I realize that I've been a sporadic blogger. I promise that I'm not going to begin every blog post in which I haven't posted in over a week with this kind of apology, but I've been trying to figure out why I haven't felt the need to blog on a regular basis. I was looking at the stats in my archive (right side bar) and in 2008 I was at the height of my blogging life--I was probably blogging at least twice if not 3 or 4 times a week. And then things tapered off, with last year as the all-time record low of 34 posts--less than a post per week.
So I have to ask myself--why blog? Why do I keep this blog--and what do I want to do with it?
I suppose I've been thinking A LOT about blogging because for part of my new book chapter I've been reading a lot of blogs (part of it deals with blogging--not ready to talk in specific details about the book chapter yet, so I think I'll just leave it at that) and I've been remembering back to 2008 when I was blogging on a regular basis and I had this whole community of people leaving comments and probably folks who were lurking and linking back to my blog. And I met so many amazing people--fellow bloggers like Tenured Radical and Tami from What Tami Said and the folks at Love Isn't Enough.
What was different in 2008? I was on leave (technically I was on leave from Fall 2007-Spring 2008) I was beginning my book manuscript (the same one that I'm still working on). Which makes sense that in 2009 it dropped off as I was in the thick of teaching and writing. And then BAM, April 2010 I get my cancer diagnosis. So it, again, makes sense that 2010 and 2011 were not going to be big blogging years for me.
And now I find myself, 5 years from when I started this blog, on another year-long leave from the classroom--this time finishing the book project on racial ambiguity (back then I thought I was writing about passing). I also find myself missing having a regular community of commenters and being a regular commenter of the blogs that I used to read on a daily basis.
I guess I've also been thinking about this because my friend "D" sent me this link from The Guardian about the need for more minority scholars who blog (click here) and I am, of course, reminded (as the article alludes to) about the whole AWFUL and RACIST blog post that happened on the Chronicle of Higher Ed and Tressie Mc's wonderfully astute and insightful and intelligent analysis and response to it (click here--out of full disclosure I should also say that I'm proud to call Tressie a friend and I knew her back before she was blogging so elegantly and eloquently)
What this all means is that I really hope to be blogging more regularly and to be reading blogs more regularly. There are some mighty smart folk writing about race--and I want to be part of that community again. Or perhaps more accurately, I want to be a more active participant in that community. Here's to good intentions!
Showing posts with label What Tami Said. Show all posts
Showing posts with label What Tami Said. Show all posts
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Friday, November 4, 2011
Help out a fellow blogger -- calling all African American women!
I'm posting this message from my dear blogging sister, Tami of What Tami Said -- although she specifically mentions African American women, I suspect that she'd be interested in hearing from black women around the world. Read on--and if you have any questions, please contact Tami at Tamara@BackTalkBook.com--you can also find the original post here.
============
The way our society talks about black women and marriage--from the daily paper to the pulpit to movies and self-help books--is flawed, sexist and damaging. When black women tell their own stories, a more thoughtful truth emerges.
I am working on a project juxtaposing the authentic experiences of African American women with the tragic common narrative about black women and marriage--a narrative that narrows lives, turns black female successes into failures and unfairly burdens us alone with responsibility for the success of black male/female relationships, black families and the black community. My goal is that my efforts will result in a published book.
I am currently working to identify black women to have frank discussions about how they navigate relationships, sexuality, singleness, marriage and divorce. If you, or someone you know, is willing to be a part of this effort, please contact me at Tamara@BackTalkBook.com.
Some things to know:
I am interested in interviewing black women of all ages, backgrounds, geographic locations and experiences. One goal of my effort is to illuminate the lives of women often erased in discussions of the black marriage rate, including married women, divorced women, women who don’t wish to marry, lesbian women, women in interracial relationships and others.
