What is PolicyLink's definition of equity?

PolicyLink defines equity as the just and fair inclusion into a society in which all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential. The 'all' is emphasized, meaning the nation's improvement depends on seeing and including everyone, regardless of background.

Why is Michael McAfee optimistic about racial equity in the US?

He is optimistic because for the first time, civil society, government, and corporate America are all engaging with the issue of racial equity, something they have historically avoided.

What are the challenges in achieving structural systems change for equity?

A significant challenge is the nation's history and ongoing systemic issues rooted in its founding (stolen land, slave labor, genocide) and the difficulty in truly seeing and serving all people, especially those in poverty.

What is Larissa Duncan's research focus?

Larissa Duncan's research focuses on pathways to health and equity through contemplative practices, child and family well-being, and social equity on larger scales, bridging research and practice.

What historical context does Larissa Duncan highlight about land-grant universities?

She points out their origins in the colonization and theft of land from Native peoples, with resources then used to fund universities and extension systems that taught settlers how to profit from that stolen land.

How does Larissa Duncan approach graduate student admissions for social change work?

She shifted focus to admitting students who are already engaged in community-based work and are leaders in their communities, particularly women of color, to integrate their doctoral research with social change efforts.

What stalled the grant proposal for addressing preterm birth in Wisconsin?

The grant proposal received a perfect score except for the evaluation section, where reviewers rejected a liberatory evaluation framework proposed by a black woman-led agency comfortable with the community.

How does Michael McAfee view the role of scientists using the word 'love'?

He believes that while it may sound unconventional or 'soft' in academic circles, using 'love' as motivation, especially connected to alleviating suffering, provides a necessary humanistic anchor and prevents getting lost in titles or achievements without real impact.

What is the significance of calling children 'little people'?

The term 'little people' can convey affection and a heart connection, akin to how some indigenous languages add 'people' to natural elements, suggesting a leveling and shared sense of being rather than a strict adult-child hierarchy.

What is the key question about the moment of recognizing suffering?

The critical question is what helps people expand that initial moment of empathy and shared humanity with suffering, instead of shutting down, and how to stay present with it longer.

Key Moments

Systems Awareness: Equity, Child and Family Wellbeing, and Healthy Societies

Q: What is Peter Senge's definition of love?

Drawing from Humberto Maturana, Peter Senge defines love as 'the act of allowing another to be a legitimate other,' emphasizing the capacity to see and validate another's humanity.

MIT OpenCourseWare

Education3 min read71 min video

Mar 1, 2022|404 views|9

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Focus on systemic equity, child/family well-being, and healthier societies through compassionate systems change.

Key Insights

Achieving equity and well-being requires a fundamental re-engineering of systems to be more humane and generative.

The concept of 'equity' as just and fair inclusion is crucial, moving beyond charity to address systemic issues inherited from the past.

Compassionate systems frameworks are essential for seeing and valuing all individuals, especially in diverse, multiracial democracies.

Research and practice must intersect, with contemplative practices and a focus on relationships being key to progress.

The 'act of allowing another to be a legitimate other' is a fundamental definition of love that drives compassionate action.

Inaction in the face of suffering upholds existing inequitable systems, underscoring the need for courageous, compassionate action.

THE IMPERATIVE FOR SYSTEMS CHANGE

The urgent need to re-engineer societal systems for greater equity and well-being is a central theme. The series aims to build a research community focused on creating more humane, compassionate, and generative systems, particularly in education. This involves understanding and working across multiple levels and with diverse groups to address pressing issues like climate change, democracy, and health. The goal is to create deep and sustained change that shapes lives equitably, requiring new tools and frameworks to track success and ground this transformative work.

RE-READING THE AMERICAN NARRATIVE THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS

Michael McAfee highlights the current moment as a significant opportunity for addressing America's legacy of racism. While there's growing acknowledgment of racial equity across sectors, persistent systemic issues, rooted in the nation's founding on stolen land and slave labor, continue to cause tension. The shift towards a nation of color presents a chance to build a true multiracial democracy by acquiring a societal competency in 'compassionate systems.' This involves seeing the humanity in everyone, particularly those historically marginalized. Without this, institutions fail to serve those most in need, demonstrating a profound disconnect.

