Resources
Nanci Joins Pacifica Radio Conversation on Reproductive Justice
On Tuesday, November 15, Nanci E. Luna Jiménez, LJIST Founder and President, and Lourdes Rivera, Senior Vice President, U.S. Programs at the Center for Reproductive Rights, were highlighted as leading forces in the Women’s Rights and Reproductive Justice Movements during the Pacifica Radio Archives National Broadcast. Hosted by María Elena Fernández and Victoria Fernández, their words…
Read MoreRacism is Not Possible without Sexism
Ending Sexism Together Series Introduction The system of racism could not have been established, institutionalized, and perpetuated without sexism and male domination. In our approach to ending racism, ending sexism isn’t an add-on or an “intersection,” it’s essential to achieving this goal. As a global community, we have been confused about what sexism is, how…
Read MoreEnding Sexism Together: Confusion 1
The Conflation of Sex and Gender To understand, heal from, and end sexism, we need to differentiate sex from gender.* The conflation of the words ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ has led to increased ineffectiveness in the fight to end both sexism and gender discrimination: the systematic and institutionalized mistreatment of people who do not rigidly perform…
Read MoreEnding Sexism Together: Confusion 2
The Myth that Sexism has Ended Despite important gains, the oppression of females persists. In the US we can celebrate specific historical and contemporary struggles where women have organized and won key rights, including suffrage, access to reproductive healthcare and reproductive autonomy, increased sexual freedom, and greater access to the paid work economy. Each of…
Read MoreEnding Sexism Together: Confusion 3
The Myth of Reverse Sexism Sexism targets females. Sexism, like any institutional oppression, is a linear power dynamic from the non-target group, the group with institutional power (males), against the target group (females). In other words, it can’t go in multiple or reverse directions. Females can, and do, mistreat, dislike, not prefer, act prejudice against,…
Read MoreDifferentiating People from Oppression
It’s not useful to confuse people with their oppression. At LJIST, we don’t use language like “oppressor” or “oppressed” or “perpetrator” or “victim.” People don’t want to be described or identified by their relationship to oppression. Instead, we use the language “target” and “non-target,” which describes people’s relationship to oppression rather than confusing or identifying…
Read MoreUnderstanding Institutional Oppression
We use an oppression lens because oppression acknowledges the role of institutional power. Institutional oppression is distinct from other forms of mistreatment, which are sometimes talked about as if they are interchangeable: Implicit Bias Prejudice Discrimination Implicit bias and prejudice are something that all human beings carry. Implicit bias and prejudice (thoughts) can play out…
Read MoreInternational Mother Language Day & International Decade of Indigenous Languages
Each year, February 21 is International Mother Language Day, proclaimed by the United Nations and observed annually for the last two decades to promote multilingualism and cultural diversity. 2022-2032 is also the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, dedicated to ensuring indigenous peoples’ right to preserve, revitalize, and promote their languages. The United Nations General Assembly…
Read MoreBorn Good: Coloring Book Release
LJIST is excited to release our core principles coloring book, Born Good: Coloring Our Way to Social Justice Healing, in celebration of International Mother Tongue Day and International Decade of Indigenous Languages! The coloring book features illustrations of our eight core principles by artist Laura Lopez Cano. (Fun fact: Laura painted the art that you may have seen behind Nanci in…
Read MoreBoarding Schools & Detention Centers
Healing from Policies of Genocide & Adultism I first heard about Indian Boarding Schools as a college student, almost as a US historical footnote. It wasn’t until I watched the Australian film Rabbit Proof Fence that I started to understand how boarding schools operate as an international mechanism of genocide. And it is only in…
Read More