Anti-racist OT Praxis

As occupational therapy providers, we have a duty to truly understand the word “occupation.”

This means acknowledging the role occupation has played in shaping societal policies and norms, many of which are fundamentally unjust.

We also need to admit that our professional knowledge base, itself, is skewed.

The foundations of OT have evolved from an exclusionary context that privileged White skin, as well as other false social hierarchies. So much of what we learn, teach, and practice as OTs comes from a lens of being able to accumulate social, economic, and political power.

The article we are focusing on in this 1-hour course is a commentary that calls us to confront occupation’s role in injustice. It also provides concrete strategies for moving toward anti-racist action. We DO have the power to transform society by introducing the concept of anti-racism into our classrooms, policies, and daily practice.

After we review the article, we will be joined by its authors Khalilah R. Johnson, PhD, MS, OTR/L and Ryan Lavalley, PhD, MOT, OTR/L to discuss ways you can create meaningful change.

More Reading Materials on Anti-racism in OT

• Developing an Anti-Racist Practice in Occupational Therapy: Guidance for the Occupational Therapist

• Becoming Anti-Racist Occupational Therapy Practitioners: A Scoping Study

1. You will be able to recognize the various areas in which antiracism work can manifest in the occupational therapy profession.

2. You will be able to identify the typical barriers and challenges to implementing these changes in your own practice.

• Intro

• Breakdown and analysis of journal article

  • Quick background on racism and occupation

  • How this commentary came about

  • The purpose of this commentary

  • Author positionality

  • The authors’ charge to occupational scientists

  • Conclusion

  • Takeaways for OT practitioners

• Discussion on practical implications for OTs (with Khalilah R. Johnson and Ryan Lavalley)

  1. How did you become interested in OS and OT research?

  2. Why was it important to you to write this paper?

  3. What sorts of concrete strategies do you use to implement some of what you discuss in your own classes or work?

  4. When has this gone really well?

  5. When has it gone not so well?

  6. What do you think are the biggest barriers for occupational scientists and occupational therapy practitioners to implementing your suggestions?

  7. How does our profession need to change?

  8. Looking on the horizon, what makes you excited for our profession?

Primary

• From racialized think-pieces toward anti-racist praxis in our science, education, and practice

Additional

• Occupation, injustice, and anti-black racism in the United States of America

• Estimation and comparison of current and future racial/ethnic representation in the US Health Care Workforce

It is the policy of OT Potential to disclose any financial and non-financial interest the provider or instructor may have in a product or service mentioned during an activity. This is to ensure that the audience is made aware of any bias of the speaker.

OT Potential pays guest speakers an honorarium for their participation, either directly or to an institution of the speaker's choosing at their request. We invite guests whose expertise often comes from practices, programs, or building products in their field. Where a speaker has a financial interest in the subject of a course, we disclose it below so you can weigh it for yourself.

OT Potential's interest in this topic: We have no financial stake in this topic.

Speaker interests: Khalilah R. Johnson and Ryan Lavalley are the authors of the primary journal article explored in this course. Neither has a financial interest in this topic to disclose.

Khalilah R. Johnson sits on the board of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD). Ryan Lavalley is Chair of Operations for COTAD.