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A mini clinic in being tone deaf
When Black people speak about their experiences, it is all to common for others who have no investment in the cause to energetically jump in and attempt to invalidate the discussion. This post from a Black leader added to a longtime search for solutions to a serious problem: The post referenced above by Franchez Conner…
Michael Strickland: Stories like this one continue to remind us that classrooms are microcosms of the wider world
Crossposted on Young People’s Pavilion Amid today’s heated debates over U.S. immigration, with families separated, borders politicized, and countless displacement stories lost in the noise, I really enjoyed reading this quiet but profound counter perspective. Home, Home, by debut author and illustrator Sibu T.P. is a tender exploration of identity, belonging, and the deep connections that bind…
They look white but say they’re black: a tiny town in Ohio wrestles with race
Many residents in East Jackson were raised to identify as black. But what dictates race: where you live, your DNA, the history you’re taught? By Khushbu Shah The town functions as a microcosm of what African Americans have had to deal with in America, says Dr Barbara Ellen Smith, a professor emerita who has spent much…
Ethnicity vs. Race
Ethnicity refers to a shared cultural identity based on things like national origin, language, traditions, religion, food, and history. Italian fits this definition because it connects to a specific place of origin, a language, a cultural heritage, and a set of shared customs and traditions. Race, on the other hand, is a broader, socially constructed…
What Is Reflected Appraisal?
Reflected appraisal is a term used in psychology to describe a person’s perception of how others see and evaluate him or her. The reflected appraisal process concludes that people come to think of themselves in the way they believe others think of them. This process has been deemed important to the development of a person’s…
A view on transracial friendships by Laura Cathcart Robbins
According to the Public Religion Research Institute, 75% of white people have no friends of color, a statistic I find both startling and consistent with my experience. Typically, building interracial friendships means that both parties need to put in work. Both need to step outside their respective comfort zones to learn and embrace a culture with which they may…
Achievement Unlocked: Black Males, Video Games & Academic Success
“Honestly, the truth is, this isn’t just for one group. All students benefit from learning environments where mistakes are treated as part of the process rather than the final judgment. See, games make that possible. A math game can encourage persistence. A history simulation can deepen empathy. And a collaborative quest can teach communication. Games…
The Unspoken Rules: How Culture Shapes Power in Professional Spaces
by Michael Strickland In the architecture of everyday conversation, some voices echo in marble halls while others whisper against soundproof walls. Cultural power dynamics play out constantly in workplace settings, often in subtle ways that can significantly impact people’s experiences and career trajectories. Consider how communication styles reflect cultural power dynamics. In many Western corporate…
Trust: The First Test of Equity Work
If you’ve ever stepped into a vulnerable school or a fractured community with a clipboard full of good intentions, you’ve likely seen it in people’s eyes before you heard it in their voices: hesitation, guardedness, and quiet doubt. We’ve seen people like you before. And they’re right. Many communities have experienced initiatives that arrived with…
The Human Rights Collective, Inc. 