Reading this quote in the book made me smile and I was proud to hear that black women are leading the charge and representing when it comes to educational attainment. What is very difficult to comprehend is why this significant achievement, achieved by a marginalized community, is not highlighted in the media? It is not because the media is guilty of portraying white as right, holy, pure, and accomplished. Black is often represented as evil and dirty. Today, in the year 2020, there still are artist who paint portraits of a white Jesus even though historical records and analysis prove he was not of European descent. Many artist also still paint pictures and portraits of all white angels in an all-white heaven. That doesn’t seem to be very inclusive to me. This subtle and blatant racism, and perhaps ignorance of others, reinforces the stereotypes, prejudice, and outright racist beliefs that “WHITE IS RIGHT!” 

This quote also reminds me of how strong Black Women in America are. Through brutality (historically), oppression, segregation, and mistreatment by the system and sometimes even by their own men, black women still rise, outshine, and represent.
 

 

 

This deeply resonated with me for several reasons. First, from an educator’s perspective, the value of literacy is boundless in discovering one’s own pathways in life from as far back as slavery in America in the 17^th century and distinguished national leadership of 19^th century American social reformer, abolitionist, writer and orator, Frederick Douglass. Further, we are multifaceted beings living in an ever-changing global world. Literacy enables us to shine by opening the door to communicating with, understanding and respecting others—connecting us together—in our multicultural society.
Phyllis A. Walker

When I read this quote, as a future educator I think it is important to share and teach our students the reality of history. We still live in a society in which people still discriminate others, either by their color, their race, their difference of culture or language, disability and such on. We can even see this behavior in schools, a place where children go to learn and not being discriminated. We can equip the students with the right tool, preparing them for a better future. Teaching them the “abc’s” but at the same time exposing them to the reality of life. We as educators can offer students critical literacy as a tool for engaging such work within and beyond our classroom. Teaching critical literacy exposes how easily our society seeks to relegate us all to roles of passive consumers of our realities. 

When I read this quote, first thing comes up in my mind are young children, adolescents growing in poverty, communities in which they have seen and experienced stuff they shouldn’t have. Everyone have the right to grow up in the culture they choose to, raise their children however they like, but we live in a society in which people are being judge by walking in the street with low saggy pants, automatically that person is from the street, a drug dealer or such on. I do respect any culture and any diverse life people choose to live, but reality is that this type of stigma is all around the world. 

When it says “low like our hope is an American dream” they are referring to the famous “American Dream” that citizens or immigrant come to this country to fulfill. A dream that most people think is easy to get but, is not. A dream that can cause families not to be together because they must work hard to sustain their families on the other side of the country. The American dream, a dream in which all of us are living right now but blindfolded. 

When I read this quote, I think about how hard Frederick Douglass life was. He suffered a lot as a slave but that did not stop him to get where he wanted to be. As a future educator I can identify myself with Douglass because we are all fugitive of our own literacies to obtain our own educational freedom. Students need to find their own voice, authorship and freedom in the classroom in order to succeed. As Douglass sought to embody three keys for success in life: 

1. Believe in yourself. 

2. Take advantage of every opportunity.

3. Use power of spoken and written language to effect positive change changes for yourself and society. 

By taking these keys and making them his own Douglass created a life of honor, respect and success. Same life, us as educator want to teach our students to be in a future. 

My inner voice speaks to advocate justice for all. But as an individual, I sympathize with the overall human injustice over time with people of color. My future and the future of my children are strongly associate with this out cry and the reality that white’s still serve as the dominant culture leaving no room for equality.

Little black boys have to ask themselves; Will I be next? As Americans have seen the violence against the Black Lives that have been snatched away by a cold blooded murderer. This has been going on for years and yet the message is still the same, Black lives are disposable! Now is the time to step up and take a stand, Black Lives DO Matter! There needs to be a  change with writing the narrative of Black lives which is long overdue. Racism in America has not taken a step forward, it has taken many steps backwards. Together as a human race we can intentionally build and nurture a beloved community with a bond that is restorative and not depleting. As we rise up and take a stand we can love one another and coexist in this world.

