Pay Attention Now: a tool for honing your anti-racism lens

Jul 6

Adapted from materials developed by Elsie Y. Cross Associates, Inc. 1994 Delyte Frost, et al. Taught to Trystan Reese by Dr. Kathy Obear, Social Justice Training Institute

The Tool - PANNING

PAN stands for Pay Attention Now, and it is the act of intentionally observing and noticing behaviors, comments, feelings, and patterns of treatment.

Just as a movie camera “pans” the environment to see the whole picture, we need to continuously PAN all around us (and inside of ourselves!) to increase our ability to notice the patterns of treatment and experiences of members of both dominant and subordinated groups.

As you notice dynamics in a situation from a race lens, ask yourself: Is this an isolated incident or a possible pattern of experience? Work to avoid falling into the trap of making a snap judgment: creating a “story” about what you see. Instead, PAN the specific details and facts of what you see, feel, and hear. Try to PAN without any assumptions, interpretations, conclusions, or prejudgments. Notice the group memberships of people involved and describe the group memberships to yourself if this information is useful to your thought process.

When to use it

Often, if we find ourselves surrounded by like-minded people, we may not have many opportunities to notice and interrupt racist attitudes or actions. It’s not like racism isn’t happening; we simply don’t see it because it’s not as overt. If you’re interested in honing your lens so you can pick up on more subtle forms of racism, this is a great tool to get you started!

You can use this tool at work, at home, while watching television shows, while listening to podcasts, at church, while watching senate confirmation hearings, on a group chat, on a Zoom call, at the store, at the park-- pretty much anywhere that has multiple people interacting with each other.

Why it is useful

Based on my work with Beth Zemsky, I define “allyship” as the ability to view the world through multiple lenses. Panning is a critical way to start honing your own lens! It will get you started as you begin to heighten your awareness to racial dynamics in the world. If you don’t even notice patterns of inclusion and exclusion, you won’t be able to effectively intervene when it matters.

The Exercise

Panning Group Dynamics with an Inclusion Lens

Use the following prompts as you use an Inclusion Lens to observe and track/pan group dynamics:

1. What differences are present in the group? Which group memberships? and how many from various groups?

2. Who is talking?

3. Who initiates the topics?

4. Whose ideas get discussed in-depth? Whose ideas don’t get much discussion and/or are discounted?

5. Who is quiet? Doesn’t speak as often as others?

6. Who interrupts others? Who gets interrupted?

7. How much air-time do people take?

8. Who do people look at when they are talking?

9. Who has eye contact with whom while others are talking?

10. Who engages in side conversations?

11. How do decisions get made?

12. Who brings up issues of inclusion and diversity?

13. How do people respond when different issues of inclusion are raised?

14. As you notice interpersonal dynamics that are not inclusive, wonder: Is this an isolated incident or a possible pattern of experience?

15. What issues of inclusion are not being discussed?

16. What characters get juicy plot lines?

17. (Add your own questions here!)

18.

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Next Steps

Honing your lens is just the beginning, but it is a critical first step towards advanced anti-racism competence. Once you start to notice racial dynamics, it will be easier to navigate interrupting racism in the world around you!