In January 2025, Heather Luna conducted a positionality training for Sonder. The goal of the Positionality initiative is to help us become aware of how power operates within the Collective and Sonder’s projects. In this work, we want to identify areas of misalignment with Sonder’s vision, purpose, and core values, and together reshape policies and practices so that Sonder is ‘living up’ to who we all want it to be.

Engagement Series

> Week 1: Culture & Positionality

Training Video (14 minutes)

Key Takeaways:

• Examines how power and privilege shape Sonder's culture and projects
• Highlights the gap between the collective’s diversity vs representation in project leadership
• Explores the impact of concentrated power and privilege in project leadership.
• Stresses the importance of aligning Sonder’s values with its practices.
• Introduces the Power & Privilege Wheel as a tool for reflection and change

Action:

• Look Inside: Identify where you sit on the Power & Privilege Wheel. Consider how this shapes your perspective, experiences, and assumptions in your work.
• Look Outside: Pay attention to whose voices are most heard in meetings and decision-making. Do some perspectives get overlooked?
• Practice: In your next meeting, actively make room for someone who may have less positional power or a different lived experience. This could mean inviting input from quieter team members or acknowledging perspectives that haven’t been considered. (It may be a good idea to discuss this with them beforehand!)
• Transform: Bring the Power & Privilege Wheel to your team. Ask: How does this show up in our work? Where do we have gaps? How can we ensure diverse perspectives are included in decision-making? Take steps to include diverse voices in decision making, revisiting this regularly to ensure diverse perspectives are consistently valued.