Unlearning clubs: creating environments of cultural safety, anti-racism, and trustworthiness in population and public health
Abstract Background Unlearning is a necessary practice for disrupting the deeply ingrained colonial narratives and racialized assumptions that sustain racism in Canada. We created and implemented an “Unlearning Club” in British Columbia’s Office of the Provincial Health Officer (OPHO). It is a struc...
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2025-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22034-6 |
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| author | Jorden Hendry Giuliana Del Guercio Danièle Behn Smith Amber Louie Bonnie Henry Kate Jongbloed |
| author_facet | Jorden Hendry Giuliana Del Guercio Danièle Behn Smith Amber Louie Bonnie Henry Kate Jongbloed |
| author_sort | Jorden Hendry |
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| description | Abstract Background Unlearning is a necessary practice for disrupting the deeply ingrained colonial narratives and racialized assumptions that sustain racism in Canada. We created and implemented an “Unlearning Club” in British Columbia’s Office of the Provincial Health Officer (OPHO). It is a structured and on-going space where public health professionals and trainees critically engage with Indigenous rights, anti-racism, anti-white supremacy, and cultural safety. Methods The Unlearning Club and the reflective research presented in this paper draw on the frameworks of Dr. Camara Jones and Jody Wilson-Raybould to guide three key processes: naming racism and white supremacy (LEARN), asking, how are they operating here (UNDERSTAND), and organizing and strategizing to act (ACT). To document teachings and reflections, we used two approaches. Participants completed a structured rapid reflection tool (n = 67) after each session to capture experiences and insights. Second, Unlearning Club hosts engaged in a relational reflection process, allowing for deeper discussion on lessons learned and future directions. Pragmatic reflections (1) Spotlighting Land Acknowledgement: starting each session with a more in-depth land acknowledgments allowed participants to ground their unlearning in the place-based inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples. (2) Relational Accountability: Unlearning Club nurtured solidarity and accountability among colleagues, giving tools needed to move into action. (3) Sustained Unlearning: The process of unlearning led to profound shifts in perspective, as individuals were unable to “unsee” pervasive ways in which white supremacy operates, moving individuals beyond feeling paralyzed by injustice. (4) Collective Responsibility: The cohort model allowed relationship-building and fostered shared commitment to addressing racism and white supremacy, creating a stronger group-wide sense of purpose and accountability. (5) Counters Resistance: Eagerness and gratitude was widespread among participants; individuals were willing to invest the time and effort necessary to engage deeply in the unlearning process. (6) Moving to Action: Participants highlighted the effectiveness of the “Learn, Understand, Act” framework in preventing stagnation. This structured approach offered clear pathways to translate new insights into tangible actions. Conclusion The Unlearning Club has emerged as a pivotal strategy for fostering environments of cultural safety, anti-racism, and trustworthiness within our public health office. Sustained engagement in anti-racist education, supported by strong leadership and an inclusive structure, can significantly reduce resistance to anti-racism initiatives. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-670fbb7d498d4db2bababe95fb589430 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-670fbb7d498d4db2bababe95fb5894302025-08-20T03:40:44ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582025-03-0125111110.1186/s12889-025-22034-6Unlearning clubs: creating environments of cultural safety, anti-racism, and trustworthiness in population and public healthJorden Hendry0Giuliana Del Guercio1Danièle Behn Smith2Amber Louie3Bonnie Henry4Kate Jongbloed5University of British ColumbiaBC Office of the Provincial Health OfficerBC Office of the Provincial Health OfficerUniversity of VictoriaBC Office of the Provincial Health OfficerUniversity of VictoriaAbstract Background Unlearning is a necessary practice for disrupting the deeply ingrained colonial narratives and racialized assumptions that sustain racism in Canada. We created and implemented an “Unlearning Club” in British Columbia’s Office of the Provincial Health Officer (OPHO). It is a structured and on-going space where public health professionals and trainees critically engage with Indigenous rights, anti-racism, anti-white supremacy, and cultural safety. Methods The Unlearning Club and the reflective research presented in this paper draw on the frameworks of Dr. Camara Jones and Jody Wilson-Raybould to guide three key processes: naming racism and white supremacy (LEARN), asking, how are they operating here (UNDERSTAND), and organizing and strategizing to act (ACT). To document teachings and reflections, we used two approaches. Participants completed a structured rapid reflection tool (n = 67) after each session to capture experiences and insights. Second, Unlearning Club hosts engaged in a relational reflection process, allowing for deeper discussion on lessons learned and future directions. Pragmatic reflections (1) Spotlighting Land Acknowledgement: starting each session with a more in-depth land acknowledgments allowed participants to ground their unlearning in the place-based inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples. (2) Relational Accountability: Unlearning Club nurtured solidarity and accountability among colleagues, giving tools needed to move into action. (3) Sustained Unlearning: The process of unlearning led to profound shifts in perspective, as individuals were unable to “unsee” pervasive ways in which white supremacy operates, moving individuals beyond feeling paralyzed by injustice. (4) Collective Responsibility: The cohort model allowed relationship-building and fostered shared commitment to addressing racism and white supremacy, creating a stronger group-wide sense of purpose and accountability. (5) Counters Resistance: Eagerness and gratitude was widespread among participants; individuals were willing to invest the time and effort necessary to engage deeply in the unlearning process. (6) Moving to Action: Participants highlighted the effectiveness of the “Learn, Understand, Act” framework in preventing stagnation. This structured approach offered clear pathways to translate new insights into tangible actions. Conclusion The Unlearning Club has emerged as a pivotal strategy for fostering environments of cultural safety, anti-racism, and trustworthiness within our public health office. Sustained engagement in anti-racist education, supported by strong leadership and an inclusive structure, can significantly reduce resistance to anti-racism initiatives.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22034-6Anti-racismPublic healthEducationIndigenous health |
| spellingShingle | Jorden Hendry Giuliana Del Guercio Danièle Behn Smith Amber Louie Bonnie Henry Kate Jongbloed Unlearning clubs: creating environments of cultural safety, anti-racism, and trustworthiness in population and public health BMC Public Health Anti-racism Public health Education Indigenous health |
| title | Unlearning clubs: creating environments of cultural safety, anti-racism, and trustworthiness in population and public health |
| title_full | Unlearning clubs: creating environments of cultural safety, anti-racism, and trustworthiness in population and public health |
| title_fullStr | Unlearning clubs: creating environments of cultural safety, anti-racism, and trustworthiness in population and public health |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unlearning clubs: creating environments of cultural safety, anti-racism, and trustworthiness in population and public health |
| title_short | Unlearning clubs: creating environments of cultural safety, anti-racism, and trustworthiness in population and public health |
| title_sort | unlearning clubs creating environments of cultural safety anti racism and trustworthiness in population and public health |
| topic | Anti-racism Public health Education Indigenous health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22034-6 |
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