“Because the threat of you lived only in their mind

 You. With no breath 

Because it has been stolen from your lungs” (Chapter 7)

 

“I was seldom whipped by my old master and suffered little from anything else… than hunger and cold. I suffered much from hunger, but much more from cold…. my feet have been son cracked with the frost, that the pen with which I am writing might be laid in the gushed.”(Chapter 8)

 

“And then, to add insult to injury, we learned that hours later, the body on the ground …. A human. A son, A friend, A brother? A father? A student A?... had received no medical attention or any attention at all from the surrounding authorities”( Chapter 6)

 

Every word emphasized the black people’s misery over the years, and how they suffered from the pain from their masters and police brutality throughout years. Every word I read broke my heart and takes me into tears, but I chose this quote because I feel personally, and emotionally effected by police shooting black people, and I think everyone with a heart does. Technology led images of police violence and their harm to African Americans, grabbing the attention of the nation, and showing how unarmed blacks were killed, handcuffed after death, and ultimately denied justice.

Chapter 6 stated, “We learned that he was so young…that the victim’s parents came out and started trippin’ when they saw their murdered son …

And then, to add insult to injury, we learned that hours later, the body on the ground…A human. A son. A friend. A brother? A father? A student?... had received no medical attention or any attention at all from the surrounding authorities…” (p. 53)

Tragedies of this nature has been the “norm” in the black communities all over the United States since the 1800’s or earlier. During the years of slavery, seeing bodies hanging and swinging from the trees were hurtful, but normal. 

Emmett Till was a very young man when he was beat to death for being accused of disrespecting a Caucasian woman. This 14-year-old was beaten so badly that he was unrecognizable. His body was swollen from being dumped in the Mississippi River for approximately 72 hours. One eye was said to be dangling from his head. Not to mention he was also missing many other body parts. 

This type of hate is unbearable for me to stomach. There really is no word to describe this type of pain. If these tragedies happened to my mother, father, sister, brother, uncle, aunt, cousin, anyone, it would certainly unbearable and devastating. The Brown’s and the Till mother had to endure so much pain seeing this act of violence on their child. I am sure they were wondering what was on their child’s mind and heart as they went through such hate crimes. Not to mention that these bodies are usually left for anyone to witness. These heinous crimes happen all of the time… it’s the old and the new “norm.”

                                    

Chapter 7 The Politics of Ratchetness

These words and phrases are well known to the community in which I come from. I do not use this language, but I am certainly not a stranger to it. “Retched,” would be a female or male who doesn’t have a filter, says what they want, how they want and anyway they want. “Madd ratchet,” is worst than ratchet! “You with the sagging pants,” is the normal fashion for some women, men, white, black, Puerto Rican, and Arabic. This is a style that has been embraced and no matter the definition, it seems to be here to stay. “Neck twisting and turning like the Nile. Mouth smacking. Hands clapping. With ev. ery. Word” These gestures are what the youth of today are utilizing to express themselves, especially if they are angry and trying to get their point across. The dragging of the words has gone viral, so many of the students display their language as if they are singing a note. When I here this language, it is not my right to judge, but suggest another way of explaining themselves in a more pleasant manner. This is what I consider learned behavior. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it is a time and place for it all. (p. 65)

 

In Chapter 8 Jamila Lyiscott shares what she considers to be the most dangerous level. “What did a twelve- year-old girl with an officer’s knee pressing into her back internalized about her worth on that day? And the millions of people who viewed that viral video, what did we internalize about the value of Black bodies in this country?” (P. 78)

No one really knows what that child was thinking at that moment. The girl was probably frightened, embarrassed, in shock, in the need of her parents, degraded, reaching out for help from anyone who was witnessing this hate crime. This 12-year-old girl was not said to have had any type of weapon. Inquiring minds would wonder how the Caucasian officer would like it if an African American officer were to press his knee into his daughter’s back. This incident alone showed spectators that this is acceptable behavior. Incidents like this can sometimes introduce prejudice to people who witness such behavior. The child could grow up accepting this behavior from anyone and the Caucasian children who were there might follow suite with such behavior in the future. 

We all know that that type of behavior is learned behavior. However, it continues to happen, and it continues to be forgiven and ignored. The people who observed the video were probably outraged and ready to start a riot. The things that Blacks have endured are so heart wrenching and undeniably unacceptable. I am not saying that this behavior is acceptable to all Caucasians, but they do not experience what African Americans experience daily. Life can be so unfair, unkind, and unjust for African Americans. Once again, this is the “norm.” The video of this incident is extremely frightening.

