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Been sitting here for a while trying to revise feedback I wrote for a project I was asked to review. The project is so problematic it made me feel uncomfortable. I wrote some feedback that was direct and then thought, "How can I revise this so that it doesn't seem too harsh?"...
Then I thought, "Wait a minute. Why do I need to soften the blow?" Why do I have to expend energy trying to make sure feelings aren't hurt on the other end when my feelings were hurt and when I've had to sit with the physical discomfort of this project?...
The project, proposed by a non-Indigenous person, is dismissive of Indigenous people, our work, our views, and our contributions (while claiming not to be). Why should I not be angry and be allowed to express that anger, even if it may hurt on the other end...
As I went back and forth with myself, I remembered that I am accountable to the communities I stand for and with and that they deserve no less than my commitment to providing honest, direct, and maybe even harsh feedback to those who might offend them with their research...
Lots of learning on my end today. But, I went with the initial, direct feedback (no softening) because even if I may hurt the person it gets sent to, I can at least say that I didn't hurt the people who may have been impacted by it the most.
#StillLearning
#StillLearning
