Tag: Education

The Buzz: Black History is Not a Political Agenda; white Supremacy Is

The rejection of this curriculum is squarely situated in the territory of “political agenda” — one that values the experiences and history of white people above others: white supremacy. Black history is not a political agenda. It is a truth, a lived experience, a celebration. It offers vital context for understanding dynamics that continue to play out today, at all levels of systems.

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A Point of View: Microaggressions to a Black Educator

My first encounter with microaggressions was when I was working in a clothing store at a local mall. As I was folding the sweaters on the display wall my co-worker walked up behind me and asked with a grin, “Are you mixed?” Being the naïve 17-year-old that I was, I eagerly answered her question and responded with no. She challenged my response by asking yet another question of my identity. “So, are you fully Black?” she questioned again. Feeling proud to be a Black woman, I answered with a resounding “yes!” Then she proceeded to tell me how pretty I am — “for a Black woman.” I smiled and for about 10 seconds felt like the prettiest woman in the world. Then it hit me: That was not a compliment — that was a direct insult to my entire race.

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The Buzz: Banning Books, or Banning Blackness? Why We Need Diverse Books Now More Than Ever

In the past few months, the sociopolitical tensions of our pandemic world have infiltrated not only our bookshelves, but also one of the core values that (theoretically) unites Americans: access to knowledge and education. This most recent book ban wave, spanning across school districts and counties, to state legislation and national political interest groups, is propelling the dangerous censorship of education, world awareness, and most importantly the lived experiences of gender, race, and religiously diverse people. What can we do as students, parents, community members?

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A Point of View: Equity Leads the Way!

If you are of the mindset that equity means equality, this post is for you. There is a gross misunderstanding regarding the difference between equity and equality. Equity is about meeting individualized needs. What this means is that equity is tailored to the unique needs of the populations we serve. In the field of education, that requires getting to know staff and students in order to understand what their unique needs are.

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DEI Beyond the Boardroom: History Untold, History Unlearned

I would argue that, despite studying heroic Black figures, I did not learn about Black excellence — but rather about a romanticized notion of Black resilience in the face of systemic racism. I learned about Blackness if and only if it was acceptable, meaning centering white comfort. I now understand how these omissions were an enormous disservice to my own learning and understanding as a white person. The only beneficiary of these representations being absent from school curriculum is white supremacy. 

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A Point of View: The Public Education Pandemic

Recently I posted a status on Facebook in response to the school closings related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It  stated, “Public education for our Black/Brown kids, poor Black/Brown kids all but sucks anyway. Hopefully we take this time to, in a genuine way, examine the conditions of our public education system for Black/Brown children.” The response I received was quite shocking to say the least. Then it hit me—my statement on public education pointed to a larger dilemma: We find it difficult to accept truth.

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A Point of View: Remembering Your Counter-Narrative

Recently, I have been thinking a lot about the toll it takes on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity practitioners when we are faced with the challenges of doing the work in such polarizing times. In fact, as an empath, I find myself really taking on the feelings and emotions of those who I work with and frankly, in light of all that we see happening around us, I have been in a bit of a sad place wondering if what I do makes a difference, or if it’s the right work to be doing at all. 

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A Point of View: “I am Here and Ready” — An Open Letter to Educators from a Father

Dear Educators, 
I am writing this letter to you as an educator myself, and as an advocate for fathers and men—more specifically, Black fathers and men. I am writing this letter as a challenge, a charge for you to consider a shift in perspective—a shift that I believe will yield incremental gains towards more inclusive and equitable school environments, and ultimately, a more just and desirable education system.

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Racial Justice at Work: Practical Solutions for Systemic Change

Racial Justice at Work book cover

Black Fatigue: How Racism Erodes the Mind, Body, and Spirit

Inclusive Conversations: Fostering Equity, Empathy and Belonging Across Differences

We Can’t Talk About That At Work! (Second Edition)

Cover of the book We Can't Talk about That at Work (Second Edition) by Mary-Frances Winters and Mareisha N Reese

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