A Growing Glossary of Terms to Know — 1. Dominant Culture — This is a set of practices, beliefs, assumptions, values, etc. which tend to be promoted or more visible over other cultures within a society. For decades the dominant culture in the US has emphasized Western European culture, e.g., White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant (WASP) is one name given…

A Growing Glossary of Terms Allies Should Know — Click here for Part 1–1619 Project to Colorism Click here for Part 2 — Convict Leasing to Cultural Appropriation 1. Decolonize Your Mind: This is another one which is in flux between its casual usage and academic origin. First popularized by Kenyan writer Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o in his book Decolonising…

A Growing Glossary of Terms You Should Know — Click here for Part 1–1619 Project to Colorism Convict Leasing — A widespread practice throughout the south in the post-Reconstruction era, Convict Leasing was represented by a dark collaboration between formal law enforcement and informal domestic terrorist groups such as the KKK (often the same men who wore badges during…

A Glossary for Racial Justice Education (read this before talking to that uncle of yours). — I’m VERY sympathetic to the recent critique that “When black people are bleeding in the streets, white people start book clubs.” The pain point being that while black, indigenous, and people of color are literally dying as a result of racism, white people are gathering together in comfy chairs, drinking…

Seven tips to help. — As part of my series on Speaking Across Divides, what follows is a checklist for what can be courageous and hard conversations. These tips are universal. They apply no matter where you are on the political spectrum or in your journey in understanding racial injustice. For checklist tailored for when…

10 things to consider in order to check your privilege — As part of my “Checklist” series, this is a practical checklist for those of us with white privilege to use while engaging in tough conversations, whether one-to-one or within a group. I’ve compiled this series of lists after facilitating trainings, workshops, and discussions around race, equity, and inclusion. This checklist…

In 2019 I wrote a series about a global viral pandemic, MAGA insurrectionists and Christian extremists targeting allies for racial justice. — No One Wants to Be Right About Catastrophe The Greeks knew that to see the future and be ignored is not a superpower; it is a curse. That was the crux Cassandra’s suffering. …

And what it has to do with conversations about Racial Justice. — Do I do it? Why is it bad? In my role as a facilitator, panelist, and writer, on issues of racial justice, I’ve been witness to some of the dysfunctions, personal and institutional, at the front lines of this work. Most of the time, my focus is on white and privileged communities. …

And be an ally, not an a**hole — In 2016, after attending a panel featuring two men and one woman, I came to the premature conclusion that the men had “taken up too much space” as a result of their sexism (what else!). In doing so, I was certain they had “oppressed” the female speaker they had been…