Subjects should be willing to participate in multiple one-on-one interviews both in person and through technology. Initial interviews will be conducted by phone in November. While I will not require an inordinate amount of time from interviewees, I will need to interact with them enough to understand their stories, experiences and perspectives.
Elements of participants' stories, including quotes, will be included in a published work, written by me. Women have the option of being referred to by their full, real names; first names only or a pseudonym.
Beyond the ABC specials, “think like a man” romantic advice tomes and panic-inducing women’s magazine articles, exist the real stories of black women—too often told from another perspective and voice. Everyone is talking about black women and marriage. I want to talk back.
Please help by responding to and sharing this call for participants through your networks. Please direct questions about this project to Tamara@BackTalkBook.com.
============
The way our society talks about black women and marriage--from the daily paper to the pulpit to movies and self-help books--is flawed, sexist and damaging. When black women tell their own stories, a more thoughtful truth emerges.
I am working on a project juxtaposing the authentic experiences of African American women with the tragic common narrative about black women and marriage--a narrative that narrows lives, turns black female successes into failures and unfairly burdens us alone with responsibility for the success of black male/female relationships, black families and the black community. My goal is that my efforts will result in a published book.
I am currently working to identify black women to have frank discussions about how they navigate relationships, sexuality, singleness, marriage and divorce. If you, or someone you know, is willing to be a part of this effort, please contact me at Tamara@BackTalkBook.com.
Some things to know:
I am interested in interviewing black women of all ages, backgrounds, geographic locations and experiences. One goal of my effort is to illuminate the lives of women often erased in discussions of the black marriage rate, including married women, divorced women, women who don’t wish to marry, lesbian women, women in interracial relationships and others.
Subjects should be willing to participate in multiple one-on-one interviews both in person and through technology. Initial interviews will be conducted by phone in November. While I will not require an inordinate amount of time from interviewees, I will need to interact with them enough to understand their stories, experiences and perspectives.
Elements of participants' stories, including quotes, will be included in a published work, written by me. Women have the option of being referred to by their full, real names; first names only or a pseudonym.
Beyond the ABC specials, “think like a man” romantic advice tomes and panic-inducing women’s magazine articles, exist the real stories of black women—too often told from another perspective and voice. Everyone is talking about black women and marriage. I want to talk back.
Please help by responding to and sharing this call for participants through your networks. Please direct questions about this project to Tamara@BackTalkBook.com.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Republican affirmative action
I know I gave one type of perspective about the reaction to Bobby Jindal's speech in the blogosphere, but for a deeper analysis of not just Jindal's speech but the idea of Republican affirmative action, please head over to What Tami Said for her post, "Republicans give important positions to unqualified women and minorities or How Bobby Jindal became the GOP's "Great Brown Hope."" Here's a little teaser from Tami:
Please go and check out Tami's post. As usual, she says what I am thinking about, but oh so well and oh so eloquently.
I always thought Republicans were being disingenuous in their arguments against affirmative action. I was sure that conservatives knew encouraging diversity and making a place for under-represented people does not equal handing goodies to the unqualified. They don't really think that; they are merely pandering to a base that needs a minority boogie man to blame for their personal failures and those of their party. But after watching Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's strange and tepid response to the President's speech last night, it hit me--that's exactly what they think. That's why when Republicans do diversity it just doesn't work.
Please go and check out Tami's post. As usual, she says what I am thinking about, but oh so well and oh so eloquently.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
It's not a race thing
I am sick of being sick. I woke up Thursday morning with yet ANOTHER terrible head cold. I taught yesterday with a terrible head cold in which I had a coughing jag in the middle of class that had my students seriously worried that I was going to collapse. And a colleague of mine warned me that I should take it easy over the next four days and really rest and recuperate because he had something similar that lasted 6 weeks--in fact, I may not have caught something new; this may be a continuation of the head cold I got right after Christmas.
Why am I starting with this? Because when you are sick, the thing you think about the most is being healthy.
