Month: March 2018

Inclusivity and Identity

The readings for this week made me think back to my undergraduate focus on a sociopolitical philosophy approach to race and racism. One of the books I read was Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum's Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria: And Other Conversations About Race.  (Check out the chapters/reviews--they're as revealing as the title!) In terms of addressing implicit biases and identity in the classroom, I think that this is a must-read.

One of the overarching themes in Tatum's book is narratives. Narratives are also present in the Heinemann Podcast on Dismantling Racism Racism on Education. Heinemann Fellow Sonja Cherry-Paul says, "When we teach kids these sort of canned narratives that race doesn't matter, we're all the same, we're all equal, there really needs to be a paradigm shift where we're teaching our children race does matter in this society." Narratives shape identity. I think that canned narratives coincide with the growing acceptance that race is socially constructed. Unfortunately, socially constructed attitudes like race and racism are thought of as "not real" if they aren't biologically real. (But thanks post-positivism!) However, people's identity are shaped by these attitudes, sometimes willingly or unwillingly, despite not being real in a biological sense. Consequently, a socially constructed concept of race seems to be erasing the opportunity for students to share their narratives of identity. 

Shankar Vedantam offers advice to this dilemma between a socially constructed idea as not real and identity formation. "Our hidden brains will always recognize people's races, and they will do so from a very, very young age," Vedantam says. "The far better approach is to put race on the table, to ask [children] to unpack the associations that they are learning, to help us shape those associations in more effective ways." In other words, putting race on the table allows for students to recognize that a socially constructed racism is quite influential in shaping people's identity narratives. I think Dr. Kwame Harrison embodied what this looks like when done well in a classroom setting a few weeks ago.

 

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In the dialogue about diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism, we are being racist!!

I didn’t know this until I realized, after coming to the US, that I’m considered a brown person, not white. I didn’t like it! All of a sudden, I was the other, the one who was different and being ‘included’, not the one who was nice enough to ‘include’ those who are underrepresented!

I invite you to imagine a diverse community, the one that ‘includes’ everybody. Now imagine a non-diverse group; how does that look like? Who did you remove from your community? Did you imagine a group of black, brown, yellow; or was it white? The reality is that when we talk about the importance of diversity and inclusion; at the back of our minds we are assuming a white hegemony to which we are adding some flavor. As Reni Eddo-Lodge says in her post, “for there to be a difference, there has to be a normal against which difference is measured….  To truly include we need to deconstruct that norm”.

An evolutionary psychology approach to deconstructing bias

The reading I did for this week’s discussions covered many topics, of which, I liked Shankar Vendantam’s hidden brain post best. ( S.V is currently producing a podcast for NPR covering social sciences). The main point S.V raises is that bias is traceable to a cognitive process where our mind is trained to see patterns in repeated inputs it receives. So, our first reactions to meeting people who are considerably different from us is fear, suspicion and in general involuntary but  negative judgement.

I think there is more to this argument, as I will try to explain, and back up my thoughts with a few sources. What evolution has done to our minds is that it has wired it so that the tools for detecting confirmation are far more powerful than tools for logical thinking, especially if it requires going against our already re-inforced convictions ( This is the main argument here, and the examples are fascinating!). To make things worse, human beings’ cognitive apparatus is evolved to to scream danger when we find ourselves in new environments. This has been vital for our survival for many years, but is not helping us now, living in a cosmopolitan era. The solution (until our bodies find time to catch up) is to identify and resist and diffuse these misconceptions.

Diversity in the classroom: Bigotry and why Race matters

This week’s readings were up my alley. I research the specific effects of racism, classism, and so on, as well as its affecting nature of everyday experiences. I think that Vendantamis somewhat correct, but he is also missing the picture. I have not read his work, but from the snippet, yes at times we make assumptions based on gender and race. But how and why seemingly is not in his discussion. Think how. What institutions are place, mechanisma are in place that create a requiem for the past, present and future.

Diversity and race is important! They matter, and they always will, not just because of racism, which I think needs to be combatted in many ways institutionally, but because it provides an identity a personhood. Race matters and it should matter in a positive manner, meaning diversity, acceptance, understanding, and equity. It is simplistic to say race should not matter, I believe that is the biggest part of the problem. “We need to be colorblind” something our country has said for about a century, yet equality did not exist then and does not exist now. I am reviewing a book that discusses this very issue. It is entitled ” Is Racial Equality Unconstitutional? by Mark Golub, which tackles these problems. I have not read it, but I am looking forward to writing the review, and hopefully blog it here.

Overall, racism is a problem, and as a white male it can be difficult to talk about these problems, but at least attempting to talk and discuss these problems with others is a step. Listening, and encouraging these difficult concepts in the classroom can be messy, but having a stable position and knowing when to cut off the conversation is very important. We shouldn’t be on autopilot, but I don’t think we are on autopilot, we are in control and accountable at all times. There needs to be a place for responsibility, where do we start?

