White privilege, and what we’re supposed to do about it
The case of Trayvon Martin’s death has sparked a national conversation around race. People seem to be polarized in their reactions to the recent verdict, and as such I’d love to avoid more conjecture on that in this post. Rather, I really want to explore some questions about white privilege, since that is a term that has been widely used in the past week, and hopefully shed some light on what it means and what, exactly, we white folk are supposed to do about it. White privilege is a difficult . . .
Faith in humanity, restored
After a racially-charged week, this was a refreshing look at the way the younger generation views race relations. The kids are responding to the Cheerios commercial with an interracial family that got so many nasty comments on YouTube that the comment section was disabled. I think we could all learn a thing or two from their reactions. . . .
What I want you to know about being a young black man in America.
What I Want You to Know is a series of reader submissions. It is an attempt to allow people to tell their personal stories, in the hopes of bringing greater compassion to the unique issues each of us face. If you would like to submit a story to this series, click here. Today’s guest posts is by Wesley Hall. Man, I'm just glad I had a mom who gave me the realness from a young age. I can remember thinking she was so stuck in the past for telling me that I couldn't do or say or wear certain . . .
Finding justice for Trayvon: seven actions steps for our outrage
"I take for granted that I belong wherever I happen to be." -- Joan Haskins photo via NerdyWonka Any plausible deniability about the negative bias that black men face in our country was pulled out from under me during our first adoption process. Americans love to see themselves as “colorblind” . . . to describe our country as a post-racial melting pot with a black president and a smug sense of satisfaction for not being as racist as the previous generation. But race preference in adoption . . .
Defending Paula Deen: what the national reaction can teach us about race
There has been a lot of press about the recent lawsuit filed against Paula Deen, alleging (among other things) that she tolerated blatant racism towards the staff in her company’s restaurants (including separate entrances for black employees) and referred to black men as “n*ggers” to another employee. At this point, the case is a bit of a she-said, she said, with Paula denying most of the allegations. While I suspect the truth lies someone in the middle, I’m going to focus on the things . . .
A “You Can Touch My Hair” exhibit . . . is it bridge-building or othering?
There is an interactive public art exhibit today in New York City where observers can “explore the tactile fascination with black hair” by feeling the hair of black women. Un-ruly.com, who organized the event, describes it as a public art exhibit: “where strangers from all walks of life will have the welcomed opportunity to touch various textures of black hair.” It’s a fascinating social experiment, but I have mixed feelings about it. I know, from my black friends, that unsolicited hair . . .
resources for talking to kids about race and racism
On this day of celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King, I thought I would share some resources for talking to kids about racism, including both the historical context of our country as well as the present-day issues of prejudice. I am a firm believer that we should be talking to our kids about racial differences from a very young age. At a certain age, all kids are prone to leaving others out based on external factors. This can be gender, race, disability, etc. I think kids need help . . .
educational equality and the economic divide
I have mentioned before that my two kindergartners were accepted via lottery into a public charter school this year, while Jafta is attending a more traditional (and technically “underperforming”) local public school. What I haven't mentioned is that when this public charter school was proposed, I actually fought against it. I’ve been hesitant to talk about my cognitive dissonance in sending my kids to a school that I initially opposed. and to call out some of the classism and racism I . . .
transracial adoption isn’t a big deal. until it is.
One of the questions I’m often asked by prospective adoptive parents is . . . how hard is it to raise a child of another race? This is such a tricky question, because it many ways, it really isn’t hard at all. Race isn’t something I think about in our day-to-day routine. By and large, parenting my boys is no different than parenting my girls. I still have the same hopes, dreams, fears, and insecurities as a mom . . . I’m still largely concerned with the day-to-day minutiae that . . .
kids on race: the CNN study
CNN did a very revealing study on racial bias last year, replicating the doll test from the 1950’s and finding that children of color still maintain negative feelings of self-worth in regards to race. This year, the study focused on race relations between children, particularly comparing the views of young children to the views of teenagers. It’s disturbing . . . but it’s so important to watch and discuss. Part 1: Part 2: Thoughts? . . .