I am a professor who teaches and researches on the topic of race and anti-racism. My blog is called "Mixed Race America." But right now, I want to figure out how I can: stop coughing, get my voice back (I'm barely audible and when I do utter sounds I sound more like a toad than a human), and just feel better all around (I'll spare you the gory details of what I'm going through--lets just say, it's not pretty). In other words, I'm not thinking about race.
My friends and colleagues know that I think, and talk, about race a lot. Which is why I guess I can't be surprised that I get accused of turning something into a "race" thing or using coded "racial" language, even when I'm not (which was the topic of a blog post a few days ago).
I also get pigeonholed a lot, as an Asian American woman who works on ethnic American literature and race. At one cocktail party, I was introduced to my friend's neighbor, who asked what I did for a living. When I mentioned that I taught in the English department at Southern U., he said, "Oh, so you teach Asian American literature." Thinking my friend had mentioned me and what I did, I said, "Oh, did "E" tell you that?" and he said, "No, I assumed you taught Asian American literature because what else would you teach? You're Asian." To which I replied, "Actually, I almost wrote my dissertation on Jane Austen. There are a LOT of other authors I teach besides Asian American writers." The neighbor just shrugged dismissively. For him, I was an Asian American person who, of course, must work on Asian American literature because my identity limits my interests.
But here are a few things about me that tend to surprise folks:
*John Steinbeck is my favorite author.
*I golf.
*Italian is my favorite ethnic cuisine.
*The first album I ever purchased with my own money was AC/DC's "Back in Black." (The soundtrack to "Grease" was technically the first lp I ever owned, but I received that as a birthday gift).
*My partner is a non-person of color: in other words, Southern Man is white.
Anyway, I have an assignment for those of you out there reading this.
The first thing: Please listen to my fellow blogger and cyberfriend (I say cyberfriend because while I've never met her or even spoken to her live and in person, I feel like we are kindred spirits and friends) Tami doing her weekly podcast, "The Best of What Tami Said" (click here). Tami had invited me to participate in a discussion of the upcoming inauguration of Barack Obama and the topic of race, but considering I don't have much of a voice and what voice I have could peel paint, I've had to decline, which distresses me to no end. BUT...I'll be one of her devoted listeners tomorrow (Sunday, Jan. 18) at 4pm EST. And definitely check out her blog, "What Tami Said"--it's a MUST READ.
The second thing: If you have suggestions of any type of remedies (home, homeopathic, organic, pharmaceutical, physical, metaphysical) to help with a really bad head cold (or to prevent against future colds and illnesses), I AM ALL EARS (or EYES). Seriously, I've been told to take
*zicam
*zinc
*Wellness forumla
*Mucinex
*a flu shot
*saline nasal solution
I really am eager to know how you all stay healthy or get healthy once you are sick. Because lets face it, regardless of how we identify or feel about race, we are all susceptible to those germs out there this time of year.
Why am I starting with this? Because when you are sick, the thing you think about the most is being healthy.
I am a professor who teaches and researches on the topic of race and anti-racism. My blog is called "Mixed Race America." But right now, I want to figure out how I can: stop coughing, get my voice back (I'm barely audible and when I do utter sounds I sound more like a toad than a human), and just feel better all around (I'll spare you the gory details of what I'm going through--lets just say, it's not pretty). In other words, I'm not thinking about race.
My friends and colleagues know that I think, and talk, about race a lot. Which is why I guess I can't be surprised that I get accused of turning something into a "race" thing or using coded "racial" language, even when I'm not (which was the topic of a blog post a few days ago).
I also get pigeonholed a lot, as an Asian American woman who works on ethnic American literature and race. At one cocktail party, I was introduced to my friend's neighbor, who asked what I did for a living. When I mentioned that I taught in the English department at Southern U., he said, "Oh, so you teach Asian American literature." Thinking my friend had mentioned me and what I did, I said, "Oh, did "E" tell you that?" and he said, "No, I assumed you taught Asian American literature because what else would you teach? You're Asian." To which I replied, "Actually, I almost wrote my dissertation on Jane Austen. There are a LOT of other authors I teach besides Asian American writers." The neighbor just shrugged dismissively. For him, I was an Asian American person who, of course, must work on Asian American literature because my identity limits my interests.
