I’ve always been a social justice and antiracist activist. If my mom were to tell you, she would say this is how I came out the womb! Fighting for equitable treatment, access and opportunity particularly for those within the BIPOC community has always been close to my heart and integral to any work I did.

So, you could imagine my surprise when I realized that I too have perpetrated unjust treatment of others, that I too have upheld systemic oppressions in ways I was unaware of. The beauty of the SEED approach is the centering of personal stories to weave a collective narrative that connects to the systemic nature of unearned privilege and unearned disadvantage.

Often, we may be unaware of the stories that we carry and how these stories have shaped our world view and our relationships. It was through the SEED story exchange process that I uncovered deep rooted stories that I held that shaped the ways in which I understood myself and positioned me to uphold behaviors I had fervently expressed as antithetical to social justice.  The phrase “trust the process” stuck with me as I granted myself more patience and grace to sift through the layers that were critical to my growth. This experience deepened my awareness and understanding of what it truly means to live the work of social justice and be intentional about fostering Just relationships with all people.