My rationale for attending the White Privilege conference was to gain a deeper understanding of the issue and how to engage others in meaningful conversations as we transform our BWP face to be more equitable in inviting more teachers of color. The 2011 White Privilege conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, hosted 150 workshops of varying levels and content dealing with social justice, white privilege, historical trauma, cultural oppression, decolonization and race theory, to name a few. Lisa Albright- Rose Brewer (African American author about race and poverty; founder of Project South critical classroom); Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz (California State University International Human Rights scholar and activist); and Dr. Waziyatawin (Dakota Writer on Indigenous colonization; Oyate director); and Atony Stately, Behavioral Health Director.
The sessions were rich with information and experiences as I try to transfer the informational takeaways to share with BWP Leadership team and incorporate into my own teaching and advocacy work. The film series provided many great films that would be beneficial in showing in our own community. In 2012, the White Privilege Conference will be hosted in Albuquerque, NM at the end of March. This is an advantage so more of us can attend the workshops and experience it for ourselves building a critical mass to influence changes.
This information also informs me concerning my involvement with the Community Relations Commission and the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission as a community outreach of the BWP. Beginning these conversations about white privilege, cultural oppression, decolonization, trauma history, race theory and microaggressions are necessary in Farmington and neighboring communities for healing and acceptance for a healthier interdependent future.