Birthday Fundraiser: Shine A Light On Racism
$400 raised
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"Racism in America is like dust in the air. It seems invisible — even if you’re choking on it — until you let the sun in, As long as we keep shining that light, we have a chance of cleaning it wherever it lands.” -Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“Can you teach those Black kids how to talk?” On the inside, I rolled my eyes and tried to control my frustration. The conversation about differences in speaking styles having inherent value and NOT being a disorder happens quite often. Comments like these are racist and insulting, and I know better now. Though that hasn’t always been the case.
I remember hearing about Ebonics in the 90s and wondering why educators would want to teach “incorrect” English which is so far removed from what Ebonics is/was and it’s potential purpose/impact in education. I grew up in a rural small town in Illinois where many people spoke a regional dialect. Phrases like “I says….,” “they was…,” and “warsh your laundry” are not uncommon. I didn’t use those though because I was “smart,” “educated,” and more “sophisticated.” Translation: I was a jerk full of implicit biases who thought her way of speaking/living/being was the “right” way.
My commitment to exploring and challenging my biases began about a decade ago. It’s a lifelong process and I still get it wrong sometimes. Just recently, a student of mine was telling me how a girl he has a crush on (who is white) probably doesn’t like him back because he is Black. My immediate response was, “Are you sure it’s a race thing?” which minimized his lived experience.
beneFIT was founded as a way to shed light on how racism manifests today and where work is needed. We actively work to expose how bias has impacted many facets of modern day society. We provide data on multiple issues to help our participants discover their own biases and explore issues of racism in their own community. The commitment to challenging my biases and making a greater effort to understand others’ backgrounds and perspectives has been life-changing for both my career and my personal life. I would be honored if you would celebrate my birthday with me by making a donation to support beneFIT.
