|
From the Child Mind Institute
TIME OUT Strategies for a Successful Summer Break Vacation can be stressful for children who depend on structure and routine. Tips for managing your kids' downtime to help make it relaxing for everyone. |
TAKE PART:
Popular Seattle Teacher Forced Out for Teaching Kids About Racism
The battle at Seattle’s Center School raises the question—how should schools teach students about tolerance and discrimination?
June 12, 2013, Vanessa Romo
Students study speeches by Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and invite local community leaders to speak in the class. They are prompted to talk honestly about racism, class disparity, and privilege in their day-to-day lives at the start of every session. Assignments include analyzing “the way media and society fetishize both women and people of color.”
But the provocative discussions that Meyer found so revelatory abruptly ended a few months ago when a female white student accused the teacher of creating an “intimidating educational environment.”...
...Indeed, conversations about race, discrimination and social injustice are touchy and difficult. National conferences, summits, and graduate schools of education devote massive resources to finding the best strategies for addressing these issues with students.The fact that we come to the conversation with diverse racial realities and experiences causes us discomfort. READ MORE
Popular Seattle Teacher Forced Out for Teaching Kids About Racism
The battle at Seattle’s Center School raises the question—how should schools teach students about tolerance and discrimination?
June 12, 2013, Vanessa Romo
Students study speeches by Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and invite local community leaders to speak in the class. They are prompted to talk honestly about racism, class disparity, and privilege in their day-to-day lives at the start of every session. Assignments include analyzing “the way media and society fetishize both women and people of color.”
But the provocative discussions that Meyer found so revelatory abruptly ended a few months ago when a female white student accused the teacher of creating an “intimidating educational environment.”...
...Indeed, conversations about race, discrimination and social injustice are touchy and difficult. National conferences, summits, and graduate schools of education devote massive resources to finding the best strategies for addressing these issues with students.The fact that we come to the conversation with diverse racial realities and experiences causes us discomfort. READ MORE
|
Dear Friends,
Whether you're an educator, manager, or health care provider, Islam's upcoming holy month of Ramadan could be relevant to your work and what you do every day.
This year, depending on your region's lunar position, Ramadan begins on July 8 and ends on August 8. During this period, many Muslims choose to participate in religious practices that have an impact on their daily lives.
Awareness of these practices - whether it's the daily fast or other basics of Ramadan - can make a difference to you.
For educators: fasting students might do better on an early morning exam.
For managers: your employees may need a prayer break.
For doctors: your patients may need to alter their medication regimen to observe their fast.
Click here to read Tanenbaum's Ramadan fact sheet.
Whether you're an educator, manager, or health care provider, Islam's upcoming holy month of Ramadan could be relevant to your work and what you do every day.
This year, depending on your region's lunar position, Ramadan begins on July 8 and ends on August 8. During this period, many Muslims choose to participate in religious practices that have an impact on their daily lives.
Awareness of these practices - whether it's the daily fast or other basics of Ramadan - can make a difference to you.
For educators: fasting students might do better on an early morning exam.
For managers: your employees may need a prayer break.
For doctors: your patients may need to alter their medication regimen to observe their fast.
Click here to read Tanenbaum's Ramadan fact sheet.
Tanenbaum's Cultivating Global Citizenship
Classrooms, schools and neighborhoods continue to diversify and students are left untrained in one critical aspect of diversity: religion.
Join us this summer for Tanenbaum's Cultivating Global Citizenship course. This six-day intensive professional development course, which is endorsed by the N.Y.C. Department of Education, helps educators by training them how to include religious identity in classroom discussions about diversity and inclusion. |
This year, Tanenbaum's Cultivating Global Citizenship course is offered
July 22, 23, 24, 25, 30 and 31, 2013. MORE INFO HERE |
Occupying Privilege Wins National Indie Excellence Award!
Beverly Hills, CA – The 7th annual National Indie Excellence Book Award™ winners have been selected and not only has the number of entrants increased, but the excellence has risen to a whole new level. The National Indie Excellence Awards criteria for recognition are stringent and include overall excellence. This award celebrates the highest achievements in self-publishing, a sector of the industry that has grown exponentially in recent years.
We are pleased to announce that JLove Calderon’s fifth book, Occupying Privilege, Conversations on Love, Race, and Liberation is the Winner in the Social Change category of the 2013 National Indie Excellence Awards!
In Occupying Privilege, over 30 thought-leaders, activists, educators, and artists offer unique and fresh perspectives on racism, white privilege, and racial justice. As well, 100% of the proceeds from the first year of sales go to six non-profit organizations fighting for racial justice and human rights.
JLove responds, “I am so grateful to receive this honor….and it belongs to my incredible contributors. All of them are working for racial justice in their unique and courageous ways and humbly shared their stories with the hope that it would inspire people to stand up for what is right—justice and liberation for all people.”