 

"Freire's approach to liberation through education challenges educators to reimagine the classroom as spaces where they function as co-creators of knowledge with students." (p. 58)

This quote is valuable to me, it leads me to reflect on all that we can achieve through the pursuit of social justice, the right to have equal opportunities, and success in fulfilling them through the development of critical literacy.

Without a doubt we are called to seek this liberation in all its fields and even more so in education to have a fairer society.

I admire the strength and dedication that led Freire to seek an innovative way to create cultural circles by strengthening oppressed communities in Brazil, having reflections and actions as his primary focus. Leaving aside traditional ways of thinking and acting. From being passive entities to being active entities so that together Educators-Students and community we can develop a true transformation and break free the education around the world.

However, I see a ray of light at the end of this reflection "I love you", this little phrase resonates inside me.  L.O.V.E. a very disinterested act. Achieving caring for and giving another person the best of yourself by having someone's best interest and well-being as a priority in their life. I may sound idealistic, but to me it is very valuable, and unquestionable even when we are dealing with our strengths and weaknesses. We all need love to promote courage, the desire to fight with the ambition to build a world where everyone's life is valuable where neither the social injustice that covers our peoples can’t stop us in this fight.

As a popular phrase says, hope is the last thing to be lost, however, we must emphasize that critical hope must reign in all processes of change, since it implies a real commitment, we have repeatedly stated that without actions, the changes not be achieved, they will remain in simple words that the wind will take away, as well as in many cases of social injustice. 

This should be an ambition project to overthrow the oppression of our society, where each of us assumes our responsibility to establish rights and obligations while respecting identity and culture. Having a world where every color has the same opportunities.

"With your loud ratchet 

self Neck twisting and turning like the Nile Mouth smacking. Hand clapping." pg. 65

For many decades people of color have reacted in silence to being treated unfairly.  When protests were done in silence for being treated in an unfashionable manner the quietness was not heard. If being loud, neck turning, mouth smacking and hand clapping" comes across it's because this is what happens when tragedy interrupts the lives of people of color. If we the people, call each other sisters and brothers let's start acting like it. Let's learn to lean on each other and live in peace not hate.

Anne Gaines

"We go sooo hard to get Black and Brown youth out of the physical violence of the streets without equipping them for the psychological and emotional violence they will have to navigate to survive within the institutions that were originally built without them in mind." pg. 70

Black and Brown students who graduate high school and enroll in college are not prepared for what is  in store for them. The educational system is forced to feed  students of color in a political and ideological inoffensive way that seeks to move them forward, but "they must be willing to pull themselves up by their bootstraps" (pg.70). Many Black and Brown students are handed a dream  before they enter college, after their first semester of college, if these black and brown students are failing they  are looking for an easier way out. There needs to be a different way for the educational system to prepare students of color to reach their educational goals beyond high school. The one way to include students of color, is for them to have the same equal learning opportunity as other students before they graduate from high school. 

Kimberly McCarley

In chapter 9 of BLACK APETITE. WHITE FOOD., there is one quotes that really resonates with me and caught my attention.

 “You see the problem with standard form is not that we are incapable of acquiring them

It is that they so often fail to incorporate the genius that is available within diverse cultures

And when I am forced to be like you then I am robbed

And you are robbed

Of the fullest potential of me” (p. 83 bottom)

In a school setting there is only one standard form and if you do not catch on, it is the standard form or the highway. This means that it is possible that you could fail as a student, because there is only one direction to receive an education according to standard form. There are rules and regulations that must be followed and adhered to. It is as simple as graduating, because each degree has its own designated course studies in order to qualify a person for graduating with any specific degree according to the school one attends. 

So what, if you want to be a teacher and you have hands on experience as a day care provider, empowering youth ages 13-22 for 20+ years. So what, if you have a 2 year degree in Early Childhood, Bachelor’s degree and a multitude of experience in the classroom of day cares and public schools. So what, that because you understand the struggles of a slow learners and a strong connection and rapport with students that encourages comprehension and knowledge to them in a faster way. Many people are intimidated by the state standards exams and civil service exams to receive a decent county or city job. In most instances, testing must occur for example becoming a nurse, doctor or lawyer.  

Students are now required to take Common Core exams that are extremely difficult for students of all grades and culture. The teachers are astonished at the information being requested for the students. Educators admit that the standards put on the student by the Common Core requirements are intimidating and unfair.

