“I learned that racism, like most systems of oppression, isn’t about bad people doing terrible things to people who are different from them but instead is a way of maintaining power for certain groups at the expense of others.”
― Alicia Garza, The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart
As you move about around your town/region, look for signs of Indigenous people. Look for:
State’s name
Street names
Parks, lakes, mountain names
Car names
School and other building names
Get curious:
Are the names connected to the original people of the area?
Are the names stereotypical and disconnected?
Can you find out the meaning of the name(s)?
What language is the name from?
Google the meanings and notice if you think or feel differently about this word you’ve seen and said so many times before.
Land of the Free by Joey Bada$$
Note: some images are graphic if watching the video
“Madame Beauvoir’s Painting” Archival pigment print on hot press bright paper, 2016, Courtesy of the artist and Alan Avery Art Company, collection of Spelman College Museum of Fine Art.
Have you included conversations about colonization in your discussions about racism? Why or why not? Why does the history of the United States often begin in England and Spain? How do you think colonized people across the world have similar experiences?
After today's challenge work:
Did you have any ‘a-ha’ moment?
Did you feel any discomfort?
What will you do differently based on your challenge today?