2020 People of Color Conference December Edition
This year, despite the challenges posed by Covid-19, NAIS was able to able to offer its annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference and the People of Conference through a virtual platform hosting over 7,400 participants ( the largest number to date). SDLC and PoCC took place from November 30th through December 4th. This year's theme was "New Decades, New Destinies: Challenging Self, Changing Systems, Choosing Justice."
In this newsletter, CMDT and this year's PoCC faculty share some of the resources that impacted us this year.
We hope to continue the conversation with you, our beloved community.
James Baldwin "A Talk to Teachers" and Professor Eddie Glaude's Begin Again.
In June, we began our PDS Professional Development with two pieces to frame our "Why." The first piece was an excerpt from bell hooks' Teaching to Transgress and the second essay was Baldwin's "Talk to Teachers." Professor Glaude's keynote at PoCC brought us back to the Baldwin essay and asked us to reflect on the Work that we are doing as educators in predominately White institutions. As educators, we must question, "What are we doing to and with our students?"
Lyla June is an Indigenous environmental scientist, doctoral student, educator, community organizer and musician of Diné (Navajo), Tsétsêhéstâhese (Cheyenne) and European lineages from Taos, NM.
During her talk, she discussed the concept of "Turtle Island" and encouraged educators to "help correct the record" by de-centering themselves in order to shift the Historical discourse into one that interrogates, "What is the Truth?" and "What is the psychology of domination?"
Lyla June Recommended Texts:
Indigenous People's History of the United States: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/237686/an-indigenous-peoples-history-of-the-united-states-by-roxanne-dunbar-ortiz/
Native Science: Natural Laws of Interdependence: https://tribalcollegejournal.org/native-science-natural-laws-interdependence/
Dr. Bettina Love's Closing Keynote explored the ways in which we need to stop framing Blackness as a problem. Rather, she asks, "How might we celebrate our Black and Brown students by seeing their wholeness which includes their joy, their creativity, their innovation, and their brilliance?" https://bettinalove.com/
Dr. Bettina Love's editorial regarding legal scholar Patricia Williams' notion of "spirit-murdering."
This year's PoCC Faculty included: Casey Upson, Deva Watson, Alana Allen, Amy Matlack, Elizabeth Monroe, Jason Park, Tony McKinley (Director of DEI), and the members of CMDT (Dan Cohen, Victor Cirilo, Darling Cerna, and Caroline Lee).
Amy Matlack has also ordered many of the books from the People of Color Conference, so be sure to check out our library's new additions.
We are grateful for the opportunity to attend the conference and look forward to next year's. If you are interested in attending next year's PoCC, we'll be sending out applications in the spring.
Additional Resources
If you weren't able to view Dr. Howard Stevenson's webinar on "If Elephants Could Talk: Racial Healing for School Conflicts," then here is recording from The Gordon School.
Upcoming Events
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Gatherings/Presentations
Lunar New Year Celebration
Black History Month Celebration with speaker with alum Michael Reed
If you are interested in being part of this Work, please reach out to your CMDT Division Representatives.