Learn, and Building Authentic Relationships:

By Jason Sawyer | COMMUNITY CHANGE , ECONOMIC JUSTICE , RACE , SOCIAL JUSTICE

Seven Tools in Shifting From Well Meaning Whiteness to Useful Ally This is the third and final portion of a three part series on navigating difference in community organizing and social justice work. Targeted at members of my own community, it covers seven essential tools in moving through the process of ally consciousness. Part one […]

Aug 14

Entering Silently, Listening to Learn and Building Authentic Relationships:

By Jason Sawyer | RACE

Seven Tools in Shifting From Well Meaning Whiteness to Useful Ally This is the second piece of a three part series on navigating difference in community organizing and social justice work. Targeted at members of my own community, it covers seven essential tools in moving through the process of ally consciousness. Part one centered on […]

Aug 10

Entering Silently, Listening to Learn, and Building Authentic Relationships:

By Jason Sawyer | COMMUNITY CHANGE , IDENTITY , RACE , SOCIAL JUSTICE

Seven Tools in Shifting From Well Meaning Whiteness to Useful Ally This piece is part of a three part series on navigating difference in community organizing and social justice work. Targeted at members of my own community, it covers seven essential tools in moving through the process of ally consciousness. Pt. I: Unearned Social Power […]

Apr 27

Tweeting for Justice

By Jason Sawyer | COMMUNITY CHANGE , CULTURE WORK , RACE , SOCIAL JUSTICE , UNIVERSITY

The Transformative Power of Critical Pedagogy, Intergroup Dialogue, and Social Media on Critical Consciousness

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