I mentioned in last week’s blog that calling in is a tool I want to use more in 2019. I’m currently in a diversity-focused book club with school leaders in a local district, which is where I was first introduced to the practice. Please understand that this blog represents my newest learning and comprehension of calling in; I will cite my sources as thoroughly as possible and any errors are mine alone. I may get things wrong, but I think it’s worth wading through some complexity in order to both be a better ally and to broaden the community of activists.

What distinguishes calling out from calling in? Calling out tends to be public and the goal is usually to put an abrupt stop to abusive or oppressive behavior. For example, a speaker may use an incorrect term for indigenous people. In that case, someone in the audience may call out the behavior and redirect the speaker toward a different term. This is community accountability, which includes an immediate stop to hurtful behaviors. However, some have suggested that community accountability and what has come to be called “call out culture” can, in some cases, do more harm than good. Author Sian Ferguson suggests the following examples: What about when my partner – a thoughtful, socially conscious person – says something that is subtly heterosexist? What about people who aren’t consciously being oppressive? What about people who don’t speak English as a first language, and therefore don’t realize the oppressive connotations of some words? In those cases, calling in offers an alternative, which is personal, tends to be private, and recognizes that individuals are more than one mistake.

Importantly, calling in is not an alternative to anger at injustice, and it does not advocate that the oppressed accept their oppression to comfort the oppressor. Indeed, it is critical that, even in the process of calling in, the survivor is centered and that person’s or group’s safety is paramount. Calling in is a tool best used when the offender is a trusted community member who has demonstrated their willingness to make the necessary changes which promote the safety, freedom, and equity of all community members. Calling in acknowledges that track record, but holds people accountable for mistakes while simultaneously offering them a chance to learn and change. Calling in asks individuals to reconsider their words or actions in light of the experiences of marginalized, oppressed, or abused people.

This practice is not without complication. Perhaps the most complex questions have to do with when it is appropriate to deploy a call in instead of a call out. Maisha Johnson offers a couple ways to think through the nuance of that choice.

1. Is the issue being addressed one associated with an individual or with a system? This may be hard to parse as, “Interpersonal moments of oppression are connected to the systematic ones that allow them to take place.” If an individual conducts an oppressive act but has demonstrated willingness to change behavior, a call in may be appropriate. A call out, however, may help to make the connection between the individual’s behavior and the system that permits, protects, or promotes the behavior.

2. What do you want to happen as a result of the call out or call in? In order to discern the answers here, you’ll also need to determine who has privilege, who was harmed, and whether the culture of the organization or community supports both the oppressor and the oppressed. Johnson states: “By calling in, we can […] really help a person understand their mistake and change their behavior – a worthwhile result. At the same time, we are talking about oppressive behavior, which is part of some really deep and complex issues that impact our lives in a major way. There’s no way to downplay the significance of that, even if it’s just a simple mistake with good intentions.”

There aren’t easy answers, but the results – restoration of individuals and of communities – are worthwhile, and people dedicated to equity of all kinds are likely to encounter situations for both calling out and calling in. In my next blog, I’ll talk about a few situations education leaders are likely to experience in which they can use either call outs or call ins. Check back in then!

-Lauren