But here are a few things about me that tend to surprise folks:
*John Steinbeck is my favorite author.
*I golf.
*Italian is my favorite ethnic cuisine.
*The first album I ever purchased with my own money was AC/DC's "Back in Black." (The soundtrack to "Grease" was technically the first lp I ever owned, but I received that as a birthday gift).
*My partner is a non-person of color: in other words, Southern Man is white.
Anyway, I have an assignment for those of you out there reading this.
The first thing: Please listen to my fellow blogger and cyberfriend (I say cyberfriend because while I've never met her or even spoken to her live and in person, I feel like we are kindred spirits and friends) Tami doing her weekly podcast, "The Best of What Tami Said" (click here). Tami had invited me to participate in a discussion of the upcoming inauguration of Barack Obama and the topic of race, but considering I don't have much of a voice and what voice I have could peel paint, I've had to decline, which distresses me to no end. BUT...I'll be one of her devoted listeners tomorrow (Sunday, Jan. 18) at 4pm EST. And definitely check out her blog, "What Tami Said"--it's a MUST READ.
The second thing: If you have suggestions of any type of remedies (home, homeopathic, organic, pharmaceutical, physical, metaphysical) to help with a really bad head cold (or to prevent against future colds and illnesses), I AM ALL EARS (or EYES). Seriously, I've been told to take
*zicam
*zinc
*Wellness forumla
*Mucinex
*a flu shot
*saline nasal solution
I really am eager to know how you all stay healthy or get healthy once you are sick. Because lets face it, regardless of how we identify or feel about race, we are all susceptible to those germs out there this time of year.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Link Love Thursday
My head feels like it is made of cotton. My nose is clogged shut, except when I let out a mammouth sneeze and need the use of several tissues. I am a mess. I have a head cold.
And I have an article deadline and am determined not to let my head cold deter me.
But try as I might, I couldn't muster anything new/interesting/original to share with you, my dear readers, so let me steal, I mean borrow, I mean link you to some blogs/blog posts that may, perhaps, be of interest:
*What Tami Said has a post about Obama-mania in the form of consumer items you can purchase (get your dog an Obama sweater this holiday season) and a lovely coffee table book.
*Chop-Tensils has a great post about a children's game called "Guess Who?"--I've never played it (thank goodness!) but it did remind me of all those times playing CLUE when my young playmates all said I should be "Miss Scarlett" because in the 1970s the CLUE box had a picture of these various players and "Miss Scarlett" was the dragonlady temptress in a cheong-sam lying on a divan looking sexy and dangerous at the same time (like all good Asian women do--I may be wearing a mini-skirt but WATCH OUT! I can kill you with my deadly ninja-moves).
*Finally, from Poplicks a video I'm embedding below on "Prop 8: THE MUSICAL!" -- with a host of familiar faces (including Jack Black as Jesus):
And I have an article deadline and am determined not to let my head cold deter me.
But try as I might, I couldn't muster anything new/interesting/original to share with you, my dear readers, so let me steal, I mean borrow, I mean link you to some blogs/blog posts that may, perhaps, be of interest:
*What Tami Said has a post about Obama-mania in the form of consumer items you can purchase (get your dog an Obama sweater this holiday season) and a lovely coffee table book.
*Chop-Tensils has a great post about a children's game called "Guess Who?"--I've never played it (thank goodness!) but it did remind me of all those times playing CLUE when my young playmates all said I should be "Miss Scarlett" because in the 1970s the CLUE box had a picture of these various players and "Miss Scarlett" was the dragonlady temptress in a cheong-sam lying on a divan looking sexy and dangerous at the same time (like all good Asian women do--I may be wearing a mini-skirt but WATCH OUT! I can kill you with my deadly ninja-moves).
