As a white person, there is a hesitance about intrusion into black spaces.
On the podcast The Sporkful, the interviewer sits in an all-black diner and asks the owner about white people being welcome. The owner responds, “Do you have the same concerns for black people who are in all-white spaces all the time?”
Since I spent most of my life around people who looked just like me, I feel no qualms voicing my opinions in those spaces, but I am more reticent to inject myself into mostly black spaces. This could be fear of rocking the boat, some sense of sacredness, or wanting to keep a respectful distance, and is likely some combination of all three.
Much has been said this week about the white privilege article from a white basketball player. If you haven’t yet read this article, go do that, then come back.
Done? Okay, cool.
Now this quote:
It’s not enough to say “I don’t think about race.” Because in a community, how one member is doing affects the whole. And for those of us not in the dominant racial group, we don’t have the luxury of saying “I don’t think about race” because racial issues affect us on a daily basis. So let me encourage all of us to try having these conversations, to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and quick to forgive each other when we say something stupid. That’ll happen if you start to have conversations, and we just have to have grace for each other if we make mistakes—it’s better than not talking.
~Francis Su, Mathematics for Human Flourishing
Still here? Okay.
Last week at NCTM, I spoke to a group about building Bravery in teachers and students. In an attempt to model bravery, two things are happening:
1.) I will continue to invite white folk to discuss hard issues in mostly white spaces. We (white folks) are more likely to engage with a hard topic if we don’t have to couch our language; my goal here is long-term change, not policing or shame, so I’m willing to sacrifice a bit for people coming up the Equity trail behind me.
2. The other goal is to continue improving myself, modeling vulnerability and humility around things I don’t understand, and paying close attention to those up in front of me on the the Equity trail, stumbling as I go.
Yes. And, as math teachers, we expect our students to take risks, telling them that it’s part of a growth mindset. I think we should model that as a life practice, not just a math one.
— Marian Dingle (@DingleTeach) April 9, 2019
This means getting involved in the Twitter chat tonight, even though I might say something unintentionally ignorant. I’m prepared to be brave around things I don’t fully understand in hopes I can improve.
One of the most obvious ways I can improve is tied to my musings above; I feel more comfortable joining a Twitter chat led by a white person than the wildly successful #ClearTheAir chat earlier this year, led by people of color.
I’m weak, but getting stronger. But I’m going to engage in this chat anyway instead of shaming myself out of it.
Twitter was ablaze with Kyle Korver’s “Privileged.” Join me and @SchleiderJustin to talk about it Tuesday April 16 at 8:00pm EST. Korver’s article is about whiteness, so reflecting in the ways he does is work for white people to do, but ALL are welcome! #BreakRank #PrivilegedChat pic.twitter.com/01jehjMnX5
— Scott Bayer is reading The Leavers (@Lyricalswordz) April 11, 2019
And if my kids take my time, I’ll get on it later tonight or tomorrow.
~Matt “Weak, but Getting Stronger” Vaudrey
I appreciate the honest reflection and the learning offered here.