DEFINING AND ADVANCING EQUITY FOR ALL

Equity is defined not just for specific racial groups, but as the 'just and fair inclusion into a society in which all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential.' Michael McAfee emphasizes that if individuals cannot see the humanity of those different from themselves, the nation cannot improve. This inclusive definition is vital for nation-building, requiring institutional, legal, and customary refreshment to reflect a multiracial democracy where mutual humanity is recognized. This endeavor demands a blend of love, technical competence, and intellectual capacity for transformation.

THE ROLE OF COMPASSION AND RELATIONSHIPS IN RESEARCH AND PRACTICE

Larissa Duncan underscores the importance of bridging research and practice, acknowledging the challenges posed by different values and incentives. She advocates for a shift from hierarchical, power-driven systems to relationship-centered approaches. Contemplative practices like mindfulness and compassion are essential for cultivating the ability to recognize and act upon suffering. This work is profoundly relational, influencing parent-child, teacher-student, and doctor-patient dynamics. The goal is to create spaces where individuals can be their full selves, fostering healing and self-understanding vital for community uplift.

ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC DISPARITIES THROUGH COMMUNITY-DRIVEN RESEARCH

Duncan's work in Wisconsin revealed stark racial disparities in child and family well-being, particularly in preterm birth rates among Black babies. This prompted a re-evaluation of university systems, recognizing their roots in colonization and stolen land. Her approach involves centering community-based leaders, such as doulas and community health workers, in research and grant applications. These leaders possess the firsthand knowledge and vision to address critical issues, challenging traditional academic hierarchies and demanding that research questions and evaluation frameworks are driven by the needs of those most affected by systemic inequities.

LOVE AS A FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION AND SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION

The concept of 'love' is central to compassionate systems change, moving beyond sentimental notions to embody 'the act of allowing another to be a legitimate other.' This principle guides compassionate action in service of alleviating suffering, countering the impulse towards mere charity. It requires individuals to see their own suffering mirrored in others and to expand this recognition beyond initial empathy. Cultivating this capacity, supported by contemplative practices and community, provides the courage to act justly and dismantle systems that perpetuate harm, ultimately leading to a society where all can thrive.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Organizations

●Books

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Common Questions

The series operates on the premise that education can lead cultural change and that educational innovators must understand and work within complex social systems to address pressing issues like climate change, equity, democracy, and health.

Topics

Health & Longevity Mindset & Self-Improvement Society & Philosophy Mindfulness Social Change Systems Thinking Compassionate Leadership Educational Innovation Community Well-being Racial Justice

Mentioned in this video

Organizations

MIT

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the host institution for the series, noted for its strengths in systems awareness and change.

Annie E. Casey Foundation

Provided data in 2015 highlighting Wisconsin's racial disparities in child and family well-being, including preterm birth rates.

Roots for Change

A cooperative formed by immigrant women working as community health workers, mentioned by Larissa Duncan.

Carnegie Corporation of New York

A funder of the series and the emerging systems awareness research community at MIT.

Stewart Foundation

A funder of the series and the emerging systems awareness research community at MIT.

PolicyLink

An organization led by Michael McAfee that works to create a society where all can participate and prosper, focusing on comprehensive tools for deep assessment and structural systems change for equity.

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Larissa Duncan holds an endowed chair in human development and family studies at this university.

J-WEL

An MIT co-organizer of the virtual conversation series.

Harambe Village

Founded by black women working as doulas, mentioned by Larissa Duncan as a partner in addressing preterm birth and infant mortality.

Concepts

Promised Neighborhoods

A place-based approach to transforming life options for marginalized communities, previously directed by Michael McAfee.

People

Carl Rogers

A humanist psychologist whose ideas about work being done in relationships were referenced by Larissa Duncan.

Michael McAfee

President and CEO of PolicyLink, a speaker focusing on public policies for equity and lifting people out of poverty.

Larissa Duncan

A speaker known for research and interventions in mindfulness, compassion, parenting, and family well-being, with faculty appointments in human development and family studies.

Peter Senge

A speaker and collaborator, referred to as someone who has been involved with MIT for decades and whose life's work is essential to understanding and changing systems.

Humberto Maturana

A Chilean biologist whose definition of love as 'the act of allowing another to be a legitimate other' was shared.

Books

The Color of Law

A book mentioned as an example of research demonstrating how education in California was structured around race.

Locations

Afghanistan

Mentioned by a participant concerned about the situation of Afghan women and their fundamental rights.