THE POWER OF DIFFERENCE CERTIFICATION (PDC)

Move beyond shame, blame, guilt, grief, fear, and confusion. Cultivate self-awareness, empowerment, and clarity. Discover how to combine what lights you up with solidarity across our differences. Learn to support yourself and others for a just and thriving life, relationships, organization, community, and a world where all are honored and no one stands alone.

What is the Power of Difference Model?  We’ve found that people primarily hold one of three patterns of thinking, belief, behavior, identity, feeling, and managing fear related to 7 differences: race, culture, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and class. We call these three patterns Oneness, Strength, and Sensitivity. Each one has both assets and limitations and they operate unconsciously within us, between us, in groups, systems, and society.

Ultimately, when we get the support we need where we need it, we can begin to integrate or “leverage” the assets of all three patterns! We become, as Gandhi said, “the change we’d like to see in the world.” For a free sample of the Power of Difference model take the Race Pattern Quiz here: https://thesum.org/rpq/

Outcomes of the Power of Difference Certification:

1. Become the change you want to see in the world.
2. Increase your effectiveness across our differences
3. Align your intention and your impact
4. Power up—without silence and without violence!

Basic Belt/Level Descriptions

Each 2-week Belt/Level includes 7 meetings in total: 3 whole group meetings (successive Sundays), 2 partner meetings (scheduled by participants), 2 small groups (scheduled by participants on Saturdays) and cost $100 – scholarships are available.

The Black belt Requires double the time (30 days), online meetings, and cost ($200).  It also requires choosing three diverse mentors and a self-determined project (in consultation with a facilitator).

Download Detailed Learning Objectives

Our Background, Your Path

The PDC has been shown to significantly improve personal and professional effectiveness related to our differences: race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, culture, and socio-economic status. It was originally developed for educators over 20 or 30 years with many contributors. Over tme is has been found to be just as effective for business, law enforcement, healthcare, nonprofits, and government. Until we develop this inner awareness and make these deeper internal shifts, no amount of “diversity” classes or brochures on “inclusive classrooms”  will support our effectiveness in the ways we really envision for ourselves, our organizations, communitites, familites, and world.  Once these inner transormations happen, across all our different fields, nothing can stop us!  So this is about solidarity with ourselves first.  And from there, solidarity with others…for a thriving and just world where all are honored and no one stands alone.

Power of Difference Assessment (PDA)

Participants will be asked to take the Power of Difference Assessment before their Red belt/level1 and again before a Black belt can be conferred. The PDA gives you personalized information about your unconscious patterns related to race, sexual orientation, religion, gender, class, disability, and culture. You will gain an appreciation of your strengths, clarity around your learning edges, and concrete recommendations for your personal development. Taking the PDA will also give you a deeper understanding of the Power of Difference Model, which is the foundational framework of this certifcation program. The assessment takes about 20 mins followed by an hour-long virtual consultation.