If the stormtroopers weren’t all white

Well, I thought the title was funny. In a bit of Star Wars lore, the original army was of clones from a single person. After an uprising within the clones, they included more genetic diversity within the ranks to prevent future insurrections. Even the Empire came to appreciate a more diverse group of stormtroopers.

Following the Phillips’ article, I read one called “Three myths plus a few best practices for achieving diversity”. The article focuses on STEM fields, but it has a few points that I really like. When attempting to achieve a more diverse group, we succumb to the belief that there is prescription or a method for achieving this. I get where that notion may come from. In these types of fields, we seem to approach things very logically. If I do A, then B should happen. Or, there are procedures galore on how to do things. If that is how we approach trying to foster a more diverse workplace, are we truly seeking to do that or just doing it for the sake of numbers? I appreciate the approaches suggested.

The article suggests that rather than looking for a prescription for diversity, we should adopt certain practices that promote diversity. The three practices are to forget colorblindness, enhance belonging, and continue action. The one that resonates with me the best is forgetting color blindness. They suggest that we acknowledge the differences between people rather than pretending like they don’t exist. I appreciate that; but, this idea needs to be fleshed out more. I think there is a tension that needs to be held there. We need to appreciate the differences among each other, yet find a way to see everyone as equal. That sense of if we focus too much on our uniqueness, we forget the common things that bind us together. Yet, we don’t want to rob people of their identities. It is easy to say, but doing is harder. It will require lots of work, and there is no simple 5-step guide to achieving that balance. Much like it was suggested that to overcome our biases, we have to stop and think about things more.

Speaking of bias, I feel tricked by the bias test. However, it shows that even how unbiased we believe ourselves to be there exists some level of bias. I don’t feel we should beat ourselves up over that. These are things we have learned from a young age. I like the suggestion that we should think more about our biases, and why we have that association. It may sound a bit lame, but stopping and thinking seems to improve a lot of things. Maybe we just need to stop and think, what would others say about this? Even the “threat” of a more diverse group makes us better thinkers.

Brave Spaces Are Preferred

Arao & Clemens “seek to cultivate brave spaces rather than safe spaces for group learning about a broad range of diversity and social justice issues” (Arao & Clemens, 2013, p.141).  I agree with this approach because the term brave spaces “clarifies that these environments are challenging and that students are expected to participate within them” (Ali, 2017, p.8). Thus, I think discussions in brave spaces are more likely to be productive than those in safe spaces.

On a related note, I found out that the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) recommends brave spaces for class discussions. “Administrators, faculty, and staff can replace use of the term safe space, as it pertains to class-based dialogues, with that of brave space. By using the term brave space, faculty are able to distinguish an inclusive classroom discussion from programming on campus that commonly provides respite space for traditionally marginalized communities” (Ali, 2017, p.8).

Ali, D. (2017). Safe Spaces and Brave Spaces: Historical Context and Recommendations for Student Affairs Professionals. NASPA Policy and Practice Series, 2, 1-13. Retrieved from https://www.naspa.org/images/uploads/main/Policy_and_Practice_No_2_Safe_Brave_Spaces.pdf

Arao, B. & Clemens, K. (2013). From Safe Spaces to Brave Spaces: A New Way to Frame Dialogue Around Diversity and Social Justice. In L. M. Landreman (Ed), The art of effective facilitation: Reflections from social justice educators (First ed.), (pp.135-150). Sterling, Virginia; Washington, DC;: Stylus Publishing, LLC.

Inclusive Pedagogy

Inclusive pedagogy is not necessarily a term that I believe most people are familiar with. In a previous class, I had to do more research to figure out what exactly this referred to and there are actually several definitions. Essentially it refers to the fair and equal education of all individuals. Creating spaces for inclusive pedagogy means addressing issues of race and implicit biases.

“In order to have a conversation about race, we have to be honest with ourselves and acknowledge that we sometimes make assumptions about people based on how they look.”

We must first be able to discuss our own privilege and biases before we can expect others to do the same. Some classes do not always provide this opportunity, but in order to learn from one another; these tough conversations need to be had. Even if a course does not specifically relate to diversity and inclusion there should be a component that addresses inclusive pedagogy. As educators, we should make it clear in a class syllabus, committees, or other areas of engagement by establish environments of mutual respect.

In my personal opinion, individuals cannot complain about the lack of understanding and diversity if we do not take ownership for the roles we play as bystanders. A cycle of ignorance is perpetuated when nothing is done to create learning opportunities. While education is not the only field that requires these discussions, hopefully graduating students will have a more inclusive perspective in their careers and lives.

Paradigm Shift in the Teachings of Racism

In this podcast, Sonja mentioned that there needed to be a paradigm shift where we are teaching our children that race really does matter in our society….My question for this then becomes, how do we go about this shift?

Racisim is a very complex and sensitive topic that many educators are often afraid to touch because based on how they approach the topic it is likely that someone in the class may be offended and react in a less than appropriate way. What trainings are educators getting from their institutions that will aid them in having these conversations with their students? Is there a curriculum already in place to talk about this topic or does one still need to be created?