To order the book go to: www.createspace.com/3813064. To learn more about the author, visit www.jlovecalderon.com, LIKE her new Facebook Fan Page atwww.facebook.com/jlovefanpage. FOLLOW her on Twitter at @jlovecalderon, and explore her latest project, www.ThatWhiteGirlFilm.com
“Occupying Privilege is a necessary weapon in the war
against unearned privilege and unmerited suffering.
This volume—which brings together some of the most brilliant,
committed, and principled cultural workers on the planet—provides us
with the tools for thinking, struggling, and loving our way into new
forms of freedom, justice, and healing. This book is an instant classic!”
-- Marc Lamont Hill, author, activist, and educator
(The Classroom and the Cell: Conversations on Black Life in America)
***
Another news article about JLove Calderon in Publisher's Weekly
Beverly Hills, CA – The 7th annual National Indie Excellence Book Award™ winners have been selected and not only has the number of entrants increased, but the excellence has risen to a whole new level. The National Indie Excellence Awards criteria for recognition are stringent and include overall excellence. This award celebrates the highest achievements in self-publishing, a sector of the industry that has grown exponentially in recent years.
We are pleased to announce that JLove Calderon’s fifth book, Occupying Privilege, Conversations on Love, Race, and Liberation is the Winner in the Social Change category of the 2013 National Indie Excellence Awards!
In Occupying Privilege, over 30 thought-leaders, activists, educators, and artists offer unique and fresh perspectives on racism, white privilege, and racial justice. As well, 100% of the proceeds from the first year of sales go to six non-profit organizations fighting for racial justice and human rights.
JLove responds, “I am so grateful to receive this honor….and it belongs to my incredible contributors. All of them are working for racial justice in their unique and courageous ways and humbly shared their stories with the hope that it would inspire people to stand up for what is right—justice and liberation for all people.”
To order the book go to: www.createspace.com/3813064. To learn more about the author, visit www.jlovecalderon.com, LIKE her new Facebook Fan Page atwww.facebook.com/jlovefanpage. FOLLOW her on Twitter at @jlovecalderon, and explore her latest project, www.ThatWhiteGirlFilm.com
“Occupying Privilege is a necessary weapon in the war
against unearned privilege and unmerited suffering.
This volume—which brings together some of the most brilliant,
committed, and principled cultural workers on the planet—provides us
with the tools for thinking, struggling, and loving our way into new
forms of freedom, justice, and healing. This book is an instant classic!”
-- Marc Lamont Hill, author, activist, and educator
(The Classroom and the Cell: Conversations on Black Life in America)
***
Another news article about JLove Calderon in Publisher's Weekly
This year's Beyond Tolerance Conference for Youth is coming up on Friday, May 31st at Vanguard High School from 4:30-8:30pm. It is an afternoon conference focused on issues of gender and sexuality. Participants will have an opportunity to attend workshops and meet with people from local organizations to find out more about the resources in our area. You can register at this link - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dEhyempNNVlWU3M0eDZMM3pjN3h5Mnc6MA
If your group is interested in TABLING OR PRESENTING at this year's conference, please fill out THIS FORM asap. Use the same form for both tabling and presenting.
ALSO, you can check out the Beyond Tolerance Guide, an online collection of resources that features many of the organizations that will be with present on the 31st.
If your group is interested in TABLING OR PRESENTING at this year's conference, please fill out THIS FORM asap. Use the same form for both tabling and presenting.
ALSO, you can check out the Beyond Tolerance Guide, an online collection of resources that features many of the organizations that will be with present on the 31st.
The Leadership Program
We work with over 20,000 underserved urban youth every year in New York City Public Schools and we’re proud contributors to the resource section of Dan Savage’s book, It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living. As a leading youth development provider, we have seen the detrimental effects of sexual orientation bullying and cyber bullying first hand in the schools and communities we work in. It is these detrimental effects that prompted us to create a safe space for LGBTQ youth and allied youth. We are excited that this summer, we will be launching our week long residential summer camp.
Camp Common Place is a sleep-away camp for LGBTQ youth and allied youth ages 13-17. Camp Common Place offers a fun filled experience that embraces individuality and expression by creating community and connectedness in a safe and supportive environment.
Our goal is to create a safe and supportive learning environment where our LGBTQ and allied campers can be themselves and experience our diverse program offerings. Our camp activities are designed to be interactive and to help each camper enhance his/her self-confidence, independence and awareness. Our team of enthusiastic, nurturing and dedicated staff bring their intensely creative energy and heart to the development, facilitation and supervision of youth programs.
Camp Common Place is located 95 miles north of New York City (less than a 2 hour drive) in Rhinebeck on 250-acres of scenic wooded lakefront. This year’s summer session will take place from July 29, 2013-August 4, 2013.
We will be hosting 50 campers this summer. Camp tuition is $1,250 for the week.
Your support in spreading the word of this safe and supportive space for LGBTQ youth and allied youth is greatly appreciated.
Lisa Chauveron, M.Ed.
