Emily Shakal's Blog
My mind is RACING. Pun intended. / 10.30.08, 03:07 PM
Right now in Mission Year, we are reading a “curriculum” book called “Why Do All The Black Kids Sit Together In The Cafeteria?” by Dr. Beverly Tatum. It is such a thought provoking read with such heavy topics. Last week after reading, I was inspired to journal my thoughts, and now I feel inspired to share those thoughts. Comment and tell me your thoughts on this. Or email me. Or pick up a copy of this book and read it so that you can possibly begin to grasp where this is all coming from. Good stuff… Strap tight and join the ride:
I’m reading that book, “Why Do All The Black Kids Sit Together In The Cafeteria?”… It’s so interesting. It’s talking about kids and how they form racial identity. I’m becoming more aware of how my perceptions have formed racially. A lot of it had to do with Las Vegas. The neighbors across the street, the drive-by shooting, the crime shows on TV, the fear that came from observing different races. It’s weird seeing how that stuff has affected my perceptions!
It’s so deeply in-grained. The writer talks about how she raised her children and she has her strong beliefs about how to raise a child to be racially aware of stereotypes and racism, while still being actively anti-racist. It makes sense, but it’s so impractical and is anything but first nature. It’s affecting my notions of what parenting should look like. Growing up, race was never discussed with me. It was a fact of life, not a matter to be analyzed and actively involved with. Growing up, I’d internalized the value that racism and racial awareness really didn’t involve me, and that value is being challenged here.
Is that a value I’d want my kids to have? Would I want to raise my kids to be an active part of racial awareness? Ignorance for me was bliss, and in my mind, I grew up blissfully unaware. As being part of the “Majority”, that comes first nature. The “Minority” can’t grow up with that privilege. Would it be right or fair to allow my kids that same ignorance I’d had?
Should I raise my kids to be so intentionally keen to race and those implications as the writer did? What difference did that make for her kids as African Americans? What difference would that make for my (potentially) Caucasian children?
To raise my kids so intentionally bent to be actively anti-racist, would that mean relocation? Staying in a strongly ethnically diverse community? Teaching kids the Black history that the schools so easily avoid? Would that mean intentionally scrutinizing racial messages that books and televisions may give out?
Man, I never thought this issue ran so deep or could have any profound effect on my life. With what the author calls “white privilege”, it kinda doesn’t have to. But to really reconcile differences and actively seek to be an agent of God’s love to ALL of His people, that could mean a drastic change in every future goal I’ve held close to heart, and challenging every aspect of my life.
It’s a lot to digest.
— Emily Shakal
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