Worksheet: Power As Agency

Objectives:

Help individuals and groups reflect on how power shapes their wellbeing, relationships, and abilities to act.
Build awareness of how intersecting identities influence experiences of Power Over, Power Within, and Power To.
Support advocates and organizers in identifying how power can be understood, reclaimed, and used in ways that strengthen agency, collective care, and sustained participation. </aside>

Time Required: 20–30 minutes individually | 30–45 minutes in a group setting

Resources Needed: Printed worksheets or digital copies, pens, a shared notes document or flip chart, facilitator. Optional: private reflection space, interpretation, accessibility supports, grounding materials.

Audience Setting: Individual or Group Setting

Note: This activity can work well in a group setting with a facilitator guiding the reflection.

Background:

Power influences and is influenced by our intersecting identities, from age, race, and gender to socioeconomic status, disability status, education, and more. Power dynamics significantly affect individual and collective wellbeing. Self- and collective care can help people navigate and resist the impacts of harmful power structures. Using this worksheet, you can revisit your understanding of how power shapes your life, relationships, and sense of agency. Here are some questions to help guide that reflection.

What gives you power?

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What denies you power?

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How has your intrinsic and/or personal power (Power Within) enabled you to exercise the Power To take action in your life?

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Where/when have you used Power Over others in your life?

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Think of your intersectional identities. In your responses to the following questions, you may choose to focus on whichever of these identities feels most prominent to you and reflect on how it shapes your experiences of power.

Where/when has power been used against your specific identities?

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Where/when have you used your Power Over others, especially in the context of your specific identities?

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What/who do you believe has Power Over your specific identities?

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What do you think you have the Power To do in your life with respect to your specific identities?

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How does your understanding or experiences of power affect your abilities to access and practice self-care?

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Who or what has Power Over whether you can take time for self-care?

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Within the power structures that you live in or engage with, what agency do you have for your own self-care?

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