Identifying Your Positionality in Community Based Work
As an ally and Community Based Academic who specializes and focuses on Community Based Research and Indigenous Relations, identifying my Positionality has become an important aspect of my work.
Positionality involves the researcher’s identity, both in where they “belong” in society and those things that they have achieved. Identity encompasses economic status, privilege, levels of achievement, means through which achievements were made, race/ethnicity, life experiences, motivations, values, commitment, and many, many more aspects of who you are in relation to the work you do within communities.
Here is a bit about my own positionality, that I find important to identify for those I collaborate with and act as an ally for:
I am 3rd generation descendant of European immigrants (settlers) who were achievers of the “Canadian Dream” that many European immigrants were entitled to;
I was raised Catholic and have had a long-standing disassociation with the institution;
My privilege comes from the extraction of resources and the refining of resources on Indigenous lands, specifically the Aamjiwnaang First Nation, on whose lands “Chemical Valley” inhabits;
I was educated at a university that at the time taught through the European lens; therefore, I feel my education was biased – a process I am undoing;
I identify as queer and always keep sex and gender expression at the forefront of my mind when working on any initiative;
My Master of Education focuses on Community Based education. When I work within educational institutions and organizations, community needs are always my first priority;
I live with epilepsy, which has made me more aware of the need for accommodations and accessibility awareness, consideration, and training;
I’ve made some mistakes within my allyship that I’ve intentionally learned from and I am dedicated to helping others not make the same mistakes.
What is your Positionality? Is this something you actively and intentionally reveal in your community based work?
I’ve worked with some academics, allies, and researchers to help identify their Positionality within their projects. Let me know if you’re interested in exploring your Positionality within your work, and I can help you identify a) why it’s important, and b) what yours is.
Anne-Marie E. Fischer, BA (Hons), M.Ed., blends her passion for the written word with her vocation to create a better world through effective communications, education, and Community Based Research (CBR).
Words for Impact is the culmination of Anne-Marie’s passions, talents, training, experience, and education. This unique company offers grant and proposal writing, research studies, research reports, impact reports, content development, brand development, communications consulting, biography/autobiography (ghost)writing, education and training materials, curriculum development, podcast script writing, journalistic articles, press releases, developmental editing, in-line editing, and fact-checking.
Words for Impact has a specific interest in serving nonprofits, not-for-profits, community organizations, Indigenous organizations, highly-regulated sectors, individuals & entrepreneurs, podcast hosts, and innovative industries.
Learn more about Words for Impact’s services here and past Impact Projects that Anne-Marie has been involved in here. Dedicated to helping you find the right words for the things that matter.
