This last weekend I was in Kansas City at the White Privilege Conference. I spent the weekend building relationships and sharpening the tools necessary for combating white supremacy. Much of the work involves confronting the ignorance we white folks possess when it comes to the manifestations and impact of race, racism, whiteness, and white supremacy.… Continue reading Keeping History Alive and Making America Great Again
Category: Uncategorized
The Cool Teacher Ain’t Really All That Cool
“Y’all doing the most!” “Yup, I know. Do you know why? Because we know you can do it. What support do you need from me?” At that point the conversation typically takes a whole new tone. Instead of accusatory, defensive and afraid it becomes one of concern, support, and loving accountability. I know the student… Continue reading The Cool Teacher Ain’t Really All That Cool
“Women Make the World Go ‘Round”: reflections and gratitude on Day Without a Woman
We used to joke that my Mom couldn’t catch a break, even the dog was a boy. There was a lot of testosterone in my house. Today, as many are celebrating International Women’s Day by participating in Day Without a Woman, I find myself reflecting on the women in my life and the ways they… Continue reading “Women Make the World Go ‘Round”: reflections and gratitude on Day Without a Woman
Why the Handshakes Matter: The Violence of Whiteness in the Classroom
There are a couple videos circulating right now of teachers greetings their students as they come in the door. One is of a Black male teacher, Barry White, in Charlotte, North Carolina greeting his nearly exclusively Black students. The other is of a white female teacher, Jerusha Willenborg in Wichita, Kansas doing the same with… Continue reading Why the Handshakes Matter: The Violence of Whiteness in the Classroom
Trump’s Ban is Whiteness doing what Whiteness does.
Like most of you I am reeling over Trump’s first week in the Oval Office. The final gut punch being the executive order banning refugees and immigrants from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Libya. This ban was ostensibly meant to make the country more safe. The Trump administration based the ban on a report… Continue reading Trump’s Ban is Whiteness doing what Whiteness does.
What Back to the Future Reminded me About Dealing With Trump’s America
I came home and had every intention of turning off for a couple hours. It was a jam packed weekend: Saturday I was at the Women’s March then sat on a panel and facilitated a circle at a community healing forum, and Sunday was my birthday. The plan was to sit on the couch, turn… Continue reading What Back to the Future Reminded me About Dealing With Trump’s America
Reality and Resistance in Trump’s America
Reality. I find myself coming back to this word, this idea. As we prepare for the inauguration of Donald Trump I find myself thinking about reality. It’s not an easy thing to think about. Reality is complex and nuanced. It’s paradoxical and fickle. It is malleable and is often contorted to fit our perceptions. The… Continue reading Reality and Resistance in Trump’s America