Director, Research, & Evaluation Department
The Leadership Program
598 Broadway, 5th FL
New York, NY 10012
212-625-8001
lisa@tlpnyc.com
Our Violence Prevention Project is listed as a Promising Prevention Program by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and was rated in the top 10% of all universal violence prevention programs on SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs & Practices. Check us out!
We work with over 20,000 underserved urban youth every year in New York City Public Schools and we’re proud contributors to the resource section of Dan Savage’s book, It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living. As a leading youth development provider, we have seen the detrimental effects of sexual orientation bullying and cyber bullying first hand in the schools and communities we work in. It is these detrimental effects that prompted us to create a safe space for LGBTQ youth and allied youth. We are excited that this summer, we will be launching our week long residential summer camp.
Camp Common Place is a sleep-away camp for LGBTQ youth and allied youth ages 13-17. Camp Common Place offers a fun filled experience that embraces individuality and expression by creating community and connectedness in a safe and supportive environment.
Our goal is to create a safe and supportive learning environment where our LGBTQ and allied campers can be themselves and experience our diverse program offerings. Our camp activities are designed to be interactive and to help each camper enhance his/her self-confidence, independence and awareness. Our team of enthusiastic, nurturing and dedicated staff bring their intensely creative energy and heart to the development, facilitation and supervision of youth programs.
Camp Common Place is located 95 miles north of New York City (less than a 2 hour drive) in Rhinebeck on 250-acres of scenic wooded lakefront. This year’s summer session will take place from July 29, 2013-August 4, 2013.
We will be hosting 50 campers this summer. Camp tuition is $1,250 for the week.
Your support in spreading the word of this safe and supportive space for LGBTQ youth and allied youth is greatly appreciated.
Lisa Chauveron, M.Ed.
Director, Research, & Evaluation Department
The Leadership Program
598 Broadway, 5th FL
New York, NY 10012
212-625-8001
lisa@tlpnyc.com
Our Violence Prevention Project is listed as a Promising Prevention Program by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and was rated in the top 10% of all universal violence prevention programs on SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs & Practices. Check us out!
The Privilege of Numbness
by
Lee Mun Wah
(Stir Fry Seminars)
Recently, I led a workshop in which I shared a very personal life experience as a Chinese American child growing up in Oakland, California. After I finished sharing, a European American man, Michael, in the front row, raised his hand and declared that he had a story he wanted to share. I was surprised and shocked. Like so many other minorities in a predominantly white audience, I hesitated. Why? Because at that one moment I had to decide: Do I tell him truthfully how I felt about what he said or do I play it safe and listen to his story? Each of these scenarios carries a price to be paid both personally and professionally for someone who is a minority. If I tell the truth, I might be labeled as overly-sensitive or, at the very worse, invalidated, trivialized, or not invited to return. If I listen to his story, I leave feeling not heard and angry at myself for not telling him the truth. The latter experience is not my first reaction, but rather one that has been ingrained in me as a means of survival from my family and the history of being a minority in this country. There is a price to be paid if a white male is made to feel uncomfortable, out of control, irritated or angry.
For those of you who know me, you know that I chose to tell him the truth. I told him that before he shared his own story, I needed to hear how he felt about my story. He was obviously surprised and explained that his story would illuminate how he felt. Once again, I felt unheard. But, I also felt he was being evasive. I could also feel the discomfort of the group and the sense that we were entering uncharted ground. But I persisted. “No, I want to hear how you felt about my story as a child.” He paused and looked upward trying to ‘think’ about how he felt. After what seemed like forever, he said, “I don’t know how I feel about what you said.” I shared with him that not knowing how he felt was a white privilege. That perhaps his not knowing revealed a white history of being able to go “numb” whenever the pain or experiences of minorities are shared. And then just as I finished, a white woman blurted out, “I still want to hear his story.” Once again, I was at a crossroads and it took all my courage to tell her that before I could hear his story, something was missing for me as a person of color--how did she feel about what he said or what I had shared? How did the rest of the group feel about what either of us shared?
It was at this point that Michael interjected and thanked me. He shared that he had never thought about how he, as a white man, had often bypassed how he felt. And that perhaps what he was really hiding was that he had difficulty sharing his emotions and maybe even hearing someone become emotional. That this numbness was something he seriously needed to look at. He also thanked me for my courageousness in confronting him. His admission was the turning point of the discussion, because soon afterwards, two women from South America shared that they had similar experiences to mine when Michael wanted to share his story and how often they, too, had been ‘talked over.’
This ‘disconnect’ is something I have often experienced time and time again whenever whites are confronted with reflecting upon their own racism. There is either a long silence, a change of subject, questioning the integrity of the speaker, or wanting to interject with their own story.
What is needed from whites is an authentic emotional response to what they’ve heard from people of color, an acknowledgement of what has been shared, a sense of genuine curiosity, taking responsibility and a willingness to reflect and to change. Maya Angelou once said, “Some may never remember what you said or did, but they will always remember how you made them feel.” The truth is always there. Saying it out loud…that’s the hard part.