Additionally, what support would educators have when talking about this topic? If they disucss the topic and a student then goes back and tells their parent that racisim is being taught in a way that goes against their beliefs, and that parent reacts against that educator. What support does the educational institution provide to that educator?

I do believe that there needs to be paradigm shift in the ways that we approach the topic of racisim, but looking at the type of society that we are in currently, I believe that there is an elevated fear of talking about this because of what has been happening across our nation. I’m not saying that educators don’t talk about this already, but I think there probably could be more educators who are capable of having the conversation around this topic that don’t because of the fear of backlash and potential lack of support they may

Inclusive Pedagogy

Inclusive pedagogy is not necessarily a term that I believe most people are familiar with. In a previous class, I had to do more research to figure out what exactly this referred to and there are actually several definitions. Essentially it refers to the fair and equal education of all individuals. Creating spaces for inclusive pedagogy means addressing issues of race and implicit biases.

“In order to have a conversation about race, we have to be honest with ourselves and acknowledge that we sometimes make assumptions about people based on how they look.”

We must first be able to discuss our own privilege and biases before we can expect others to do the same. Some classes do not always provide this opportunity, but in order to learn from one another; these tough conversations need to be had. Even if a course does not specifically relate to diversity and inclusion there should be a component that addresses inclusive pedagogy. As educators, we should make it clear in a class syllabus, committees, or other areas of engagement by establish environments of mutual respect.

In my personal opinion, individuals cannot complain about the lack of understanding and diversity if we do not take ownership for the roles we play as bystanders. A cycle of ignorance is perpetuated when nothing is done to create learning opportunities. While education is not the only field that requires these discussions, hopefully graduating students will have a more inclusive perspective in their careers and lives.

Dismantling Racism in Education

For this week’s bog, I listened (and read the transcript) the Dismantling Racism in Education podcast. This podcast resonates with me on so many levels. The interview takes place with Dr. Cornelius West & three Heinemann Fellows (Sonja Ahmed, Sonja Cherry-Paul and Cornelius Minor).

While this entire transcript is mesmerizing and memorable, the part that sticks out to me the most is the section that states,” Racism looks like teaching children that race doesn’t matter when in fact race does matter, to borrow from Dr. Cornell West. When we teach kids these sort of canned narratives that race doesn’t matter, we’re all the same, we’re all equal, there really needs to be a paradigm shift where we’re teaching our children race does matter in this society. It shouldn’t, but it does. And for some of your peers and for some citizens, they’re having a very different experience because of the color of their skin. In our household, we see that as unjust and unfair and we are pushing back against that, but it’s important for you to know that as you are going to school and celebrating the uniqueness’s of your peers. That racism is real and it does matter in this society because there are people who make it matter. I wish that was the narrative that parents were taking in their homes and then teachers can pick up in schools, in developmentally appropriate ways to help kids understand this.” (source: Dismantling Racism in Education)

This resonates me on SO MANY LEVELS! As a child, I was taught that in order to work twice as hard to be considered half as good as they (read: white) people are. I didn’t understand this thought until my senior year of high school where I was told that I should consider trade school or community college but don’t expect to advance any further than that. (side note: and now here I stand about to graduate with a MASTER’S DEGREE! Look at me now!). I didn’t understand what it meant to be a Black woman in today’s society, particularly in higher education, until I began my collegiate career. The ivory towers are not built for me, in fact, they’re built to keep people who look like me out. So much of the word that I live in, the 21st century, is not built to support me and my salient identities. Race does matter unfortunately. If it didn’t matter, many of the hardships and trails that we as African/African American/People of Color face would’t be real challenges for us.

I always find it interesting to listening to my white peers and colleagues discuss their experiences both in the academy and in the world. Often they face their own set of trails, but I’ve never heard of them not being served at a restaurant in 2018 simply because of the color of their skin, or being pulled over and handcuffed while their possessions are searched, or being declined a job interview once the interviewers realized that they were a person of color. As much as we may want to turn a blind eye to racism and say that it doesn’t exist, it does. And the people in power (read: politicians, college presidents, CEOs/CFOs, etc.) who have the opportunity to change this, don’t. Why? I don’t think there’s one clear cut answer, but from my experience, a lot of the thinking is that this is the way that it’s always been done and as such, why rock the boat?

As higher education professionals (bth student affairs professionals and faculty), I believe that we can begin to dismantle the system from within the ivory towers. We have a responsibility to our students to engage them, teach them, broaden their horizons and perspectives. We cannot allow students to remain the same as they did when they walked through our doors. Although we cannot control the outcome, it is our responsibility to at least have a call to action for our students. It’s our responsibility to bring in the omitted narratives, to bring forth the truth in our classroom, to stretch our students minds. Often, college is one of the few if not the only place this is allowed to happen. I challenge my peers to think about what they can do to disrupt the system and begin to dismantle racism in the academy and in education holistically.

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