Systems of oppression is something BIG I am learning and committed to unpacking in my personal life and business with the guidance of amazing BIPOC women leaders: Cassandra Lam & Karen Mok, Co-Founders of The Cosmos, social justice educator Shengxiao "Sole" Yu, Maryam Ajayi, Founder of Dive in Well and Constanza Eliana Chinea, Founder of Embody Inclusivity. These concepts are increasing my awareness about these invisible systems of oppression and how interconnected they are to the individual and collective + can prevent healing and transformation.

In Adrienne Marie Brown’s book, “The Emergent Strategy,” they share the concept “fractal” about what happens at the individual level affects the collective level and vice versa.

What does oppression mean?

According to Dismantling Racism Works, oppression means “systematic subjugation of one social group by a more powerful social group for the social, economic, and political benefit of the more powerful social group.” The oppressor (individual or group in power) exerts power over the oppressed group to keep the oppressed group under them and creates negative narratives about the oppressed group where eventually the oppressed group internalizes the negative narratives.

What is an example of SYSTEMIC oppression?

As one of my teachers, Shengxiao “Sole” shared its invisible and all around us.

• Patriarchy — a society in which the oldest male is the leader of the family, or a society controlled by men in which they use their power to their own advantage often excluding women and dictating what women can and cannot do (according to the Cambridge Dictionary)

  • i.e. At the political level, men making decisions for women and her body; she doesn’t have a say or voice in what involves her such as access to birth control, level of funding given to Planned Parenthood.

  • i.e. At the religious level, certain religions not allowing birth control use, shaming & suppressing sexual expression.

  • i.e. Patriarchy becomes so ingrained culturally where it is passed down from generation to generation where women reinforce these patriarchal ways of being.

  • i.e. in the Vietnamese culture I grew up in, what was most valued about girls and women were their silence and unwavering obedience. I was often yelled at “Why can’t you be more like other girls” (referring to the “perfect obedient” Vietnamese girl/daughter).

  • Shame is the tool used by parents and other Vietnamese folks to put girls and women in their place to act according to gender norms.

• Historical impact of colonization stripping away your culture’s way of being resulting in disconnect with your ancestral culture, language, traditions, rituals, and food.

  • i.e. Growing up as a 1st generation Vietnamese-American immigrant, I lost my ability to speak fluent Vietnamese as I became fluent in speaking English. Fluency in English was a priority because speaking fluent English meant more opportunities.

  • i.e. The dominant religion in Vietnam is Buddhism but certain parts of Vietnam are still influenced today since the colonization of French where Catholicism replaced Buddhism. Growing up, my Vietnamese stepdad continued on the colonized ways by colonizing his children to follow the Catholic religion.