If you are in California in during July/August Check out this workshop (scroll to bottom of page)
For those of you who know me, you know that I chose to tell him the truth. I told him that before he shared his own story, I needed to hear how he felt about my story. He was obviously surprised and explained that his story would illuminate how he felt. Once again, I felt unheard. But, I also felt he was being evasive. I could also feel the discomfort of the group and the sense that we were entering uncharted ground. But I persisted. “No, I want to hear how you felt about my story as a child.” He paused and looked upward trying to ‘think’ about how he felt. After what seemed like forever, he said, “I don’t know how I feel about what you said.” I shared with him that not knowing how he felt was a white privilege. That perhaps his not knowing revealed a white history of being able to go “numb” whenever the pain or experiences of minorities are shared. And then just as I finished, a white woman blurted out, “I still want to hear his story.” Once again, I was at a crossroads and it took all my courage to tell her that before I could hear his story, something was missing for me as a person of color--how did she feel about what he said or what I had shared? How did the rest of the group feel about what either of us shared?
It was at this point that Michael interjected and thanked me. He shared that he had never thought about how he, as a white man, had often bypassed how he felt. And that perhaps what he was really hiding was that he had difficulty sharing his emotions and maybe even hearing someone become emotional. That this numbness was something he seriously needed to look at. He also thanked me for my courageousness in confronting him. His admission was the turning point of the discussion, because soon afterwards, two women from South America shared that they had similar experiences to mine when Michael wanted to share his story and how often they, too, had been ‘talked over.’
This ‘disconnect’ is something I have often experienced time and time again whenever whites are confronted with reflecting upon their own racism. There is either a long silence, a change of subject, questioning the integrity of the speaker, or wanting to interject with their own story.
What is needed from whites is an authentic emotional response to what they’ve heard from people of color, an acknowledgement of what has been shared, a sense of genuine curiosity, taking responsibility and a willingness to reflect and to change. Maya Angelou once said, “Some may never remember what you said or did, but they will always remember how you made them feel.” The truth is always there. Saying it out loud…that’s the hard part.
If you are in California in during July/August Check out this workshop (scroll to bottom of page)
FROM Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding
Dear Friends,
We are in the midst of conducting a scientific survey about how people in the U.S. experience religion in daily life, particularly at work. This project got us thinking about other questions.
We're curious about your thoughts and experiences on religious harassment in the workplace. If this interests you, please take a minute to answer this 3 question survey.
And if you feel inclined, forward the survey to your contacts so they can respondent as well. We'll share the results on our blog in the near future--and we're sure they'll be interesting.
Thank you!
-The Tanenbaum Survey Team
Dear Friends,
We are in the midst of conducting a scientific survey about how people in the U.S. experience religion in daily life, particularly at work. This project got us thinking about other questions.
We're curious about your thoughts and experiences on religious harassment in the workplace. If this interests you, please take a minute to answer this 3 question survey.
And if you feel inclined, forward the survey to your contacts so they can respondent as well. We'll share the results on our blog in the near future--and we're sure they'll be interesting.
Thank you!
-The Tanenbaum Survey Team
|
Fewer black and Hispanic students admitted to top high schools
by Philissa Cramer MARCH 15, 2013 Of the 5,229 students accepted to the city’s eight specialized high schools this year, 618 were black or Hispanic, MORE Read ISDN's most recent Community Voice blog post by Rachel Christmas Derrick - Asians and Whites Against Blacks and Latinos? The Myths and Realities of Affirmative Action And College-Bound High School Students |
‘American Promise’ and the black student struggle in the nation’s private schools
By Eisa Nefertari Ulen The Washington Post If public education is a Civil Right, then perhaps fair and equitable treatment for all private school students, regardless of race or gender, is a Personal Right. In “American Promise,” filmmakers Joe Brewster and Michele Stephenson document the journey of their own son and his best friend at The Dalton School, a New York City independent institution ... Read More |
|
Better Colleges Failing to Lure Talented Poor
By DAVID LEONHARDT Published: March 16, 2013 Only 34 percent of high-achieving high school seniors in the bottom fourth of income distribution attended any one of the country’s 238 most selective colleges, according to the analysis, conducted by Caroline M. Hoxby of Stanford and Christopher Avery of Harvard, two longtime education researchers. Among top students in the highest income quartile, that figure was 78 percent. MORE |
For Poor, Leap to College Often Ends in a Hard Fall
By JASON DePARLE NYT Published: December 22, 2012 The growing role of class in academic success has taken experts by surprise since it follows decades of equal opportunity efforts and counters racial trends, where differences have narrowed. It adds to fears over recent evidence suggesting that low-income Americans have lower chances of upward mobility than counterparts in Canada and Western Europe.READ MORE |
|
Obama to Name Tubman Tribute as National Monument
By: The Root Staff | Posted: March 22, 2013 at 12:34 AM Chinua Achebe, considered by many to be the grandfather of African literature, has died at 82. Read the NYT article
Watch This Interview With Nigerian Author Chinua Achebe March is Women's History Month
|
Imagine what might have been without hate |
Ileana Jiménez from LREI and Elena Jaime from Cathedral School invite you to the next New York Independent Schools LGBT Educators Group event on Friday, April 19th. As many of you know, students and educators across the country will be participating in the national Day of Silence, (Click on the link to learn more about this day.) a day of action during which the participants vow to take a form of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of bullying and harassment that members of the LGBTQ community face on a daily basis. In honor of this day, students and educators will gather together at the end of the day and listen to members of our community break the silence as they share their thoughts on the day, and their journey as members and allies of the LGBTQ movement through narrative, poetry, song, dance, and other artistic forms of expression.
