Return-Path: <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h39Fe9U05521; Wed, 9 Apr 2003 11:40:09 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2003 11:40:09 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <20030409153745.JMYG10220.fed1mtao06.cox.net@smtp.west.cox.net> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Margery Freeman <freemannola@cox.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:144] How to promote dialogue/action @ "isms" X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Status: O Content-Length: 9984 Lines: 153 Dear Jackie and all, > You ask how to become grounded in an understanding and analysis of race and racism. I've been on this journey for a long time (20+ years) and I still learn new things each day! I do think that we need to discipline ourselves to learn from new and different mentors/teachers. Most of us professional educators are schooled through traditional educational systems, taught by traditionally educated people, through generations! That said, I believe there are many resources on the history of race and racism that can help us gain new understanding. I'd be happy to post a brief bibliography if folks are interested. More important, I think, we need to put ourselves in a learning posture when we are with non-traditional teachers, including grassroots leaders in our communities, informally educated historians and genealogists, educators from different cultures, community organizers, etc. You've heard me speak many times about The People's Institute for Survival and Beyond. That is a national, multiracial organization of veteran community organizers who have over the last 25 years created a process for "undoing racism" that has impacted over 80,000 people across the country and internationally. The People's Institute is recognized as one of the foremost anti-racist training institutes in the U.S. People's Institute staff and trainers (@ 50 in all) are all active organizers in our own communities and fields. Some are professional educators, others are religious leaders, health professionals, housing specialists, grassroots leaders. We are African American, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, whites. You can read more about The People's Institute, and about its core trainers, at: www.thepeoplesinstitute.org I find that The People's Institue 20-hour introductory "Undoing Racism/Community Organizing" workshop is one of the most effective processes by which people of all backgrounds (professionals, grassroots, students, service practitioners, academics, etc) begin to acquire a genuine analysis of race and racism. It also helps us begin to understand "white organizational culture" and the ways in which both white people and people of color internalize racial stereotypes and "beliefs". Perhaps some of the literacy folks who have participated in The People's Institute workshop would like to weigh in with their thoughts? If I had my way, every one of us would go through this "undoing racism" process in order to be more effective in teaching about all "isms." I gain new insights each time I attend one of the workshops. Margery Freeman FOB author (504) 482-0334 ------------------------- > From: jataylor <jataylor@utk.edu> > Date: 2003/04/09 Wed AM 10:29:02 EDT > To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> > Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:141] Re: How to promote dialogue/action @ "isms" > > Hi Margery, all, > I have really been enjoying reading everyone’s insights on this topic and > other professional development concerns! I just wanted you to know that as a > moderator, I am learning along *with* you in this process, and I hope that I > never give the impression that this is not a safe space for thoughtful > expression. I welcome your informal feedback on how you perceive the > moderation of this list, so that I can learn and grow from the experience, as > I am committed to learning for a lifetime. > > Margery, thank you so much for sharing your experiences with YES!. I enjoyed > visiting your web site and I really appreciate you addressing several of the > challenges we listed, in the context of race and racism. I couldn't agree > more with you, Margery, in that I would not feel adequately prepared to > 'present' any professional development event on race & racism without being > fully grounded in its history. I also hear in your response a 'top down' > approach to facilitating change, and I wonder, in addition, how else could > change come about? > > For example, last week, Lynne and others discussed the power that words carry, > the role of the teacher as Rick, Melissa, Sally, Jennifer, and others noted, > and even the significance of non-verbal communication & positionality, as > Andres and Andrea exampled regarding the use of illustrations. Barbara Salice > also mentioned that she had a great many learning experiences in working with > native Hawaiians. > > So I guess I'm asking all of our guests, and the group, are there additional, > subtle ways to approach isms, whether it be about race, class, gender, or > sexuality, that might be considered 'side door' strategies to facilitating > change thru professional development (i.e. bringing in guest speakers who are > grounded in these issues)? What