White supremacy is interwoven into every aspect of our culture in many ways that are easy to name, and other times in patterns so normalized we barely notice them. In this Part 1 episode, we look at how those quieter, less-obvious and normalized dynamics shape our relationships and our dance spaces.We spend time with Tema Okun’s list of characteristics of white supremacy culture: a framework Lou first encountered through Shahem “5hahem” McLaurin’s 2021 Is It White Supremacy? series. Lou shares a bit about the origins of Okun’s work and why it continues to resonate. We touch on how we personally see these cultural habits show up in partner dance communities and along the way, we talk antidotes and possibilities for building dance spaces that feel more grounded, more collaborative and healthier for everyone. This conversation is just the tip of the iceberg with a Part 2 coming soon!

References & Links

• Shahem “5hahem” McLaurin: https://www.5hahem.com/
• Tema Okun’s website: https://www.dismantlingracism.org/
• Short video of Okun speaking: https://youtu.be/kJg2LJihb64?si=sZgDDGTIyX4jtqEt
• Easy-to-read Printable list https://overcomingracism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/HANDOUT-SHARED-Characteristics-of-White-Supremacy-Culture-original-1.pdf
• Original list from Okun https://www.whitesupremacyculture.info/uploads/4/3/5/7/43579015/okun_-_white_sup_culture.pdf