Educators and students from across our schools are invited to participate in this event. If you, or a student at your school is interested in sharing a piece during the program, please contact Elena as soon as possible. There are a limited number of slots available during the program. As this will be a multi-age audience we ask that the artists be respectful in both language and content.
The event will be held on Friday, April 19 from 4:30-6:30 pm at LREI, located at 40 Charlton Street between Sixth and Varick, near the C, E, and the 1 trains.
Light snacks and refreshments will be served. If you are an advisor, or have a connection to the GSA at your school, please make sure to circulate this invitation among the students. Please RSVP to Elena at ejaime@cathedralnyc.org by Monday, April 15.
Educators and students from across our schools are invited to participate in this event. If you, or a student at your school is interested in sharing a piece during the program, please contact Elena as soon as possible. There are a limited number of slots available during the program. As this will be a multi-age audience we ask that the artists be respectful in both language and content.
The event will be held on Friday, April 19 from 4:30-6:30 pm at LREI, located at 40 Charlton Street between Sixth and Varick, near the C, E, and the 1 trains.
Light snacks and refreshments will be served. If you are an advisor, or have a connection to the GSA at your school, please make sure to circulate this invitation among the students. Please RSVP to Elena at ejaime@cathedralnyc.org by Monday, April 15.
|
Poor Kids
Frontline explores the economic crisis through the eyes of children. Check out their video about kids perspective on poverty in America |
Struggle For Smarts? How Eastern And Western Cultures Tackle Learning
by Alix Spiegel November 12, 2012 "I think that from very early ages we [in America] see struggle as an indicator that you're just not very smart," Stigler says. "It's a sign of low ability — people who are smart don't struggle, they just naturally get it, that's our folk theory. Whereas in Asian cultures they tend to see struggle more as an opportunity." MORE |
From the Yellin Center
Ten Tips for Negotiating with Your Child's School
We all negotiate in our work, in social situations, and with our children. But one kind of negotiation that can be particularly stressful is with your child’s school. Whether your child attends a public or private school, and whether or not he has special learning needs, there are steps you can take to become a more effective negotiator and to make the school experience go more smoothly for you and your child.
Read the complete article.
Ten Tips for Negotiating with Your Child's School
We all negotiate in our work, in social situations, and with our children. But one kind of negotiation that can be particularly stressful is with your child’s school. Whether your child attends a public or private school, and whether or not he has special learning needs, there are steps you can take to become a more effective negotiator and to make the school experience go more smoothly for you and your child.
Read the complete article.
|
"THAT'S SO GAY"
Click here and scroll down to the Ash Beckham video |
Girl Be Heard creates a world for young women to find strength, realize their potential, and rise above their circumstances and society’s expectations of them.
Girl Be Heard uses theater as the vehicle to empower young women to become brave, confident, socially conscious leaders and explore their own challenging circumstances. MORE |
Undoing Racism with the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond
By: Nicholas Allanach | Photos: Nicholas Allanach
Before the spring semester commenced, over forty members of the New School community gathered for a weekend workshop on undoing racism hosted by the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond. It took two years to make this workshop a reality and would not have happened were it not for the diligent work and support of the Students for Social Justice, the University Student Senate, the Provost’s Office, as well as faculty, administrators, and staff members dedicated to anti-racist organizing.
Race is a tough topic to openly, honestly discuss. I’m inspired to see that instead of avoiding this challenge, The New School continues to encourage and empower students, faculty, and staff to engage with issues of race, poverty, and education alongside professors and peers in an open, safe environment. And rightfully so; after all, how can a university champion public engagement if it does not have this important dialogue with its own community first?
But some people don’t see the usefulness of “just talking.” Before the workshop, a colleague quipped, “Racism will not be ‘undone’ after attending an undoing racism workshop, but good luck!” True. After all, how could a weekend spent in an ongoing conversation about race help? What would be the end-result? Would there be any takeaways? If racism wasn’t going to be undone, what was the point? Of course, such sentiments are easy for me to have. As a white male living in America, race is something that can be considered over a weekend, in a workshop, or even throughout this month of February; but after that, race can then be conveniently shelved back into the recesses of the white mind. Accordingly, white America can say “racism is over,” and put it out of their minds, while people of color don’t have that luxury. MORE
Before the spring semester commenced, over forty members of the New School community gathered for a weekend workshop on undoing racism hosted by the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond. It took two years to make this workshop a reality and would not have happened were it not for the diligent work and support of the Students for Social Justice, the University Student Senate, the Provost’s Office, as well as faculty, administrators, and staff members dedicated to anti-racist organizing.
