OutSources – Allies series: Being an ally in “those moments”

Since the election, Glenda Russell and Janis Bohan of Outsources have been doing a series on allies, exploring ways that we can take a stand on behalf of groups that are currently under siege. This Monday, we’ll take a break from discussing the experiences of particular groups to discuss the question of what gets in the way when we would like to confront oppression but just don’t know how.

Our guests, Teresa Wroe and Julie Volckens, work at the University of Colorado Boulder on issues of health and social equity, with a focus on preventing violence and harassment and building strategies for reducing harmful behavior in family, educational, and community settings. They co-developed a bystander skills training program that has been the foundation for antiviolence and antidiscrimination education for all incoming students at CU for the past eight years. They also train university staff and faculty and local community members in a range of skills that are safe and effective for intervening in uncomfortable or potentially harmful situations.

Teresa and Julie currently work for the CU Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance where Teresa is the director of prevention and education and Julie oversees assessment and research. They also consult with local groups and businesses, as well as colleges and universities on how to bring effective bystander training to their organizations.

In this show, Glenda and Janis spoke with Teresa and Julie about how we can overcome the barriers that keep us from acting and become effective bystanders when we encounter oppressive attitudes and situations.

For more tips on being an effective bystander, visit their website, which they mention in the show, at www.colorado.edu/dontignoreit