*Finally, from Poplicks a video I'm embedding below on "Prop 8: THE MUSICAL!" -- with a host of familiar faces (including Jack Black as Jesus):
See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die
Monday, May 19, 2008
What do YOU excel in?
I'm doing home improvements this week, which includes some semi-major painting and home repair projects. Like re-porcelain-ing (is that a word? I just made it a word) a bathroom tub, and in this same bathroom, getting rid of all the horribly gross faucet knobs (circa 1960) with something more modern/clean, as well as a bunch of painting projects.
I am CLUELESS and HELPLESS when it comes to these kinds of things. I didn't even KNOW that the little "H" and "C" symbols on the knobs popped right off so that you could get to the screw that allowed you to unscrew said knob from the faucet fixture. This is where my boyfriend, whom I'll call "Southern Man" was useful. I wouldn't call Southern Man uber-handy, but he definitely knows MUCH MORE than I do about things in your home, and more importantly, he has a confidence about these things--he just believes that we can go to a hardware store, buy things we need, and figure it all out. In fact, when we went to one of the mega-home stores yesterday to buy our home improvement materials (our 3rd trip in 3 days of doing these projects), I was in despair of finding the right knob fixture (because the day before we bought ones that had circle openings when we needed square openings--I mean WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT TO LOOK!) Southern Man said:
"You're a smart woman--you've got a PhD, this is a piece of cake."
To which I replied: "Having a PhD does NOT mean you can screw in a lightbulb--in fact, most PhDs I know are NOT handy folks and are CLUELESS when it comes to home improvement."
[My apologies to those academics out there who know how to re-wire your house or install toilets, like my friend Dr. A who actually DID remodel his entire house, including a fair amount of the wiring]
What is my point?
I do not excel in home repair. I probably feel like some of my students when they encounter Teresa Cha's Dictee or some dense literary theory. My head hurts, my eyes swim, and my brain starts to feel like it's going to explode.
However, my friend in the blogosphere, "The Constructivist," whose blog "Citizen of Somewhere Else" is one I greatly admire, especially when he comes up with such smart lesson plans that have his students do blog entries about difficult texts like Cha's Dictee, has very graciously given me (and three other bloggers) an award:
[I blush, I stammer, I thank "The Constructivist" profusely!]
And so, as charged to me in this "E is for Excellent blogging" meme, I am going to name four blogs that I believe excel in the blogosphere. It was a tough choice, and one of the things I decided to do was to concentrate on blogs that I don't think get wide national attention (in other words, I'm not listing The Huffington Post). So, without further ado in alphabetical order:
*Land of the Not So Calm. Because Sang-shil shares her perspective with the world about transracial/transnational adoption in such a poignant, thoughtful, introspective manner. I not only learn from her posts, I *feel* from them too. Also, make sure you check out her post on the California same-sex marriage ban being overturned--she's got a great video by Vienna Teng with lyrics included.
*Poplicks. Junichi Semitsu and Oliver Wang provide smart, thoughtful, and ironic/humorous commentary on American culture and current events. You laugh AND you think when you read these guys. In particular, I was moved by Wang's thoughtful musings about reporting on disaster situations, like the recent earthquake in Sichuan, China.
*Tenured Radical. I aspire to both being tenured (3 years and counting on the clock--I begin my 4th year this fall) and radical, although I suppose radical is in the eye of the beholder since I'm sure many would find my stances on same-sex marriage, race, and gender to be radical, whereas I see them as simply logical/progressive. Tenured Radical is a sly and wily blogger--her posts are razor sharp and on point. They are rich not only in analysis but in provocation, which is what a tenured radical should do. For example, see this recent entry about Obama.
