In this section, you will be focusing on how we as educators sustain bias free, equitable, and anti-oppressive classrooms, schools, ideologies, and institutional cultures. Consider the following tools and resources as you reflect on your own equity literacy development.
Bias [bi·as] (noun) an inclination of temperament or outlook especially: a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment: Prejudice
Equity [eq·ui·ty] (noun): justice according to natural law or right specifically: freedom from bias or favoritism
Intersectionality [in-ter-sek-shuh-nal-i-tee] (noun) the idea that we all have multiple identity characteristics that make us who we are, and the intersection of these identities come together to create unique forms of privilege and oppression. (Adapted from Teaching Tolerance video “Intersectionality 101”)
Privilege [priv-uh-lij] (noun) unearned benefits that someone receives due to their identity (Adapted from “White Privilege and Make Privilege” by Peggy McIntosh)
Oppression [uh-presh-uhn] (noun) a system of prejudice, discrimination, policies and ideas that benefits members of one identity group by exploiting, degrading or otherwise causing harm to members of another identity group. (Adapted “Does "Classism" Help Us to Understand Class Oppression?” by Fred L. Pincus and Natalie J. Sololoff)
Retrenchment (verb)- refers to a phenomenon in which racial justice or equity gains are often followed by losses; this is a form of organizational, institutional, or structural resistance to changing the status quo (adapted from RacialEquityTools.org).
Initial Readings
Article: How racially diverse schools and classrooms can benefit all children.
Article: "Frayed All Over": The Causes and Consequences of Activist Burnout Among Social Justice Education Activists by Paul Gorski
Article: Review the Teaching for Tolerance Article, Begin Within, and review the Responding to Strong Emotions Tool. How might you leverage this tool as you plan for discussions in your classroom and in your community?
Resource: Review Beverly Tatum's "Racial Identity Development Theory".
Review the Teaching for Tolerance Article, Begin Within, and review the Responding to Strong Emotions Tool. Review the Facilitating Difficult Conversations about Race document. How might you leverage these tools as you plan for discussions in your classroom and in your community?
Racial Identity Development Theory- The article Begin Within, suggests the need for personal preparations to facilitate discussions about race, equity, and inclusion. Review this resource and reflect on your own racial identity development. Tatum acknowledges that our identity development is not static, we are constantly shifting based on our experiences and interactions. Can you identify moments where you might have shifted one direction or the other? Consider your work environment, what are your perceptions about the racial identity development of those you work with?
Tempered Radicals - Read this excerpt, and consider the approach to leading and sustaining "equity" and social justice. What are the characteristics of a "tempered radical"? How might this approach counter "burnout"?
Establishing common goals is a good way to anchor and sustain momentum around equity initiatives in a community. Deciding how to establish equity goals, and developing a process to revisit them is crucial to sustaining engagement. Consider this Toolkit, developed by the Alliance for Equity. Start by reviewing the "Dimensions of Equity" that they have selected as a focus. Then delve into the "Diagnostic". You can choose a section of interest, or review the entire document. How might this document support conversations at the school or district level? What would you need to modify to make this useful in your space? How does this tool support inclusive leadership?
Listen
Podcast: Pua Case- Balancing Self-Care and Frontline Activism in Defense of Sacred Lands: Listen to the podcast episode, featuring Hawaiian activist and educator Pua Case and consider how you balance your own wellness. What role does self-care play in equity work? How do we support community wellness? If you are interested in learning more about her work you can watch this film or read more about the Mauna Kea.
Podcast: Well-meaning White Folks - Allies are necessary to our collective pursuit of racial equity and antiracism, but sometimes talking across and through differences can be messy, hurtful, and downright exhausting. Listen to this podcast and consider how the guests tackle two questions from people struggling with how to deal with well-meaning white folks, at home, and at work. What questions do you have after listening to this? If you consider yourself a White Ally, what reflections do you have? Note: This podcast was published in 2020.
Video
Amanda Gorman reads the inaugural poem, 'The Hill We Climb'. What are the messages embedded in this poem? What is her call to action for America? What resonates with you as you listen to her recite this poem? [PDF of poem].
"How Does Change Happen" - Angela Davis (59 minutes) - Watch this lecture delivered by activist, political advisor, academic, philosopher, and author reflects on change and social justice work. Consider her message about moving from imagining to action? What are the commitments she names, and how does she propose we leverage them in this work? How does she speak to intersectionality? How does she reflect on sustainability in this work?
