"Generous Accountability"

Community Agreement

McKensie Mack opens their presentation with a series of “Brave Space Agreements.” In order to practice some of what Mack teaches us, we will adopt these as community agreements for our discussion.

“We agree to struggle against racism, sizeism, transphobia, classism, sexism, ableism, and the ways we internalize myths and misinformation about our own identities and the identities of other people.”
“We know that no space can be completely “safe” and we agree to work together towards harm reduction, centering those most affected by injustice in the room even if it means centering ourselves.”
“We agree to sit with the discomfort that comes with having conversations about race, gender, identity, the nonprofit industrial complex, etc…We agree to try our best not to shame ourselves for the vulnerability that these kinds of conversations require.”
“We agree to value the viewpoints of other people that do not challenge or conflict with our right to exist.”
“We agree that it’s okay to have feelings. It’s okay to feel uncomfortable when we’re discussing complex topics about accountability, relationships, justice, and care.”

Discussion questions for small groups

What is generous accountability? Define and explore both of these words and how they inform each other.
How can we build and foster a culture of generous accountability in our workplaces?
1. - What conditions need to be in place to build this?
  - In the talk, Mack shares their story of leaving their interpreter job out of a sense of ethics. They explain, “I didn’t want to be a bridge for harm. I didn’t want to be a bridge for violence.” In what ways are we “bridges for harm,” regardless of our intention? In what ways can we be bridges for accountability?
  - As we hold ourselves and each other accountable, how do we balance intentions and impact with care and generosity?
Toward the end of the presentation, Mack outlines critical guidelines for doing the work of generous accountability (listed below). Which of these spoke most strongly to you? Why?
1. - “This work is not race-neutral.”
  - We all “need to develop an anti-racist analysis.” (This includes white librarians, Black librarians, and NBPOC librarians and administrators.)
  - “Normalize open dialogue about anti-racism. Organize staff to develop internal systems of change for racial equity. Change, update, communicate, retire.”
  - “We do this work, together. Never alone.”

Additional Questions (if time allows)

How does Mack’s presentation invite us to “shift the center” of our work and become more open to perspectives and experiences that are not typically centered in librarianship?
Early in their presentation, Mack situates the importance of accountability in our present moment. Consider the question they pose: “In the age of COVID-19 and national uprisings against racism – who are you accountable to?”
Mack states, “We are all worthy of care and protection, love and safety, justice, and accountability.” How would our work transform if this were our library vision/values statement?
As ACRL President Karen Munro states at the end of the talk, how did McKensie Mack’s presentation itself “actualize the concept of generous accountability?”

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