And last but certainly not least,
*What Tami Said. What can I say about Tami? Her blog is like my morning cup of coffee--I feel I haven't properly started my day if I don't read her latest post. Her writing is keen, sharp, and intelligent. I often find myself reading her posts and nodding along and saying to myself (or sometimes aloud to my dog) "YES! That's exactly what I think too!" Make sure you read her post on gentrification. One of the things I appreciate most about What Tami Said is that she never settles for easy solutions--she always pushes herself, and her readers, to think about matters in the complexity that complicated situations deserve/need/warrant. She struggles with issues, just as I do, just as we all do.
So there you have it. Four excellent blogs to kickstart your Monday (five including The Constructivist's "Citizen of Somewhere Else").
And if you have any tips about painting crown molding (or any other home improvement advice), I'm all ears!
I am CLUELESS and HELPLESS when it comes to these kinds of things. I didn't even KNOW that the little "H" and "C" symbols on the knobs popped right off so that you could get to the screw that allowed you to unscrew said knob from the faucet fixture. This is where my boyfriend, whom I'll call "Southern Man" was useful. I wouldn't call Southern Man uber-handy, but he definitely knows MUCH MORE than I do about things in your home, and more importantly, he has a confidence about these things--he just believes that we can go to a hardware store, buy things we need, and figure it all out. In fact, when we went to one of the mega-home stores yesterday to buy our home improvement materials (our 3rd trip in 3 days of doing these projects), I was in despair of finding the right knob fixture (because the day before we bought ones that had circle openings when we needed square openings--I mean WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT TO LOOK!) Southern Man said:
"You're a smart woman--you've got a PhD, this is a piece of cake."
To which I replied: "Having a PhD does NOT mean you can screw in a lightbulb--in fact, most PhDs I know are NOT handy folks and are CLUELESS when it comes to home improvement."
[My apologies to those academics out there who know how to re-wire your house or install toilets, like my friend Dr. A who actually DID remodel his entire house, including a fair amount of the wiring]
What is my point?
I do not excel in home repair. I probably feel like some of my students when they encounter Teresa Cha's Dictee or some dense literary theory. My head hurts, my eyes swim, and my brain starts to feel like it's going to explode.
However, my friend in the blogosphere, "The Constructivist," whose blog "Citizen of Somewhere Else" is one I greatly admire, especially when he comes up with such smart lesson plans that have his students do blog entries about difficult texts like Cha's Dictee, has very graciously given me (and three other bloggers) an award:
[I blush, I stammer, I thank "The Constructivist" profusely!]
And so, as charged to me in this "E is for Excellent blogging" meme, I am going to name four blogs that I believe excel in the blogosphere. It was a tough choice, and one of the things I decided to do was to concentrate on blogs that I don't think get wide national attention (in other words, I'm not listing The Huffington Post). So, without further ado in alphabetical order:
*Land of the Not So Calm. Because Sang-shil shares her perspective with the world about transracial/transnational adoption in such a poignant, thoughtful, introspective manner. I not only learn from her posts, I *feel* from them too. Also, make sure you check out her post on the California same-sex marriage ban being overturned--she's got a great video by Vienna Teng with lyrics included.
*Poplicks. Junichi Semitsu and Oliver Wang provide smart, thoughtful, and ironic/humorous commentary on American culture and current events. You laugh AND you think when you read these guys. In particular, I was moved by Wang's thoughtful musings about reporting on disaster situations, like the recent earthquake in Sichuan, China.
*Tenured Radical. I aspire to both being tenured (3 years and counting on the clock--I begin my 4th year this fall) and radical, although I suppose radical is in the eye of the beholder since I'm sure many would find my stances on same-sex marriage, race, and gender to be radical, whereas I see them as simply logical/progressive. Tenured Radical is a sly and wily blogger--her posts are razor sharp and on point. They are rich not only in analysis but in provocation, which is what a tenured radical should do. For example, see this recent entry about Obama.