If certain requirements are not met a person is subjected to the repercussions of being something other than what their dreams were made of. A person’s skills may supersede another person’s skills in a position that society says that someone is not qualified for according to rules and regulations. The requirement of the standard form must be followed no matter how amazing a person’s skills or talents are. Those particular people will certainly continue to be robbed of positions, opportunities, and even sharing their wealth of knowledge with students living in the same culture. These particular people are often an asset to their co-workers, as well. Co-workers often accept and share techniques on dealing with certain situations. The standard form will certainly be a determining factor in a person’s income. Is a person willing to do what is necessary or sit on the sidelines and settle for whatever?

 

Why I Started Using Cyphers for Justice

 

"Most people in the United States are more decisively offended by a pair of sagging pants than police brutality." pg. 84

 

Is it true that most people are disturbed by sagging pants than police brutality? If so most people have it all wrong, There needs to be a disturbing reality focusing on Black and Brown boys being killed by police and there is no accountability for their actions. If sagging pants is the worst thing to think about., get over it. If black boys look into the  history of sagging pants, they might reconsider sagging their pants. The word saggin spelled backwards is a derogatory word toward the black human race, a focus that is not warranted, but is often used as a term of endearment by some African Americans when speak to each other. 

If educators look at the Hip-hop culture to re-imagine what teaching and learning might look like in the classroom. Stop making assumptions about students' appearance and educate students using their cultural aspect and not judge them on the way they dress. Teaching  cyphers and hip-hop lesson to engage students in learning makes a difference in the classroom.

“Healing is not the absence of wounds”. 

When Jamila Lyiscott  the author of Black Appetite. White Food., found out about her mother and other family members were survivors of sexual abuse, she did not let that stop her from speaking out to make changes for racial injustice in education.  She is the voice who is being heard by speaking at conferences to educators about racial justice, equity, hope and educational injustice in the classroom . Jamila Lyiscott is allowing her wounds to heal with a natural process by inviting educators to explore the implications of manifestations of white privilege as it exists within and beyond the classroom. When listening to one of her speeches, she speaks of how she put herself in a box while in school and not being herself. I work in a school system, black and brown students speak of the differences in the treatment they endure from some educators. These same students have come to me and  made comments like, “that test was not written for me, that’s why I failed”, standardized testing. Educators are to teach all students by affording them an equal opportunity in education. 

Chapter 7“And what is left of your spine.”

I had to reread this poem twice to catch exactly what the author was alluding too. This line I believe is directed to Freddie Gray. Freddie Gray was brutal murdered by police forces who severed his spine and attested that he savagely did it to himself. Excuse me, however it does not take a genius to comprehend that this was absolute bull****. This reminded me of the historical brutality against people of color by racist systems in America. I also thought about the brutality, that is and has been, unaccounted for throughout African history, from the very first journey to the “”New World”. This poem as a whole served as a reminder that although African lives are not valued, appreciated, and loved by the system at large, the Author will never fail to express her love for those marginalized, oppressed, and overlooked as a whole. We all should as well!

“Wait a minute, when we go to high schools to recruit students, we only recruit Black students to be athletes here……”

Since the advent of the American slave system, black bodies have been used as chattel and forms of entertainment. This is present in society today from high school to collegiate athletic sports. The quote listed above highlights how educational institutions, in a racist fashion, view “Black”. With black women being the most educated group in America, why do institutions fail to recruit them to their schools? The question I posed above distinctly shows how systematic racism in schools is clearly persistent and evident. 

"You with your skin so obscenely and unapologetically Black an Onyx opulence".
By the title of the poem breeds contempt for black American culture. It is always seen as  offensive. Just showing up on the Earth black creates a deep pool of disgust in the eyes of so many Americans. We as black Americans have to begin to understand the politics of being in our black skin. The word politics is defined as a debate or conflict among individuals hoping to achieve power. Ratchet is defined as flashy, unrefined or low class. By Design the Politics of Ratchetness is to deflect from the richness and beauty of Black Culture. This quote pushes past the title by the very words used to describe the beauty and richness of our melanated skin such as Onyx and opulence. The Onyx is by definition the most traditional solid black gemstone. Opulence is defined as great wealth or luxuriousness. As Educators we too must push past the politics of Ratchetness as divisive as it is into creating a classroom that is rich in learning materials that uplift, celebrate, and educate our young students minds. So the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will ring true as more than a quote from the Civil Rights leader but a lifestyle lived by the courageous students that will evolve from our classrooms.