) recreates the renowned 1960 sit-in staged by four black college students at a Greensboro “whites only” lunch counter. It is worth it.The latest collaboration by this husband-and-wife team (the Caldecott Honor book Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra This type of collaboration and communication means more conversations, and that does take more time. That means working to recognize my limitations to acknowledge the intersections of oppressions (h/t Kimberl é Crenshaw ) and to let those with more expertise and experience truly lead, stepping in and stepping back as they deem necessary. Even if doing seemingly solo work, like posting on social media or writing a blog post, I will look for and embrace the feedback that my community connections afford.
Gorski’s research suggests that White people wanting to fight racism increase their awareness, but also learn to serve: to improve at following directions versus taking the lead. I am reminded of Paul Gorski’s research that shows White racial justice activists as a major source of burnout for activists of color, and all of the different ways that well-meaning White people working against racism unconsciously support the racism they are trying to fight against (by taking credit for or undermining work from others in the community, softening honest messages from “justice” to “harmony,” hogging the mic, backbiting, shushing, centering themselves, etc.). Justice work is community work, and there are unique tensions that come into play for me as a White person trying to understand and dismantle racism. If, for example, I’m gathering information before participating in professional development opportunities, the organizers’ responses to my questions will help me make better informed decisions-and I do not have to say “yes.” In some cases, passing on an opportunity and explaining why can interrupt unconscious behaviors and increase awareness and mindfulness in the future.ĭon’t work alone. Part of this work also demands that I reflect on and check how much space I and my fellow White people are controlling or taking up, and working to put my energies into supporting and centering voices from people of color and Native people.
If I don’t ask specific, intentional questions, I am likely participating in creating or supporting homogeneous committees, panel line-ups, or promoting books or ideas that don’t match my (and my profession’s) values. It also means not making assumptions about who is invited to speak or participate in conferences, workshops, or professional opportunities. This means doing more research before selecting a book. I am going to work on strengthening a habit of getting as much information as possible before I make decisions.
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