And last but certainly not least,
*What Tami Said. What can I say about Tami? Her blog is like my morning cup of coffee--I feel I haven't properly started my day if I don't read her latest post. Her writing is keen, sharp, and intelligent. I often find myself reading her posts and nodding along and saying to myself (or sometimes aloud to my dog) "YES! That's exactly what I think too!" Make sure you read her post on gentrification. One of the things I appreciate most about What Tami Said is that she never settles for easy solutions--she always pushes herself, and her readers, to think about matters in the complexity that complicated situations deserve/need/warrant. She struggles with issues, just as I do, just as we all do.
So there you have it. Four excellent blogs to kickstart your Monday (five including The Constructivist's "Citizen of Somewhere Else").
And if you have any tips about painting crown molding (or any other home improvement advice), I'm all ears!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Honor Dr. King by speaking your truth
Today marks the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's assassination. The Root has a great series of articles reflecting back on the state of race relations, poverty, African Americans, and continuing a theme of this blog and Senator Obama, the need to continue talking and tackling race issues, "Dr. King's Challenge: We're not all guilty but we're all responsible."
Many people have wondered, "What would Dr. King make of the current state of America? What would he think about the fact that for the first time we have a viable African American candidate running for the President of the United States? What would he make of the racial divide, the economic divide, the ideological divide that, at times, seems to be widening in America?"
I don't know what Dr. King would say, but if you want to read some eloquent and powerful words from an African American perspective on the state of race in the U.S., let me direct you to the blog What Tami Said and her post "Dear America: A few things this black woman would like you to know about race."
Here is a small sampling of Tami's provocative and forceful observations on race:
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., please head over to What Tami Said and read not only this remarkable post (when I read it I literally was sitting up in my chair nodding vigorously and saying "Yes! Yes! Yes!") but also take the time to read through Tami's other posts. I've had the pleasure of getting to know her as a fellow blogger who writes about race in America. Although we've never met, I feel like I've found a real kindred spirit and am so glad that her voice, speaking her truth, is out in the world for all to hear.
Many people have wondered, "What would Dr. King make of the current state of America? What would he think about the fact that for the first time we have a viable African American candidate running for the President of the United States? What would he make of the racial divide, the economic divide, the ideological divide that, at times, seems to be widening in America?"
I don't know what Dr. King would say, but if you want to read some eloquent and powerful words from an African American perspective on the state of race in the U.S., let me direct you to the blog What Tami Said and her post "Dear America: A few things this black woman would like you to know about race."
Here is a small sampling of Tami's provocative and forceful observations on race:
Why is the very mention of our country's racist past and its lingering prejudices anathema to some? Why does discussing racism so often result in defensive bravado? It's as if pointing out racial challenges negates the progress the country has made and condemns every member of the mainstream as an irredeemable racist. That is not the case.
If you are willing to listen, here are some other things that this black woman would like the mainstream to know about racism and the relationship between black and white Americans:
Racism and prejudice aren't about white sheets and Jim Crow anymore. Black Americans know that. Only an idiot would claim that our nation has not made tremendous gains in racial equality.It is just that we know that racism and prejudice still exist, because we live with it every day. Unlike the naked racism faced by our grandparents and ancestors, the bias most of us face today is covert or institutionalized.
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., please head over to What Tami Said and read not only this remarkable post (when I read it I literally was sitting up in my chair nodding vigorously and saying "Yes! Yes! Yes!") but also take the time to read through Tami's other posts. I've had the pleasure of getting to know her as a fellow blogger who writes about race in America. Although we've never met, I feel like I've found a real kindred spirit and am so glad that her voice, speaking her truth, is out in the world for all to hear.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Celebrating Women
I feel slightly conflicted about the various time increments that the U.S. government has allocated for us to recognize underrepresented groups of people. I think the most well known is February, which is Black History month. Don't get me wrong--I applaud the idea of educating people about African Americans' contributions to U.S. history. But my more radical solution is to make black history or African American studies, more specifically, mandatory curriculum, at the high school level preferably, but definitely at the college level. Perhaps I'd want to broaden it to a history of race in America--again, as mandatory curriculum starting in elementary school preferably, but at least by your senior year in high school, this would be a year long course you would take, and whiteness would also be studied as a racial category too.