Race is a tough topic to openly, honestly discuss. I’m inspired to see that instead of avoiding this challenge, The New School continues to encourage and empower students, faculty, and staff to engage with issues of race, poverty, and education alongside professors and peers in an open, safe environment. And rightfully so; after all, how can a university champion public engagement if it does not have this important dialogue with its own community first?
But some people don’t see the usefulness of “just talking.” Before the workshop, a colleague quipped, “Racism will not be ‘undone’ after attending an undoing racism workshop, but good luck!” True. After all, how could a weekend spent in an ongoing conversation about race help? What would be the end-result? Would there be any takeaways? If racism wasn’t going to be undone, what was the point? Of course, such sentiments are easy for me to have. As a white male living in America, race is something that can be considered over a weekend, in a workshop, or even throughout this month of February; but after that, race can then be conveniently shelved back into the recesses of the white mind. Accordingly, white America can say “racism is over,” and put it out of their minds, while people of color don’t have that luxury. MORE
10 Things You Should Know About Slavery and Won’t Learn at ‘Django’
by Imara Jones
Wednesday, January 9 2013, 10:02 AM EST
ColorLines: News for Action
Much hullabaloo has been made recently about slavery as entertainment in movies like “Django Unchained.” But lost in the discussion is slavery as history, and the simple fact that it was an economic system which seized the economic know-how of Africans in order to construct unimaginable wealth in North America, Europe and throughout the Western Hemisphere. MORE
by Imara Jones
Wednesday, January 9 2013, 10:02 AM EST
ColorLines: News for Action
Much hullabaloo has been made recently about slavery as entertainment in movies like “Django Unchained.” But lost in the discussion is slavery as history, and the simple fact that it was an economic system which seized the economic know-how of Africans in order to construct unimaginable wealth in North America, Europe and throughout the Western Hemisphere. MORE
Leonard Pitts: Race is the stupidest idea in history
BY LEONARD PITTSL
PITTS@MIAMIHERALD.COM
Granted, most of us think otherwise. The average 18-year-old American kid, says historian Matt Wray, thinks of race “as a set of facts about who people are, which is somehow tied to blood and biology and ancestry.”
But that kid is wrong. If you doubt that, try a simple challenge: Define “black people.”
Maybe you think of it as African ancestry. But Africa is a place on a map — not a bloodline. And, as the example of Charlize Theron, the fair-skinned, blond actress from South Africa, amply illustrates, it is entirely possible to come from there, yet not be what we think of as “black.” Indeed, Theron, who became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2008, is by definition an African American. Yet, she fits no one’s conception of that term, either.
READ MORE HERE:
BY LEONARD PITTSL
PITTS@MIAMIHERALD.COM
Granted, most of us think otherwise. The average 18-year-old American kid, says historian Matt Wray, thinks of race “as a set of facts about who people are, which is somehow tied to blood and biology and ancestry.”
But that kid is wrong. If you doubt that, try a simple challenge: Define “black people.”
Maybe you think of it as African ancestry. But Africa is a place on a map — not a bloodline. And, as the example of Charlize Theron, the fair-skinned, blond actress from South Africa, amply illustrates, it is entirely possible to come from there, yet not be what we think of as “black.” Indeed, Theron, who became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2008, is by definition an African American. Yet, she fits no one’s conception of that term, either.
READ MORE HERE:
|
Two of the 2012 recipients of the Lori C Pemberton Memorial Scholarship were from Independent Schools.
Congratulations to: Nikiesha Hamilton - Trevor Day School Tiaira Myers - The Westminster School The 2013 Scholarship Application Period is Now Open! Graduating seniors! Visit our website to complete the on line application for the Sigma Nu Zeta Chapter Scholarship and/or the Lori C. Pemberton Memorial Scholarship. Complete applications must be received by March 15, 2013.
Click here for the 2013 applications! The Five Pearls Foundation, is a non-profit 501©3 public charity created to bring added value to the community service projects of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc, Sigma Nu Zeta Chapter. The idea of the Five Pearls Foundation was |
conceived by ten women who dreamed of providing extraordinary service to their community.
The organization’s mission is to increase prenatal education and enhance youth and community development programs for under-served communities. Lori C. Pemberton Memorial Scholarship – The Lori C. Pemberton Memorial scholarship was created to honor the memory, passions and ideals of Lori C. Pemberton. Lori was a founding board member of the Five Pearls Foundation and a life member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. – Sigma Nu Zeta Chapter. This scholarship is for high schools students of color who will go on to higher education. This application period is open through March 15, 2013. http://www.fivepearlsfoundation.org/index.php? option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=2 |
|
Tanenbaum celebrates 20 years of combating religious prejudice. View this chart of 20 years of religious progress and prejudice.
