Deficit Ideology vs Equity Ideology Savior vs Ally Sympathy vs Empathy Framing to shift student thinking from service projects to activism projects and avoid typical pitfalls of good intentions turning into poor impacts.

1. Seattle Girls’ School
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
Pay It Forward:
Frameworks for Student Activism
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

2. About Seattle Girls’ School
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

3. Agenda
 Advocacy Continuum
 Helpful and Not Hurtful Framing
 Going Forward
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

4. Helping Others
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

5. Individual Service Activist
Addresses
structures
Addresses
people
Advocacy Continuum
What projects have you engaged in or
learned about? Where would you place
them on this continuum? Why?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

6. Framing: Deficit Ideology Versus
Equity Ideology
 Am I talking about the problem as the fault of the person
or people being affected OR as the fault of the system?
 Is the language I am using describing the outcomes of
the problem OR the context and roots of the problem?
 Does my framing emphasize “victims and villains” OR
“resisters and allies” in the problem?
 Am I informed by those who study the problem from afar
OR those directly impacted by the problem?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

7. Deficit Ideology Equity Ideology
People in these dangerous
neighborhoods commit more
crimes.
Lack of education and job opportunities in under-
resourced communities result in more people
turning to crime, raising crime rates.
Achievement gap, poor
people, the homeless, ex-
felons, political
disengagement, drug addicts
Opportunity gap, people in poverty, people
without homes, people formerly incarcerated,
voter disenfranchisement, opioid crisis
Toxic masculinity results in
misogynistic and abusive
men and large numbers of
sexually harassed/assaulted
women
Women started the #MeToo Movement to end
silence and the Time’s Up Movement as a
solution-based and action-oriented next step.
More and more men are joining these
movements in solidarity – listening to women,
calling each other out, and advocating for safe
and equitable workplaces for women.
Over 50% of adolescents
have been bullied online or
have engaged in
cyberbullying. Over 50% do
not tell adults when
cyberbullying occurs.
Adolescents report little to no education around
digital citizenship and cybersafety. There are
also few channels to report cyberbullying except
for involving the police or school officials, and
parents often over-react. Young people report
reluctance for involving adults in this way.
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

8. Framing: Savior Complex Versus
Allyship and Solidarity
 Am I centering the myself OR those I am trying to help?
 Am I focused how I am a good person OR how I have a
responsibility toward society?
 Do I THINK my actions serve those I am trying to help
OR do I KNOW I am serving because I talked to those
affected by the problem?
 How do my actions give voice and power to the
disenfranchised?
 Am I contributing to temporary relief OR sustainable
change?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

9. Savior Ally
I create a video where I talk
about the problem.
I create a video featuring interviews of those
affected and those supporting their efforts
I plan to write my admissions
essay on how bad I felt about
the problem and how I did
something to help
After learning about the issue, I realize that I
don’t face the same obstacles and have access
to resources and people that those affected by
the issue do not. I plan to leverage my resources
to do something about this issue.
We cleaned and painted a
bathroom in a schoolhouse.
It was kind of gross and
boring, so we worked fast.
Afterwards, others repainted
because our work was not
very good or thorough.
We cleaned and painted a bathroom in a
schoolhouse. We learned that when facilities are
clean and beautiful, people treat it better and
maintain it well. Even though it was kind of gross
and boring, we knew doing a good job would
make a difference and worked hard. Afterwards,
we got photos of our work and a thank you note.
I collected over 500 cans of
food for the food shelter. My
parents and I dropped it off
with the employees of the
shelter.
I learned that food insecurity is often caused by
low wages. I spoke with city officials about living
wages and the laws that promote food security. I
plan to talk to people of voting age why it’s
important to support these laws.
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

10. Framing: Sympathy Versus Empathy
 Do I feel FOR those affected OR do I feel WITH those
affected?
 Am I acknowledging the feelings of others OR am I
understanding those feelings because I have
experienced it myself or I can put myself in their shoes?
 Am I watching the struggle from afar OR am I standing
with the struggle?
 Am I inspiring pity, sorrow, and concern about the
situation OR am I inspiring understanding, acceptance,
and compassion?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

11. SGS Specific
Empathy Considerations
 Am I thinking about the 9 year olds in my audience?
What might they think or feel? Will the information upset
or scare them? How am I reassuring them that they are
safe and cared for?
 Am I thinking about the folks in the community who are
part of the affected group? What might they think or feel?
Will the information make them feel judged or ashamed
for who they are? How am I reassuring them that I see
them as worthy, full of human dignity, and respected?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

12. Sympathy Empathy
I feel so sorry for
undocumented immigrants.
I connect to the sadness and frustration of
undocumented immigrants who currently don’t
have processes for legal documentation.
I can see why Muslims feel
unsafe in the US currently.
I know how stereotypes, prejudice, and
discrimination about my identities make me feel
unsafe. I understand why Muslims feel unsafe in
the US currently.
Disabled people are
perceived as less mentally
and physically capable. They
are less likely to be hired by
employers, many places are
not very accessible, and
there is a lot of stigma. It
must be so hard.
When I visited the Blind and Deaf Center, I heard
so many stories. Folks were frustrated by how
society sees them as less capable. They were
so worried about how they were going to get a
job when so many people can’t look beyond their
disability. I think it made a difference that I
listened. I am determined to make sure my vote,
dollars, and influence keep people with
disabilities in mind wherever I go.
I made a video showing how
many elderly people are
living these lonely and under-
resourced lives.
I made a video showing how many elderly people
contributed so much to society in their earlier
years, how much wisdom they hold, and how
deserve dignity in these later years.
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

13. So What? Now What?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

14. Presenter Information
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
6th Faculty and
Professional Outreach
Seattle Girls’ School
2706 S Jackson Street
Seattle WA 98144
(206) 805-6562
rlee@seattlegirlsschool.org
http://tiny.cc/rosettalee
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)