The Cure for Burnout (hint it isn't self-care) - Consider the three telltale signs that stress introduced in the film, and consider the actions that might help reduce stress in your life.
University of North Carolina's "Culture of Care" Series (May, 2021)
Read this quote from Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria, by Dr. Beverly Tatum, and consider the following questions. What are your thoughts about her statement? What is challenging you right now with regard to equity work? Where are you experiencing discomfort in your own equity practice?
“What if I make a mistake?' you may be thinking. 'Racism is a volatile issue, and I don't want to say or do the wrong thing.' In almost forty years of teaching and leading workshops about racism, I have made many mistakes. I have found that a sincere apology and a genuine desire to learn from one's mistakes is usually rewarded with forgiveness. If we wait for perfection, we will never break the silence. The cycle of racism will continue uninterrupted.” - Dr. Beverly Tatum
How do the videos in this section help you think about working towards more equitable futures? Revisit your intention and your commitments. Are there adjustments you might make?
What are some actions you can take to avoid "burnout"? Who can be your equity partner, someone who can support and push you in this journey? Write an equity commitment statement to yourself, and place it in an area so that you can access it when your energy level is low.
Are there additional examples of “Knowledge, Skills, and Actions” that you would add to support or supplement Gorski’s initial list for this ability?
Good intentions are not enough: A decolonizing intercultural education by Paul Gorski
Racial Battle Fatigue and Activist Burnout in Racial Justice Activists of Color at Predominately White Colleges and Universities (2018) by Paul C. Gorski, published in Race, Ethnicity, and Education
Fighting Racism, Battling Burnout: Causes of Activist Burnout in US Racial Justice Activists (2018) by Paul C. Gorski, published in Ethnic and Racial Studies
Burnout in Social Justice and Human Rights Activists: Symptoms, Causes, and Implications (2015) by Cher Chen and Paul C. Gorski, published in the Journal Human Rights Practice
Accentuate the Positive Rastegari, I. & Shafer, L. (2016) Accentuate the positive. Harvard Graduate School of Education. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/16/12/accentuate-positive.
Case, P. (2021, January 29). Episode 293: Pua Case: Balancing self-care and frontline activism in defense of sacred lands [podcast]. Green Dreamer. https://greendreamer.com/podcast/pua-case-protect-mauna-kea.
Demby, G. (2020, June 6). Well-Meaning White Folks - Episode 4 [podcast]. Truth Be Told https://www.kqed.org/podcasts/80/well-meaning-white-folks-episode-4-coming-june-6th.
Racial Battle Fatigue and Activist Burnout in Racial Justice Activists of Color at Predominately White Colleges and Universities (2018) by Paul C. Gorski, published in Race, Ethnicity, and Education
Fighting Racism, Battling Burnout: Causes of Activist Burnout in US Racial Justice Activists (2018) by Paul C. Gorski, published in Ethnic and Racial Studies
Burnout in Social Justice and Human Rights Activists: Symptoms, Causes, and Implications (2015) by Cher Chen and Paul C. Gorski, published in the Journal Human Rights Practice
"Frayed All Over": The Causes and Consequences of Activist Burnout Among Social Justice Education Activists (2015) by Paul C. Gorski, published in the Educational Studies
Relieving Burnout and the "Martyr Syndrome" Among Social Justice Education Activists: The Implications and Effects of Mindfulness (2015) by Paul C. Gorski and Cher Chen, published in the Urban Review
Sue, D. W. (2015). Facilitating Difficult Race Discussions: Five Ineffective Strategies and Five Effective Strategies. https://www.colorado.edu/center/teaching-learning/sites/default/files/attached-files/facilitating_difficult_race_discussions.pdf.
Tatum, B. (2020). Racial Identity Devlopment (from Talking about Race, Learning about Racism: The Application of Racial Identity Development Theory in the Classroom). Mercer County Community College.
Teaching for Tolerance. (2016). Begin Within. Teaching for Tolerance, Spring(2016). https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/spring-2016/begin-within.
Wells, A. S., Fox, L., & Cordova-Cobo. D. (2016). How racially diverse schools and classrooms can benefit all children. The Century Foundation.
Tatum, B.(1997). "Why are all the Black kids sitting together in the cafeteria?" and other conversations about race. Basic Books/Harper Collins