I just feel like one month feels like a bit of lip service--a small gesture to make up for centuries of oppression.
[Got this image from doing a google image search using the phrase "Women's History Month"--will include 3 others from this search--interesting that none of these women are from our recent past, but it is important to remember our foremothers, and I'm glad they made at stab at diversity with the inclusion of 2 non-white women]
And March is Women's History month. And, again, my more radical idea is that gender should be something we talk about and analyze starting in kindergarten. Because gender is something we digest subconsciously every waking moment. I remember reading a study years ago that the very first thing that all humans notice about another human is gender. In other words, when someone walks into a room, the first thing we are programmed to think about, in a split second, without even being conscious that we are doing this, is whether the person is male or female. When we can't do this instantaneously--when we are forced to pause and decide, this creates cognitive dissonance for us--we feel confused and troubled. Which is why those "Pat" skits on Saturday Night Live worked so well. We are not comfortable with gender ambiguity.
[Rosie the Riveter--she's feminine but also tough and she's positive!]
Now, radical curriculum ideas aside, I do appreciate the well intentioned spirit behind this gesture--that we should pause and remember the history of African Americans in this nation, and we should acknowledge the role of women in American culture.
[Rosa Parks--this image is so powerful--it speaks for itself]
So, in honor of Women's History Month I'm going to direct you to the blog, What Tami Said (click on name for link) because Tami and another blogger, Heart at Women's Space, have come together to create a Women's History Month Blog Carnival. This is the first entry in this month-long series (click here) and yours truly has entered a post that should be appearing in the next days or weeks.
[It's funny because it's true (sigh)]
What Tami Said is one of my daily blog check-ins. I think that Tami is incredibly saavy and smart and thoughtful--so if you haven't taken a look at her blog, I recommend it.
I just feel like one month feels like a bit of lip service--a small gesture to make up for centuries of oppression.
[Got this image from doing a google image search using the phrase "Women's History Month"--will include 3 others from this search--interesting that none of these women are from our recent past, but it is important to remember our foremothers, and I'm glad they made at stab at diversity with the inclusion of 2 non-white women]
And March is Women's History month. And, again, my more radical idea is that gender should be something we talk about and analyze starting in kindergarten. Because gender is something we digest subconsciously every waking moment. I remember reading a study years ago that the very first thing that all humans notice about another human is gender. In other words, when someone walks into a room, the first thing we are programmed to think about, in a split second, without even being conscious that we are doing this, is whether the person is male or female. When we can't do this instantaneously--when we are forced to pause and decide, this creates cognitive dissonance for us--we feel confused and troubled. Which is why those "Pat" skits on Saturday Night Live worked so well. We are not comfortable with gender ambiguity.
[Rosie the Riveter--she's feminine but also tough and she's positive!]
Now, radical curriculum ideas aside, I do appreciate the well intentioned spirit behind this gesture--that we should pause and remember the history of African Americans in this nation, and we should acknowledge the role of women in American culture.
[Rosa Parks--this image is so powerful--it speaks for itself]
So, in honor of Women's History Month I'm going to direct you to the blog, What Tami Said (click on name for link) because Tami and another blogger, Heart at Women's Space, have come together to create a Women's History Month Blog Carnival. This is the first entry in this month-long series (click here) and yours truly has entered a post that should be appearing in the next days or weeks.
[It's funny because it's true (sigh)]
What Tami Said is one of my daily blog check-ins. I think that Tami is incredibly saavy and smart and thoughtful--so if you haven't taken a look at her blog, I recommend it.
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