Affinity & Beyond: The Identity Politics of Impact Work

A social impact professional’s work often involves advocating for our most personal rights. It’s only natural, then, that one might bring their own affinity to bear in these efforts. But in a time when identity politics are framed as distracting, divisive, or just else done-to-death, how valuable is it for social changemakers to approach the work they do through the lenses of their own identities? And what challenges do they face as a result of the choice to lean in or out of approaching social change from the perspectives of their own communities? In this episode of the Issue Space podcast, we’ll hear three points of view on decisions to embrace or reject their personal identities as a path to impact, and explore what it really means to turn an intrinsic life experience into a job and a cause.    About   Working to make life better for humankind is both a privilege and a challenge, and no one knows this better than the folks who have made this work their day job. Issue Space is a  podcast and community for professional changemakers of every kind. Through candid conversations about the lived experience of social change work, we hold space to process life in the unique — and uniquely needed — business of impact. For more and to join our community, visit: www.issuespacemedia.com    Host   Cat Addo  https://www.cataddo.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineaddo/  Guests Paola Mendoza  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paola_Mendoza    Dr. Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg  https://www.linkedin.com/in/wanjirukr/    Alistair Stephenson  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alistair-stephenson/  © Issue Space Media Inc. 2024 The Issue Space podcast is produced by Multitude at https://multitude.productionsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.