Ever since Dieuwke de Boer followed the Inclusivity Pathway Training by Aminata Cairo in 2018, when Cairo was lector Inclusive Education at the Haagse Hogeschool, she’s been implementing her lessons (and those of others) in her own work with groups, to create connection and mutual understanding. After Aminata Cairo, De Boer works from the principle of Holding Space: how can you create an environment in which every voice is heard and appreciated?
To be able to do that it’s important to understand your own positionality, and that of others. Positionality is about the layers of your identity, how social and cultural elements, like gender, ethnicity, education, health, religion, et cetera created you and your viewpoint in life. These elements in different contexts can create less or more privileges, recognition, and prejudices. Your own positionality influences how you look at the world, and your norms and values, so also to your artistic practice and work.
As social designer Dieuwke uses critical design and artistic research to create space for underrepesented stories and experiences, to share these with a broader audience. For awareness, connection, to stimulate other types of behaviour, as a counternarrative to dominant narratives, or as a base for innovations within stagnating systems. To facilitate change towards a more equal, kind, and/or sustainable world.
Next to that De Boer is also active as a trainer.