For students of color at elite independent schools, admittance doesn't bring acceptance.
From the New York Times: Admitted But Left Out by Jenny Anderson Oct 21, 2012 "There is no doubt that New York City’s most prestigious private schools have made great strides in diversifying their student bodies. In classrooms where, years ago, there might have been one or two brown faces, today close to one-third of the students are of a minority. During the 2011-12 school year, 29.8 percent of children at the city’s private schools were minority students, including African-American, Hispanic and Asian children, according to the National Association of Independent Schools, up from 21.4 percent a decade ago. (Nationally, the figure was 26.6 percent for the same period, up from 18.5 percent 10 years before.) But schools’ efforts to attract minority students haven’t always been matched by efforts to truly make their experience one of inclusion, students and school administrators say. Pervading their experience, the students say, is the gulf between those with seemingly endless wealth and resources and those whose families are struggling, a divide often reflected by race." READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE Community Voice Blog - a response to the article
The documentary Killing Us Softly 4 is an update of Jean Kilbourne’s pioneering Killing Us Softly 3.
Jean takes a new and refreshing look in this film at how advertising traffics in distorted and destructive ideals of femininity. This film stands to challenge a new generation of students to take advertising seriously, and to think critically about popular culture and its relationship to sexism, eating disorders, and gender violence. MORE View this TED video about stereotypes in culture, socio-economics and race featuring Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Adichie. She talks about how our perceptions of other cultures can be influenced.
|
The Many Languages of New York City
Friday, December 07, 2012 By Data News Team / Arun Venugopal Nearly half of all New Yorkers speak languages other than English at home. Spanish and Chinese top the list, followed by Russian and many others. MORE and interactive chart (see what your neighbors are speaking). Articles from Child Mind Institute: SOCIAL DILEMMA
A Cyber-Bullying Story With a Twist A young man with autism, a hurtful text, an angry mom, and a surprise ending. PARENTING 13 Ways to Boost Your Daughter's Self-Esteem Despite our body-obsessed culture, parents can help girls build confidence based on what they can do, not what they look like. WHERE TO TURN Help for Kids Struggling With Learning When a child is in trouble in school, do you need a tutor, a homework helper, or an educational therapist? A guide to the professionals. CLOSER LOOK What Is an Educational Therapist? ETs have a range of specialized training, but they all work one-on-one with children on learning challenges, and the demoralization that often comes with them. STIMULANT MEDS ADHD Medication: A Pill for Failing Schools? Are kids being medicated as a cheap fix for underfunded schools? It's possible, and it's bad, but that doesn't mean ADHD isn't real, or that the meds aren't safe. SCHOOL TOURS Top 10 Things to Look for in a School for a Special Needs Child One mom's tips on how to assess whether a mainstream school has what your child needs—from attitude to classroom configurations to specialists on site. Malala, a young Pakistani girl was shot, simply because she wanted to gor to school. Hear her story and rea about what's being done to see that all children receive an education around the world.
UN Special Envoy for Global Education: WE HAVE ONE GOAL: MAKE SURE ALL KIDS GO TO SCHOOL AND LEARN.Education is a human right and can ensure that every child, regardless of where he or she is born, has a fair chance to realize his or her potential. Raising Girls With Healthy Self Esteem
By Juliann Garey There's really no way to sugarcoat it: Raising a confident, self-assured daughter who is comfortable with her body is not an easy thing to do these days. From the time she's a toddler a girl is bombarded with media and other cultural messages that undermine the kind of healthy, resilient self-image you want her to develop. But parents have a tremendous influence on how a girl feels about herself, and with the right map in hand, you can steer your daughter away from influences and activities that undermine self-esteem and towards those that contribute to a realistic body image and a strong sense of self. MORE Movie: Dark Girls
Skin color has always been an issue among many people of color. and many children of color will still pick the picture of little white girl or the white doll as the most desireable. Dual documentary Directors/Producers D. Channsin Berry (Urban Winter Entertainment) and Bill Duke (Duke Media) took their cameras into everyday America in search of pointed, unfiltered and penetrating interviews with Black women of the darkest hues for their emotional expose’. “Dark Girls”. Two years in the making, the documentary is slated to premier at the Toronto International Film Festival. Read More and see a preview Movie: Somewhere Between
This new documentary film follows the lives of four teenaged girls adopted from China and now living in the United States. In profiling Chinese adoptees in contemporary America, Linda Goldstein Knowlton has created a deeply moving documentary illustrating that even the most specific of experiences can be universally relatable. |
New Reads
Occupying Privilege by JLove Calderon
Author, educator, and producer of film and television, JLove Calderón has worked passionately on social justice, race and gender issues for the last 16 years. In settings that range from hip-hop ciphers to the college classroom, JLove is widely respected for her advocacy of “truth, love, and freedom” as guiding principles to inspire dialogue and action toward liberation for all people and the planet. Find out more about her new book, Occupying Privilege. Proceeds will go to six non profit organizations fighting for social/racial justice.
