Social Justice, Minus Dogma Online Course

Six modules. Go at your own pace. Charting a Path Toward Equity

Created by Sam Killermann

(It’s Pronounced Metrosexual. The Safe Zone Project. A Guide to Gender. Unlocking the Magic of Facilitation. Defining LGBTQ+. "Understanding the Complexities of Gender” TEDxTalk. “Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric” NatGeo Doc. Austin Changemaker. YES! Magazine Person We Love. New York Times’ “Toilet Sign Guy”. Dog mom.)
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Co-created by your peers.

The course materials, syllabus, resources, and topics were influenced by participants in the SJMD Course & Community. And you can have the same say: telling us want, need, and are passionate about learning.

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Throughout the course, you'll be gradually invited to break the silence on topics related to Social Justice Dogma by having conversations with people in your life, and apply the lessons you're learning in real-time through fieldwork.

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Learn more.

Online Course. IRL impact.

This isn’t a course for online social justice activism. It’s an online course for advancing social justice. In your community. In real life. With real people.

Offered as A Gift.

Money won’t be a barrier. Like everything else sK does, this course operates in the gift economy, meaning you choose how much (if anything) you pay to participate, based on want, ability, or gratitude.

Come one, come all. A Big Tent.

Want to live in a society that is equitable? Willing to step outside the unwritten rules of the Social Justice Dogma? Then we’d love you to join the conversation. We believe everyone has a unique perspective we can all learn from.

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Need more details?
Here's the nitty-gritty:

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The course lasts (at least) 6 weeks

Each week has a different theme, with complementary readings, audio, video, and fieldwork. You’re discouraged from speeding through it, but invited to spend more than a week per module.

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All you need is a decent internet connection.

Whatever device you’re reading this on will work (but a desktop or laptop computer is recommended!). If you’re able to watch a YouTube video (bandwidth, data limits, etc.), you should be good to go.

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You choose your level of participation.

If you wanted to, you could easily spend several hours a day reading, listening, watching, and discussing the course materials. On the other hand, you could also have a meaningful experience with only a few hours per week.

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You have access 24/7/365.

Every module and material is yours to come back to, whenever you'd like. You can even download the course itself onto your computer and have it forever.

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It starts as soon as you sign up.

There is no official start or end date, and no manufactured scarcity. When you’re excited to start learning, click the "start now" button and orientation awaits.

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Not nitty and/or gritty enough?

Join the mailing list for more information →
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The course is not for everyone...

Not even all social justice people. Not even most social justice people.

The culture of social justice has produced a lot of power, awareness, and positive change. And it has also produced a lot of harmful norms, trends, truths, and belief systems.

In the social justice movement, we are given a very narrow path for how we’re told to treat others, argue (or not), substantiate our claims (or not), and evaluate (or write off) other people and their beliefs. Color outside the lines at your own peril.

We’re here to color outside the lines. To highlight the helpful and scribble out the harmful. To draw a new path forward.

A lot of people can’t risk that. Or don’t see a problem with any of what’s happening now. Or don’t actually care about the goal of social justice, and just want to be seen as a good person who cares about the things they’re told to care about.

And that’s all okay! We get it. Absolutely. Most of us have been there. At each of those stages.

There are plenty of spaces to learn about social justice that aren’t confronting the dogma. We’re just not that.

Questioning social justice dogma is the same as supporting white supremacy.
There are only two groups of people: privileged and oppressed.
I’ve been doing social justice for a long time, so I probably know more than most, and am uninterested in learning from people with less experience.
Social justice is a waste of time.
I’m new to social justice, so I don’t have anything to contribute.
As a _____-identified person, I can assure you that you’re wrong about that. I don't care if you’ve been told otherwise by other people who share my identity.
If people are mad at you, you're doing something right.

…but if you’re willing to challenge your personal comfort, prioritize bravery over ideological safety, be humble with your learning & generous with your teaching, and push dogma, performance, & posturing to the side in favor of outcomes, action, & authenticity, this is the space you’ve been looking for. We’re thrilled to meet you.

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Questions & Answers.

This whole project is brand new, so it’d be a stretch to call anything “frequent.” But here’s what we’re guessing you’re wondering.

How much does this cost?

You choose. Sincerely. Based on how much you want to pay for this (what it’s worth to you), balanced by how much you can afford. Please don’t pay so much it will make other parts of your life difficult. And also please contribute something that feels meaningful. Both will lead to you being able to show up in a healthy way, and allow us to keep this thing alive and thriving. This is what we mean by gift economy.

Is there a certificate?

If you complete the course, you’ll be given a certificate that says you completed the course. That’s it. You’re not certified as a “Social Justice, Minus Dogma” expert, and there’s no ongoing certification upkeep, verification, or fees.

What if I don’t finish? Or something comes up?

You’ll be able to access the course for as long as we can keep the lights on. There’s no time limit (maximum) on the course materials, or completion. So if life happens, tend to life, then we’ll be here when you’re ready to dive back in.

How does the course happen?

After you enroll, you’ll get a welcome email with links to Orientation and Module 1 at course.sjmd.space. There, you’ll progress through topics as you complete each module of the course. Every seven days, you'll get the link and materials for the next module, but you're welcome to spend more time than a week completing it.

Is the course accessible for deaf or hard of hearing people?

Yes! First, none of the linked audio resources are required for completing the course (just like none of the readings, or videos are required). We recommend more resources than we expect the learners to consume. That said, we've prioritized linking to audio and video that has transcripts and captions available. We also quote important excerpts as text in the course module itself.

And there's likely room for improvement here, and we'd love to make it. Just email us (team@sjmd.space) if you notice any accessibility gaps, and we'll prioritize bridging them.

Can I help out?

Yes! The most helpful first thing you can do is take the course, and take it seriously. That will give you necessary insight to help us improve that experience for the cohort that follows you. After that, you’ll be asked lots of times for help, and be familiar with different channels you can use to direct your energy.

What do I do if I’m unhappy with my experience?

Hey — Sam here. Let me first say that I am putting everything I can into making this course a meaningful and positive experience. So if something goes wrong, or if the course isn’t what you wanted / expected / hoped it would be, please reach out to me directly at any point. I’ll fix what I can fix, heal what I can heal, and refund anyone their gift if that’s what they want. My promise. <3 sK

Your question

This is whole thing is an active work-in-progress. Think there needs to be an answer here that isn’t? Let us know. Ask the question.

No more questions?

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