James Baldwin's words and thoughts are beautifully narrated by Samuel L. Jackson in the historical documentary film by Raoul Peck titled I Am Not Your Negro. It stands as a shining gem in both cinematography and anti-racist content but most importantly drives straight to the simple truths regarding the creation of the 'negro' in America. Baldwin makes a case towards the inhumanity of racism by touting simple truths buried beneath centuries-old hate and resentment.
The ironic redundancy of hearing the same words I heard as a kid in 1980's Harlem and finding them even more applicable to today's social environment, is not lost on me. The message forces me to reflect on my future. As I prepare to become an English Language Arts teacher, I am even more committed to providing useful instruction in my classroom. I know my inherent responsibility as a BIPOC to arm my students with the knowledge to navigate the reality of a racist world operating around them. They need to be informed and prepared to fully participate in their own destinies despite the many roadblocks found in their journey throughout an American life. By learning the magic of spelling and intentional language along with the necessary literacy skills, they will hopefully, heal themselves and others through mindful communication and sharing of rational thoughts. Like Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X, I too want to inspire them to stand their ground with rational discourse and the confidence to share their rightful truth to fight racism.
All of this and more is what I think I can do from my limited power within a classroom located outside the margins of society's framework. The other part of this puzzle can only be solved by my fellow White teachers in their classrooms. I can teach how to react and function in a world divided by hate while living in a melanated body. In contrast, a White teacher can stop the reproduction of the same old lies and ugly interpretations of power by becoming the strong allies we desperately need to dismantle this system. Though it might seem uncomfortable and at times unfair, they are truly the ones that can invalidate the invention of the word 'negro' and its accompanying 'problem'. There must be a resolution of the guilty repercussions of ancestral inherited actions to move forward.
Like Baldwin assures us, it is not about changing policies, laws and regulations. It is about recognizing that all Americans are humans and equal members of this nation. It is about me and you learning, teaching, communicating. It is about being open to have these painful conversations. We can no longer sit back and wait for all of these uncomfortable realities to go away on their own. The simple truth is they are still here and so are we. We do NOT want this cycle of monster-like suffering to also hang its heavy anvil and consequences on our descendants. We are gaining the knowledge to act courageously in the face of structural racism. Let's not waste the opportunity.
Hi Yesenia, thank you for your post, I see a ton of great points throughout. I agree that we have indeed been arming ourselves with knowledge and awareness recently, which should incite and motivate us to act more courageously, as leaders in and out of our classrooms. I wanted to acknowledge something you mentioned in class the other day (I think it was during Teaching Writing). I'm going to paraphrase, please correct me if I'm wrong. During check-in, you make a comment on how exhausting it is discussing racism and inequity to the degree that we have been, while at the same time dealing with it on a daily basis. This resonated with me, as I've been contemplating how to best ally myself with people in the community who directly feel the discrimination. I was reminded by your comment that I have the privilege to stop thinking about it temporarily. I feel like I'm still constantly in a state of acknowledging that privilege, and doing the work to evolve our collective thinking to a place where that privilege doesn't exist. Of course it looks like we are light-years from realizing that ideal. -Jeff
ReplyDeleteHi Jeff,
DeleteWhile sharing in classes with you, I have come to see you as a cisgender white male that has intentions to be a proactive ally. Being aware of each other's personal struggles and finding empathy is important. Your understanding of my children and I not being valued in our very own country means that the message is being accepted. I can also accept that learning about structural racism while existing in your body can also come with repercussions of guilt. Ultimately, it is healing to have these realistic conversations to address our individual histories and find resolution in order to become the most capable teachers.