Let’s all take a moment to reflect on Women’s History Month, thanking the men in our lives who do make the effort to support our struggles against patriarchal oppression. This is my thank you to one of my personal heroes for doing just that.
I had the fortune today of listening to Tyrone Howard speak at the Diablo Valley College campus. This UCLA Professor discussed racial justice in the U.S. educational system–who has it, who does not, and what we can do about it.
Professor Howard spoke engagingly as he used personal examples, a Powerpoint presentation including powerful statistics, and a series of metaphors to describe the current tragic state of the education system. He described in detail how this system fails students of color, directing them towards the criminal justice system at an early age for minor infractions. His presentation made clear how stereotypes, an oft-unrecognized system of racial injustice, as well as teachers’ oftentimes unacknowledged statuses of privilege combine to strip these students of opportunities presented in abundance to other students.
Professor Howard finished his presentation with a reading list including books by Bell Hooks, Gloria Anzualda, and Paolo Freire.
Throughout his presentation, Professor Howard repeated one powerful message: speak up on behalf of those affected by discrimination you do not face.
This is how we become decent human beings; this is how we become effective advocates of the world we wish to live in.
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