Occupying Privilege by JLove Calderon
Author, educator, and producer of film and television, JLove Calderón has worked passionately on social justice, race and gender issues for the last 16 years. In settings that range from hip-hop ciphers to the college classroom, JLove is widely respected for her advocacy of “truth, love, and freedom” as guiding principles to inspire dialogue and action toward liberation for all people and the planet. Find out more about her new book, Occupying Privilege. Proceeds will go to six non profit organizations fighting for social/racial justice.
Like A Tree Without Roots by Teresa Ann Willis
atreewithoutroots.wix.com/latwr
This emotionally wrenching debut novel dissects the interior world of Jasmine Simmons, an African American teenager whose hatred of her dark skin and kinky hair propels her on a journey of self-love and acceptance.
atreewithoutroots.wix.com/latwr
This emotionally wrenching debut novel dissects the interior world of Jasmine Simmons, an African American teenager whose hatred of her dark skin and kinky hair propels her on a journey of self-love and acceptance.
It’s the last week of school for Jasmine and her African, Haitian, Puerto Rican, Jamaican and Dominican classmates. Sitting in class, Jasmine attempts to will herself invisible as her teacher reads an article about a group of Black girls who, when shown a Black doll, start “screaming and scampering.” The article ran in “Frederick Douglass’ Paper.” In 1853.
School is about to begin again, and Jasmine is shaken to her core as she watches a 2005 film featuring little Black girls and boys reacting with shame and rejection when presented with a Black doll, even as they openly embrace a white doll. Jasmine knows their shame, having spent her entire childhood longing to get her skin bleached, just like Gavin. At age eight, Jasmine began secretly straightening her hair with a hot comb since she couldn’t figure out how to use the relaxer kit stashed in her mom’s closet. Throughout the novel, she is tormented by the evil voice inside that constantly reminds her of her third-class citizenship status.
But after spending time with her grandmother and after beginning a two-year rite of passage program with other girls who share her pain of being dark-skinned in a world that privileges and prizes light skin, Jasmine begins to see herself through new eyes.
At the heart of Like A Tree Without Roots is the story of the untreated trauma of African Descendant people – people whose ancestors suffered through slavery. Their rich, improvisational yet often tragic history is woven throughout the narrative, making it an achingly gritty yet brilliantly triumphant story of affirmation and healing.
Facebook page
School is about to begin again, and Jasmine is shaken to her core as she watches a 2005 film featuring little Black girls and boys reacting with shame and rejection when presented with a Black doll, even as they openly embrace a white doll. Jasmine knows their shame, having spent her entire childhood longing to get her skin bleached, just like Gavin. At age eight, Jasmine began secretly straightening her hair with a hot comb since she couldn’t figure out how to use the relaxer kit stashed in her mom’s closet. Throughout the novel, she is tormented by the evil voice inside that constantly reminds her of her third-class citizenship status.
But after spending time with her grandmother and after beginning a two-year rite of passage program with other girls who share her pain of being dark-skinned in a world that privileges and prizes light skin, Jasmine begins to see herself through new eyes.
At the heart of Like A Tree Without Roots is the story of the untreated trauma of African Descendant people – people whose ancestors suffered through slavery. Their rich, improvisational yet often tragic history is woven throughout the narrative, making it an achingly gritty yet brilliantly triumphant story of affirmation and healing.
Facebook page
What Was I Thinking (No. 2): Digging Deeper Into Everyday Racism.
by Barbara Beckwith
New publication available at CDDbooks.com
Three years ago author and activist Barbara Beckwith wrote a collection of 10 personal essays entitled What Was I Thinking Reflections on Everyday Racism? Published in booklet form and available for sale from CDDbooks.com, Barbara's essays have proven interesting and useful to many, many readers.
Now she is back with another seven essays and a series of mini-reviews of 18 books on race and racism published in the last 3 years. All this is available in her new publication, What Was I Thinking (No. 2): Digging Deeper Into Everyday Racism. Available now from CDDbooks.com.
Aside from writing, since 2001 Barbara has co-led, as one of a group of white facilitators, a grassroots adult education course in the Boston area called White People Challenging Racism: Moving from Talk to Action.
The Education of a White Parent: Wrestling with Race and Opportunity in the Boston Public Schools
by Susan Naimark
The book promotes conversations about racism and privilege in schools and communities:
by Susan Naimark
The book promotes conversations about racism and privilege in schools and communities:
- Buy the book on Amazon, in paperback or Kindle
- If you don't want to support the big guys, order it directly from Levellers Press, where community groups can also get a bulk rate
- Encourage your local bookstore to order copies
- "Like" The Education of a White Parent on Facebook
- Post a review on Amazon
- Email or call about hosting a book event near you
- Visit www.naimark.org to check out her other training and consulting services
