As I watched the last lived experiences video, where the young Black men talked about themselves, tears came to my eyes. No mom should ever have to worry when their children go out of the house that they may not come back. No young Black person should ever have to fear to be out in public. But they do. It breaks my heart. It breaks my heart every time the news presents a story about yet another unarmed Black man or woman who is dead because a cop can't seem to think and reacts from some dark place. Going back to the first piece by White people, I am not afraid to talk about race. When I first started teaching I didn't know how and I was afraid to. But not now. I teach Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. I teach in Comparative Politics what happens around the world and over time what happens when one group of people decides it is the superior race, ethnicity, or religion. I teach the impacts of domestic and world politics on gender. I'm not uncomfortable talking about White privilege. My White privilege. If someone near me uses racist language or tells an off-color joke, I am in your face. I am not afraid. Mankind has perpetrated unspeakable horrors on each other due to divisions predicated on identity. Even today. Even in the U.S. And yes, it's wrong. I don't cut corners when I teach. I always wish I had a better set of tools. But I'm always learning. I'm always seeking for a better way to help my students internalize these lessons. I'm always working on doing better. Peace.
