Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration

Healing from Intersectional White Supremacy Culture and Ableism:

Disability Justice as an Antidote

Rashmi Chordiya

Seattle University

Adana Protonentis

Seattle University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/jsepa.v2i1.4856

Keywords: Racial Healing, Social Justice, Disability Justice, white supremacy culture

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Abstract

In this exploratory article, we build on the existing literature to identify and discuss the patterns of white supremacy culture (WSC) that are pervasive in our organizational spaces. We argue that because WSC, racism, and ableism are deeply intersectional forms of oppression, our social equity approaches must include a disability justice (DJ) lens, which centers the leadership of multiply marginalized disabled, queer, trans*, Black, Indigenous, and negatively racialized People of Color (QTBIPOC). Using an embodied approach, we invite our readers into a deeper reflection and critical analysis of the intersectional manifestations of white supremacy culture and ableism in organizational spaces. We explore the ways in which the 10 principles of disability justice could serve in creating supportive countercultural norms, values, and behavioral practices needed to create the conditions for healing from white supremacy culture.

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Author Biographies

Rashmi Chordiya, Seattle University

 

Rashmi Chordiya, PhD (she/her) (chordiyarash@seattleu.edu) is an assistant professor of public administration at Seattle University’s Institute of Public Service. She approaches her teaching, scholarship, and praxis from an embodied social justice lens that is trauma-informed, healing-centered, and intentional about centering the margins. Her scholarship focuses on advancing the theory and praxis of public sector human resource management to improve job satisfaction, organizational commitment, retention, belonging, and inclusion in diverse teams and organizational contexts.

Adana Protonentis, Seattle University

 

 

Adana Protonentis, MPA (she/her) (adana@kindredleaders.com) is an organizational culture consultant and codirector of Kindred Consulting. She supports public sector organizations in nurturing inclusion, belonging, wellbeing, and connection in the workplace through trauma-informed leadership, equity-focused policy development, and care-centered practice. Her consulting practice and academic scholarship focus on centering the experiences of multiply marginalized people in service of identifying and removing barriers to belonging and creating conditions for mutual flourishing.

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