have been others' experiences, and what > practical theories have you developed from those experiences? > > Margery, I hear you saying that professional developers' only recourse is to > become grounded in the history of race and racism, as a first logical step, > and that makes *a lot* of sense. How would someone interested in becoming > grounded in the history of race and racism go about it? Further, what were > some of your 'ah-ha' moments when learning about the dominant white culture, > how People of Color function in white professional institutions, and about > "how the education system functions in both its macro- and micro- > manifestations?" > > Thanks again, everyone, for exploring this topic so fully. Somehow, I get the > impression, that I am not the only one in this room committed to lifelong > learning. > > All for now, > Jackie Taylor > jataylor@utk.edu > > > > >===== Original Message From nifl-aalpd@nifl.gov ===== > >This is a response to Chris and Sally Gabb, who asked "How can we build a > >base within programs that brings the "isms" out in the open, promoting > >dialogue and action that explores and counters the pervasive negative force > >of "isms"? > >I'd like to respond out of my experience as an anti-racist trainer and > >organizer with The People's Institute for Survival and Beyond. It is our > >belief that in order to do effective work (whether as professional > >development specialists, teachers, policymakers, advocates) we need to > >understand the history of race and racism as it has shaped and impacted our > >educational system (and all systems); we need to understand how the > >education system functions in both its macro- and micro- manifestations; and > >we need to be culturally competent, not just about other people's cultures > >but most importantly about our own dominant white culture (whether we are > >white professionals or People of Color functioning in white professional > >institutions). > >1) Effective professional development to promote social justice needs to be > >based on a clear understanding of the history of how injustices got put in > >place. For example, regardless of our professional training, most of us > >have not studied the history of race and racism. Consequently, we often > >substitute our opinions and experiences for analysis. And since the > >experiences of People of Color is so vastly different from that of white > >people, we cannot achieve a common understanding or even common language > >from which to communicate, organize, or develop successful educational > >strategies. > > > >The second premise is tied to the first: If we know the history of social > >injustice, we can then begin to analyze the power relationships that keep > >those constructs of injustice in place. We can analyze, for example, the > >education system as part of a larger construct that is biased in favor of > >white people (originally, white men). Through this lens, we can understand > >why adult literacy education is historically underfunded and under-valued; > >why affirmative action is being rolled back; what has led to the hegemony of > >high-stakes testing, etc. > >Finally, we need to do some serious self-reflection about the values and > >standards we use in our professional development work: We need to > >scrutinize our institutional cultures: What makes those cultures easy for > >white people to navigate and difficult for people of color? (Wade Noble > >talks about the dominant U.S. culture thus: For white people it is like > >fish swimming in water; they don't realize the water is wet. For People of > >Color it is like birds in water: struggling and splashing just to stay > >alive.) > >Enough! > >Margery Freeman > >FOB author > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "jataylor" jataylor@utk.edu > >To: "Multiple recipients of list" <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> > >Sent: Monday, April 07, 2003 7:17 AM > >Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:119] question from Cris, to the group > > > > > >> Good morning, all, > >> I am forwarding a question to you from Cris Smith, that seems to be a > >topic > >> for all of us to explore. I look forward to reading your insights. > >Thanks, > >> Jackie > >> > >> >From Cris: > >> > >> There seems to be at least two ways (to me) to address "isms" in > >> professional development for adult education practitioners. One way is > >> to build a discussion of isms into every professional development that > >> is organized and planned; there's always some facet of any topic that > >> has to do with isms. The second way is to schedule one or more > >> workshops, study circles, practitioner research opportunities, etc. for > >> practitioners specifically focusing on racism or other isms. Is one of > >> these ways preferable to another, or should professional developers aim > >> to offer professional development activities of both types throughout > >> the year (at either the state or program level)? For people who have > >> planned specific "isms" workshops or other professional development, do > >> you find that they are well-attended and what are some ways of > >> recruiting practitioners to join them? > >> > >> Cris Smith > >> > >> > >
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